Time: the ultimate constraint

The When represents the finite time available across the entire workflow. Everything we receive, review, decide, and ultimately do consumes some portion of that time. The challenge is deciding what will receive our time and by when. Oftentimes, deadlines or external sources tend to drive our priorities. I remember attending a meeting where we were discussing funding and priorities. Early in the discussion, it became apparent that we were struggling with how to prioritize effectively. That was when someone appropriately and sarcastically said, “Without enough time, all of the money in the world won’t solve this problem.” In that moment, it was the most appropriate thing anyone could have said. Everything we do takes some amount of time, and in more cases than we would like to admit, we simply don’t have enough.

The When operationalizes priority

Once you’re comfortable with The What and The Self portion of the workflow, the next step in taking back control of your time is to teach yourself how to operationalize your time; in other words, what will be done and when it will be done. The Self determines what matters; The When requires us to translate those priorities into time. What will I do today? What can wait until tomorrow? What needs to happen next month? What has a fixed deadline? What gets time at all?

Easier said than done. Making a list and checking it twice is the foundation for prioritizing tasks over time. When I settled into my personalized time and task management workflow, I would check my progress as often as three times a day. In other words, my priorities didn’t necessarily remain fixed throughout the day. New tasks arrived, circumstances changed, things took longer than expected, and the time remaining in the day decreased. I would check my calendar and To-Do List first thing in the morning, at lunch, and again at the end of the day. Each time, I would ask the same few questions, especially if I didn’t finish something by the end of the day. I would ask, does this really need to be done, and am I the one who should be doing it? This system worked for me, but admittedly, it isn’t right for everyone.

Understanding the difference between a glass and a rubber ball can be trickier than it seems. If there were ever a time when I questioned whether a priority was glass or rubber, I would do my best to talk to the boss, a trusted colleague, or my family, depending on what I was struggling with. Experience, perspective, and judgment are essential for determining whether something might be considered a glass or rubber ball.

Once I determined a task was important, in other words, that it needed to be done, my follow-up question was, “How quickly can I get this done?” If it could be done quickly, it would most likely move to the top of the list. The challenge with this type of process is that it forces a person to bounce between Tasks, which creates its own set of challenges. However, for me, this process allowed me to accomplish a high volume of tasks; admittedly, not many were perfect, but I did get a lot done. Again, this system worked for me, but it may not be right in every situation.

As I reflect on my time management experiences, I’ve learned a few lessons I think are worth passing on.

1. Not having a time management system is a system.
2. An indicator of the effectiveness of a time management system can be measured by your stress level and by input from your supervisor and family members.
3. Giving yourself permission not to do something is possibly the hardest part of a good time management system, but it must be done.
4. A time management system is a workflow process and can generally become more efficient when evaluated that way.
5. As our roles, responsibilities, and workflows change, our time management systems must be willing to change with them.

As discussed earlier in this series, we also need to be realistic about how much time a task actually requires. The When isn’t just the time spent doing the obvious part of a task; preparation, transitions, cleanup, and follow-up consume time too.

The When isn’t about finding more time; none of us can do that. It’s about making more intentional decisions about how we use the time available to us. The Self establishes priorities, but those priorities become meaningful only when we decide what gets our time, how much time it gets, and by when. Sometimes that means catching the glass ball. Sometimes it means allowing a rubber ball to bounce. And sometimes it means deciding that a ball doesn’t need to be in our hands at all.

RuReady Framework Connection:

This article is part of the Basic Universal Skills (Do) elements within the RuReady Adult Readiness Framework.

This series explores Time and Task Management, using a personal workflow approach to develop skills required across all three domains of our lives.

Explore the complete series:
Skill (US03.01): Time and Task Management Workflow
Skill (US03.02): Time and Task Management Workflow: The What
Skill (US03.03): Time and Task Management Workflow: The Self
Skill (US03.04): Time and Task Management Workflow: The When
Skill (US03.05): Time and Task Management Workflow: Only Do What Only You Can Do

If you enjoyed this article, explore the broader RuReady Adult Readiness Framework:

Preface: A Field Manual for Adult Life
Chapter 1: Why Do We Do What We Do?
Chapter 2: An Exploration of the RuReady Framework
Chapter 3: Life Skills for the Personal Domain
Chapter 4: Career Skills for the Professional Domain
Chapter 5: Leadership Skills for Every Level

Before moving on, feel free to use the checklist below to assess your readiness level.