My partner thinks I have no sense of time. She says that I am always late, that I let time slip by, am easily distracted.
Bah. What does she know?
OK. She knows a lot. I do lose track of time. I do over-schedule. I’m often racing the clock. Because of my screwy inner clock, I typically get a lot less done in a day than I could – or should. Factor in my distractibility, and you’ve got a problem. Er, I’ve got a problem.
But I’ve got good news! I’m actually getting better at a few things, including:
- Staying on task
- Sticking to a daily work plan
- Ignoring distractions
- Keeping accurate time logs.
I’m also wasting less time on email, online research and social media. In short, I am using my time more effectively.
My secret? I’ve begun time chunking. This is a classic productivity technique where you work full-out for short blocks of time interspersed with short breaks. I’ve tried time chunking before, with minimal success. But this time I’m using a cool little computer application called FocusBooster.
FocusBooster is a simple downloadable digital timer that you install on your desktop. It counts down the minutes of each work session, then rings an alarm at session’s end to signal your break. Although it’s pre-set for 25-minute work periods and 5-minute breaks, you can adjust it.
This works for me. When I see the seconds pass by, my experience of time is more immediate, more realistic. It also lights a fire under me. For instance, when I see that the 30-minute block I’ve allotted to finishing this blogpost is nearing its end, I’ll pick up the pace to get it done.
Cool Bonus. I’ve been using break times for mini “workout” sessions with those nifty little weights that for years have collected dust on my office floor. I expect to be pumping some serious iron any day now!
How about you? Are you delusional about time? Have you found a cool tool that keeps you on-track?
