Time management I think is something everyone struggles with. At least I hope they do, because it is a constant battle for me. Routines I have found help out a lot with time management, but they take a lot of dedication to get started.
I originally setup my site in October 2017, but I didn’t get anything actually launched/published/working until June 2018. What happened? I didn’t manage my time, I didn’t prioritize, and instead I procrastinated. In fact it is still a constant struggle for me. I am pumped up and full of energy to work on projects at like 10:00 a.m. during the work day, but by the time I get home my energy has faded I just want to Netflix and chill.
Writing Every Day
I set a few goals for myself for the blog. I want to publish at least 1 article a week, but I really want to post 3 a week. Both Zach at FourPillarFreedom.com and Jay at BugetsAreSexy.com have (or had) goals to write every day. This is definitely the place I want to get to, but I know it is easier to make some changes gradually.
When I decided to get in shape back in 2012 I had some pretty strong motivation, but I had some limitations and running 13 miles at one wasn’t something I could do. Instead I started out small and worked my way up. Unfortunately due to poor time management, laziness, stress, etc. I have backslid a bit and need to start that again.
Routines
Routines make time management easier. It’s kind of like setting up a budget which most people in the FIRE community can understand. I get 24 hours in a day and I need to budget that. I also take into account my own psychology. In the morning I have more motivation so I need to take advantage of that and get the ball rolling. Once I have some easy wins for the day I am eager to conquer the next challenge. My favorite speech on this is from Admiral McRaven discussing the importance of making your bed every morning.
What I am going to say next goes against what everyone says you should when trying to makes changes whether it is physical or financial. I am making a plan to implement in July 2018. Everything I read says you shouldn’t start tomorrow or next week or next month. You need to start now or you won’t ever get started. However, in my unique situation (and everyone’s situation is unique) I believe this will work for me. I can go in with a game, I may start some of the things ahead of time (bonus), but it will be significantly easier to implement next month once we have our new house. My commute will be shorter (thus freeing up more time), we’ll have more space (so I’ll be able to accomplish tasks without having to juggle everything and avoid running into animals), and thing will be more organized (increasing efficiency).
Decision Making
When I was going through the fire academy (for firefighting training not financial independence) one of lessons that had a huge impact on my life had to do with leadership and decision making. In fast moving situations you can’t just sit there and wait for a solution to come. This is where I heard about F.A.D.E.
Facts, Analyze, Decide, Execute. When I have tasks or goals to accomplish this is now my go-to process. I assess the situation and determine what I know and don’t know. I evaluate the different course of action. Then I make a decision on which course of action to use and finally I execute that plan to achieve my goal.
Time Management Goals
As we move into July I have several things I want to get accomplished and time management is going to be key in completing those.
- Move in to our new house
- Lose 10 pounds (I write this as I have an open bag of chocolate chips on my desk)
- Post 3 articles a week
I focus on these three as this will be a good case study to look at making a routine. But let’s look at some of the facts:
- Number of goals: 3
- Time frame: 1 month (July 1st through July 31st)
- Hours per day: 24 hours
- Commute time per week: 6 hours
- Obstacles:
- New house still needs utilities setup to allow internet access for posting articles
- No workout equipment at home (bodyweight exercises, running, better nutrition)
- Feeling silly working out around my wife
- Opportunities:
- Flexible work schedule (I can adjust my schedule based on how things progress)
- Routines (I can plan my days in advance and make sure I achieve smaller goals)
By July 1st I’ll have my daily routines and weekly schedules planned so begin executing on the first day of the month.
