The art of productivity: a time traveller’s guide

By Paul Morton, 13 September 2016

People assume that time is a straight progression of cause to effect but actually from a non-liner, non subjective viewpoint it’s more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly, timey wimey stuff. – The 10th Doctor (Doctor Who)
As a business owner, do you find that you never have enough time for the important things? Or that the conventional work day isn’t enough time to get everything done? You’re not alone. This is a common productivity complaint among professionals who wish for a miracle cure that only a time machine could offer.

However, as David Tennant’s character in Doctor Who puts so eloquently, perhaps time doesn’t work the way you think it does.

Einstein’s theory of relativity states that each individual experiences time differently. In a ‘linear’ timeline, logic dictates that the more work you do (cause) the more time it takes (effect). But, in a relative (or wibbly wobbly) sense time is not that strict. With this revelation we can conclude that it is possible to do more in less time.

You don’t need to travel through time to use it effectively. Here’s how to improve your productivity, without threatening the fabric of space-time.

Taking to the tantalising trait of time management

Organise yourself. Multi-tasking is the enemy of effective work. Our brains are not wired to work on many things at once. You need to fight the compulsion to flit between tasks if you want to improve your productivity. Organisation and task prioritisation will help you focus on the more important tasks and, as a result, get much more done.

Plan your workload in advance. You need to know exactly what you are doing and when. There are useful tools you can use to manage your ‘to-dos.’ Plus you can keep track of all tasks and deadlines using project management software.

Learn to let go. Believe it or not, you can get more done by doing less: people who work 60 hours a week get less done than those who work 40 hours. In this context, less is more. You are more productive when you are fresh so prevent burn-out by taking regular breaks, working from home or even taking a nap.

Get started. The Zeigarnik effect means that humans are more driven to complete a task once they have started it. So although it may seem obvious, the sooner you start something, the faster you get it done. Be strict with your schedule. Create an accountability chart so you can track how much work you get done in any single period.

Be brutal and learn to prioritise. Time is ticking away. If you have an absolute deadline, then you need a cut-throat attitude towards your priorities. Ignore anything that isn’t an absolute necessity and get the important jobs done.

Done at last, done at last, thank god almighty you’re done at last!

Time will always march on; it waits for nothing, not even for your motivation to kick in. Don’t spend your time focusing on everything you could have done. Instead, use these quick-fix time management techniques to improve your productivity. In doing so, you will find yourself, like the Time Lords, a master of time itself.