Time management is a toxic phrase

​

Time management is the ability to use one's time effectively or productively, especially at work. 

​

Sounds like a good thing, right?

​

Wrong. Yes, it can be fun and even satisfying to explore how we might be more efficient or productive while engaging in certain activities. The problem comes when we prioritize that as an important life result. The idea of time management is the idea of prioritizing the results over an enjoyable process and journey. It can easily ignore and exacerbate our Now-Next Integrity problem by prioritizing what Next wants at the expense of Now. 

​

Re-defining time management so that's it's a non-toxic phrase

​

Time management is the ability to design and plan the use and flow of our time in an enjoyable and stress-free way so that we're both loving the daily processes and journeys while also feeling gratified as we notice the accomplishments that occur as a result of engaging in those enjoyable processes.

​

The ability to use one's time effectively or productively can be a valuable skill to develop in certain areas of life. But only as it plays second fiddle to our ability to create and live our life as an enjoyable and exciting day-by-day process and journey.