Why We’re All Terrible at Time Management (And How to Fix It)

Confessions of a Recovering Time-Wasting Addict

Look, I’m gonna be honest here. I used to be the worst at managing my time. I mean, completley hopeless. Remember that time in 2018 when I missed my own cousin’s wedding because I got ‘lost’ in a spreadsheet? Yeah, that was me. And I’m not proud of it.

But over the years, I’ve learned a thing or two. I’ve talked to experts, read books (well, parts of them), and mostly, I’ve failed my way to some kinda success. And honestly, I think I’ve finally figured out why we’re all so bad at this time thing.

We’re All Lying to Ourselves

Let’s call him Marcus. Marcus is a friend of mine, a colleague named Dave’s brother-in-law, actually. Smart guy. Runs his own business. Or at least, he tries to. Because Marcus is always ‘too busy.’

I asked him once, ‘Marcus, what’s your biggest time-waster?’ And he said, ‘Emails. I spend hours on emails.’ So I said, ‘Then why don’t you just stop checking them every five minutes?’ And he said, ‘I can’t. What if something important comes in?’

Which… yeah. Fair enough. But here’s the thing, Marcus. We all do this. We lie to ourselves about what’s important. We think we’re being productive, but really, we’re just busy. And there’s a difference.

The Myth of Multitasking

I remember sitting in a conference in Austin, Texas, back in 2019, listening to some guru talk about how ‘multitasking is the key to success.’ And I thought, ‘Yeah, right.’ Because honestly, who actually believes that?

I mean, think about it. When you’re trying to do two things at once, you’re basically doing both things half-assed. And nobody wants half-assed work. Nobody.

So why do we keep falling for this myth? Because it’s comforting. It makes us feel like we’re in control. But the truth is, we’re not. And the sooner we accept that, the better.

Time Management Techniques Practical for Real People

Now, I’m not saying I’ve got all the answers. But I’ve learned a few things that actually work. And no, they’re not some fancy time management techniques practical you’ll find in a self-help book. They’re just little tricks I’ve picked up along the way.

Like, for example, the ‘two-minute rule.’ If it takes less than two minutes, do it now. That’s it. Simple, right? But it works. I swear by it. Well, most of the time.

And another one: the ‘one thing’ rule. Every day, pick one thing that’s gotta get done. Just one. And do it first thing in the morning. Before you check your emails, before you scroll through social media, before you even think about opening that spreadsheet. Just do the one thing.

It’s not rocket science. It’s just common sense. But somehow, we all forget it.

A Tangent: The Art of Saying No

Okay, so this is kinda off-topic, but whatever. It’s my article, and I’ll ramble if I want to. So let’s talk about saying no.

You know that feeling when someone asks you to do something, and you really don’t wanna do it, but you say yes anyway? Yeah, we’ve all been there. But here’s the thing: saying yes to everything is a one-way ticket to burnout city. And nobody wants to live there.

So learn to say no. It’s okay. Really. And if you’re not sure how to do it, just practice. Start small. Say no to the stuff that doesn’t matter. And then, gradually, say no to the bigger stuff. You’ll thank yourself later.

The Truth About Productivity

Here’s another thing I’ve learned: productivity isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing less. But doing it better.

I remember talking to a friend last Tuesday about this. She was complaining about how she never had enough time to get everything done. And I said, ‘Maybe you’re trying to do too much.’ And she said, ‘But I have to do it all. It’s my job.’

And I said, ‘No, it’s not. It’s your committment to doing everything that’s the problem. Not the job itself.’

And she looked at me like I was crazy. But I think she got it. Eventually.

Final Thoughts (Or Lack Thereof)

Look, I could go on and on about this stuff. But honestly, I’m not gonna. Because that’s the point, isn’t it? We don’t need to do it all. We don’t need to say yes to everything. We don’t need to be perfect.

We just need to be human. And sometimes, that’s enough.

About the Author
Liz Carter has been a senior magazine editor for over 20 years. She’s written for major publications, made tons of mistakes, and learned a thing or two along the way. She lives in Portland, Oregon, with her cat, Mr. Whiskers, and her collection of vintage typewriters. She’s still figuring out this whole time management thing, but she’s getting there. Slowly.