An anchor that may ease the weight of the clock

It is impossible to really understand the pressure of time in the present society we live, as it is very different than before.

How was it before like? In fact, many of us forgot the fact there was a clear routine separating job and home, and that is an essential ingredient of a good time management: getting ready, leaving for work, working – eventually, talking with friends or relatives – leaving the workplace, arriving at home, doing more things there and going to sleep – sometimes, working a bit…

Nowadays: before going to work, a person is often responding emails or messages (several sources just as WhatsApp, SMS or Telegram). In fact, there is not a clear line division between work and life outside work.

Besides deadlines and terms been much clearer then, two important principles of time management are to have a free time period slotted into your schedule and what we could call an anchor, which is something that will happen no matter what, like dinner with the family.

These principles had many uses, one of them was to relieve some pressure of time as the person knew he would have  to work hard for a certain amount, but later, there will be free time; or at such a such an hour, they will have to be somewhere else.

Nowadays, with a fluid sense of time, things get very confusing and much discipline is necessary along with self-control to keep the anchors, the almost legendary dinner with the family which, when it would happen, will be accompanied by lots of cell phone checking and talks related to work.

This means time is the same as before, but pressure is bigger on everyone’s mind. The clock seems to be heavier now and years look shorter. Soon, retirement is coming…

What to do? Going backwards or revert a trend is a difficult, but to re-establish those two principles is not as complicated as it sounds. Maybe an easy way is to merge both principles…

1. Just check what you will do as free time or time for the self – to run, reading a book or meditating. Be a dreamer, but balance that with the reality of your resources and interest.
2. Now, think of when you are going to do it. Be neither too ambitious in terms of time, nor too shy.
3. Lastly, convert those into important anchors in your weekly or monthly schedule. Be as accurate as possible (day, time), but keep your schedule flexible, don’t schedule it too tightly.

Ah, don’t forget to organize yourself for that:

• De-clutter your schedule of other things and not only for that time – try it for the whole afternoon and evening…
• Tell others about it. If you are shy about what you are going to do or you don’t want others to join you in that, just tell them you will be busy during that time.
• It is good to plan things drop by drop… Keep balance.

Always remember that to manage time is not only a way to be more productive, but also to enjoy more personal time.