Hootie and the Blowfish
I remember listening to this song for the first time, circa 1995, and thinking to myself, “What garbage.” Wasted time, at least for me as an undergrad, didn’t really mean that much at the time. I don’t really know the exact moment that time became precious, but it seemed to happen overnight. In one instant, that which was plenty all of a sudden became scarce. Work, family, friends, and that little selfish individual inside were all conveniently requesting a share. In a second, I was left with just an empty pie tray and no pie. Hootie’s words came ringing in my ear, “An hour only lasts for one second, one second”…damn them!!! I decided that I will respect time and make it a friend. After much thought and meditation, I began exploring all things productivity. Here are a few simple things that I implemented immediately, some of which I still do: I carried post-it notes wherever I went to capture any ideas, tasks, appointments, and reminders. For about 5-10 minutes every day, I would organize those notes into a journal to keep track of what I needed to do that day or the following day. Once the journal started becoming a hassle to maintain, I upgraded to a software tool. Eventually, I found GTD. For those who don’t know what GTD is, it is a bestselling book by David Allen called “Getting Things Done,” and it can help you organize and manage your life. It’s one of the best books on productivity that I’ve ever read. This was a great start, but eventually I came up with three things that MUST be done—in addition to the above suggestions—to really become productive day in and day out. I call them the three Hows. The three Hows are very basic: How do I create more time, How do I keep more time, and How do I grow more time?
How to create more time
This is, of course, not an all-inclusive list, but it’s a good start to reclaiming some time back. These were some of my biggest time-wasters:
How to keep more time
How to grow more time
I have no idea. Obviously, nothing you do will add a second more time to your day or your life, so I would be remiss here if I provided any advice on that. What I really mean is how do I ensure the quality of the time that I have just worked hard to create and keep? I have found that being surrounded with great people who are smarter and more productive than me always helps. Also, there is something that is intrinsically mystical about being around those you love and respect, and those that love and respect you. It’s indescribable. Those moments seem to transcend time and just stand still, in all excitement and in full clarity. Those moments never seem to be affected by time. Teach yourself to be aware of time and remember that time is not your enemy – so don’t fight against it, but use it wisely.
