Reboot Your Time Management: From Overwhelmed to In Control

Reflect on your current schedule. Are you trying to fit too many tasks into a single day, leaving no room for unexpected events? Consider if your targets are achievable.

“Over scheduling is basically when they are too many things that you're trying to get done in a single day and it's no longer realistic.”

Consider how your schedule handles unexpected interruptions or delays. Is there enough wiggle room to adapt without throwing off the entire day? Implementation intention: If I'm interrupted, I will...

“Over scheduling has very little wiggle room there's no margin for error which means when unexpected things pop up and they will because that's life we have to then reschedule and reorganize everything”

Reflect on your aversion to cutting tasks from your schedule. Do you struggle with prioritizing and accepting that you can't do everything? Frame this by understanding that sacrificing now is a gain later.

“The other mistake that most people are making is that they're not actively deciding where and when they are going to lose because losing doesn't feel good”

For each task on your list, double your initial time estimate. This creates a buffer for unforeseen circumstances and promotes a more relaxed pace. Set a default time for a task if unsure.

“For beginners I honestly recommend estimating a task to take double the time that you initially expected to take”

Block out specific times in your day dedicated to unplanned tasks, breaks, or simply catching up. This prevents minor disruptions from derailing your entire schedule.

“One of the most important principles whenever you're doing any scheduling is that you have to have a wide margin of error”

Identify which tasks are most critical to your goals and which can be postponed or eliminated. Consciously choose where to 'lose' to ensure you win the overall 'championship'. Frame task removal as a strategic gain.

“If you can't win the game you can at least plan to win the championship and to do that you have to pick your losses”

Reflect on how you currently learn and retain information. Identify areas where you may be inefficient or relying heavily on repetition.

Incorporate active learning strategies during lectures or study sessions, such as summarizing information, asking clarifying questions, and connecting new concepts to existing knowledge.

Gradually decrease the amount of time dedicated to reviewing notes and materials, focusing instead on applying active learning strategies during the initial learning phase.