Unconventional Time Strategies That Work

As many of you know, I don’t believe in let-me-tell-you-what-to-do-time-management.

Why? It doesn’t work.

What does work is the perfect-for-you time system just waiting to be fully discovered and put into practice – that's buried inside of you.

It's been covered up by the endless stream of conventional time management advice that everyone is regurgitating these days. Your best system has been stymied by a fear of doing it wrong or being different. Somewhere along the way you stopped trusting yourself.

Isn't it time to stop forcing yourself to live according to rules someone else set?

You can tell when you finally land on your best approach to time management – because it fits you. It isn't hard. It feels natural and aligned with how you want to operate in the world. Managing your time (and your life) becomes far less overwhelming and complicated.

Your System Is Unique

How you manage your time and organize your life might not be the way your husband, friend, or co-worker does it.

They might not understand your approach.

This is really OK. In fact, this is the way it's supposed to be.

Everyone thinks differently. Everyone processes information differently. Everyone responds to their environment differently.

Doesn’t it make sense that your systems would look different too?

Here are some examples of really good – if unconventional – time systems:

• Writing a reminder to yourself on your bathroom mirror in lipstick
• Using an index card to track the “extra” items you need to do this month
• Creating a mind map to breakdown your projects
• Sticking a list of errands on the front door handle
• Working from 10pm – 2am, sleeping from 2am – 6am, working from 6am – 10am, sleeping from 10am – 2pm, etc.
• Using 3 separate calendars for 3 separate purposes
• Recording your daily to-do’s into a voice recording app

Do you see how awesomely creative and effective these systems could be for different people?

Can you see how trying to fit yourself into a "conventional time system" could leave you frustrated and discouraged if this isn't how your brain operates?

Part of fully embracing your own approach to managing life is to let it be OK that you are walking your own path. You get to decide how your life flows. It's time to buck the conventional rules to time management, productivity, and work-life balance, and discover what actually works for you. 

How To Find Your Best Time System

First off, cut yourself some slack. It IS possible to find the solutions and strategies that work for you.

It takes some experimentation and a willingness to trust yourself to come up with your best solutions.

Over the next few weeks notice what pieces of your system fit you well. What works? What doesn’t work? What are you tolerating? Don't feel boxed in by conventional wisdom.

Apply the strategies that are working to the systems that aren't.

Experiment. Collect data. Be curious. Leverage your creativity.

This is how you uncover the best systems that fit your world.

Now its your turn to share. What are some of the unconventional tricks that work for you?