Time Management Simplified

Even though the goal when living simply is to keep life as uncomplicated as possible, keeping it simple is not necessarily an easy task. It does take some work to find the time you need for what you truly value. This is why it is so important to determine what you really want from your life. Once this is addressed, it is easier to discern what needs to be added to your daily routine and what needs to be removed. And the best way to keep a daily routine organized is through time management.

I was first introduced to the concept of time management when I attended a seminar for a corporate job. After two days of instruction I learned how to take all of the tasks that I had to do during my day and organize them in a fashion that would alert me to the level of urgency, the time frame of the task and its deadline. What was to be done first and what could be put off for another day were designated by a series of stars, letters and numbers. One alarming aspect of this program, that wasn't very obvious to me at first, was how personal time was worked into the day. Anything you had to do for yourself was put at the bottom of the page and work duties were written at the top. As work and personal tasks were added, the idea was that they would meet in the middle, therefore leading to a balanced work and personal life.

I eagerly returned to my life, positive that this was how I was going achieve the balance between my work and personal life that I was struggling to find. Unfortunately, once I started using these new skills I quickly discovered that I was still having problems meeting my personal goals, but was more efficient at my job than ever. This detailed time management plan made no room for my personal life, even though it appeared to on paper. At the end of the day, what was visibly most important was what was written at the top of the page: my job.

Finding the balance between work, family and personal goals is the dilemma that leads many individuals to the idea of simple living. On one hand, our society touts family values as the most important facet of our culture. On the other hand, we can’t provide what we need for our families without our jobs, and it’s difficult to keep a job if we don’t do it properly, so we often spend time at home finishing up our work day, which cuts into family time. How do we live simply while juggling it all?

Enter organizational expert Julie Morgenstern. Best known for her ability to organize home and office space, Morgenstern has applied her organizational techniques to the concept of time management in her best selling book, Time Management from the Inside Out. The result is a model of time management, which has made my journey into simple living easier to achieve.

In her book, Morgenstern explains in great detail how to apply her philosophy of "SPACE" to the concept of organizing time. With each letter representing a different task involved in effective organizing, Time Management from the Inside Out guides the reader to sort, purge, assign a home, containerize and equalize their time. Though some of these tasks don’t seem to apply to time, it is Morgenstern’s innovative approach to living a balanced life which opens the reader’s eyes to a new way of viewing how their time is used.

Morgenstern first asks the reader to determine the aspects of life they feel are most important; what they value most in life. Then the reader is asked to list their life goals. This is where her system differs from traditional time management models. Morgenstern guides the reader to place their life goals within the major “life categories” they consider crucial for balanced living. These categories and goals are to time management as beautiful wicker baskets and functional shelves are to clutter organization.

By using her own “life category” examples, Morgenstern creates a sample “Time Map” for the reader, with blocks of time dedicated to each category. This is the concept which changed the way I viewed how my time was used. Morgenstern uses the example of house cleaning as actually being family time because when the task is finished your family is left with “a warm welcoming home.” What at first appears to be a burdensome chore is transformed into a period of time spent towards the greater value of family.

The “Time Map” makes it easier to create a more balanced life by allowing you to see what “life categories” your goals and their tasks, fall into. It also makes it easy to get a grip on time wasters as well as seeing where extra time might be available in your day. This is where Morgenstern’s knowledge and expertise are crucial. She shares several examples of clients from all walks of life. Within these examples, you will be able to see ways in which her philosophy can be applied to your life. Therefore, if living simply is what you value, then you can design your “Time Map” to reflect that.

Of course following this new plan is not possible 100% of the time, which is where the final task of equalizing comes in. Morgenstern stresses that realistically you will follow your plan only 80% of the time. Some days may be higher, some days may be lower. Therefore you will need to be flexible and understand that you will have to let some things go and reschedule them for later. For example, if you scheduled alone time for Sunday morning and your child is sick, you are obviously going to have to let it go. You may find that you will be able to find some alone time later in the day by having your husband make dinner. As she says, you will be assessing and equalizing all day long, but when things calm down, you are left with a guide as to what you should be doing now that the emergency has been tended to.

As time goes on, what you value will vary and, consequently, how your "Time Map" reflects this will change as well. As life changes, your Time Map will help you see where new responsibilities and goals fit in. For example, my Time Map showed me exactly where I could fit in school when the time comes. In the meantime, I’m dedicating that time to other “life categories” which I rarely get to indulge in when I’m taking classes.

I promise you that after you read Time Management from the Inside Out, the days of feeling tied to a To Do list with no direction will be over. The tasks and responsibilities that make up your daily life will now fit into a larger plan; “your activities will support your goals.”