There is no such thing as time.
I invented time to have something to do.
A brief introduction to my new invention: I bet you didn’t know that I invented time. Yeah, that was me. Before Me, there was nothing.
I became me. The exact micro-second I became me was when I invented time.
Each of us creates time. We are responsible for our time.
I can’t control time. But I can be responsible for my time. Accountable for what I do. I can determine what I will do. And when I will do something.
Things happen. Accidents of time. Things that can’t be planned. Things that can’t be controlled. Violent things. World pandemics. Weather events. Things like that. Something like getting old.
“The only thing worse than getting old is not getting old” J-Zee
I decided I need to do something with my time. Tools.
Tools for My Needs: For many years I used a paper calendar/day planner system. To demonstrate the value of my level of commitment, I used the expensive and luxurious leather-bound Filofax. This tool was valuable in its time and place-Times change.
The change was to computers and digital data.
Ewww…migration of my life into the digital world. I joined the modern day world.
I purchased the first model of the iMac desktop with Intel CPU when it was introduced in 2005. What an fantastic complete package of design, equipment and software. Open the box. Plug it in. Turn it on. Go.
My current hardware is all apple. But just during office hours. 7:am thru 3:pm. Period. My office hours are some times earlier. Sometimes later.
Calendar: My digital calendar is iCal. iCal is native to both MacOS and iOS devices. Any calendar updates on my iMac, MacBook or iPad are updated wirelessly and through my iCloud account. Simple. Easy. Automatic.
The only entries on my calendar are commitments that I have made. I take my commitments seriously. And I treat them that way.
My iCal entries are for important things like medical appointments. Vehicle maintenance. Household maintenance. Our Social Security income. My pension income. Monthly, Quarterly and Annual recurring obligations and tasks. Significant commitments and small commitments.
I also use my iCal as a reminder for critical and minor recurring reminders.
Things like birthdays. Anniversaries. Special holidays. Vacations. Family gatherings.
It is best to plan for everything I can think of. My list continues to grow.
I check my calendar at the start of every day. And at the end of every day. It helps me to not forget things.
I shave Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. On my Calendar. A repeated task.
I check to see if I have Post Office mail from the previous day, every day. Except Mondays (no mail delivery on Sundays) and the day after Federal Holidays. On my Calendar. A repeated task.
The Tool I use All Day. Every Day. No Excuses! Cal Newport calls it ‘Time Blocking’. Elon Musk calls it ‘Time Chuncking’. I call it My Daily Log.
I maintain my Daily Log using the Notes App that comes with Mac OS. Just like my iCal, it syncs with my LapTop and iPad. Magic.
My Daily Log is where I assemble all the little pieces into chunks or blocks of time that will make up my working day. The Notes App assembles my Daily Log from top to bottom. Latest day on top. Earliest day on the bottom. Sequentually. Quick and easy. I like quick. Almost as much as I like easy.
From the Screen Capture above: This is the reason for my Daily Log. I have a place to capture all of the things I plan to do during my day. I note the day, month and year at the start of every day.
In my Daily Log are listed from One to Three primary goals for my day.
I maintain Notes: for things that just seem to come to me.
My day is broken down from a Start Time. My normal day starts at 7:am and mostly ends at 2:pm.
Each hour from 7:am through 2:pm is subdivide into 15-minute segments (blocks/chunks) where I enter tasks and/or Goal(s) estimates.
I try to leave the last 15 minute segment open to do something that won’t require much thinking. Like collecting the trash from room to room.
I check my iCal to see if I have commitments or tasks assigned for the day. Then I allocate a block of time to do them. I will also indicate if it is done.
Sometimes a disaster will happen. Every plan is put on hold until the disaster is resolved. Then I can simply start over again. The next available day.
The above ‘Screen Shot’ is my summary. When 2:pm has come and gone my working day is nearly finished.
I have processed my yesterday postal mail and my yesterday email.
3:pm-Review Today: Pat myself on the back time. Optimism is my greatest reward.
Plan Tomorrow: The end of today is the beginning of tomorrow. The number one goal for tomorrow is entered here. A quick glance at my calendar. Anything urgent tomorrow?
Log Out & Shut Down, Shut Down Complete!
“ A sure sign you are getting old is when you stop needing to prove you are not getting old.” James S. A. Corey.
References: Merlin Mann; his web site/blog: 43Folders.com is archived and still available. Merlin introduced me Apple computers and David Allen.
David Allen, author of Getting Things Done, the art of stress-free productivity
Cal Newport, author of So Good They Can’t Ignore You, why skills trump passion in the quest for work you love, and Deep Work, rules for focused success in a distracted world. (What more can I say about Deep Work, I have read it cover to cover six times.)
