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Time Management? There's No Such Thing
By Larry Barkan
You’ve probably heard a million times (well, maybe several hundred. A dozen? Never?) that there’s no such thing as time management. Everyone has the same number of hours in the day. Some have more hours because they sleep less, but basically we all have about the same number of hours. So managing time is a fallacy. However, some people do a better job than others at managing themselves with respect to their time. Here are some time management fallacies that you may fall prey to:
1. “I haven’t got the time” really means whatever you’re being asked to do isn’t as high a priority as what you are doing. You’re better off telling people that it’s not important enough to you than to continue to pretend that you’ll actually “get to it someday.” Have you noticed that “someday” is always tomorrow? 2. “If only I could find the time” should be the punch line for a joke. Where do you suppose time is to be found? Either you will do something or you will not. If it’s important enough, you will find the time. Stop pretending that, one day, you’ll find the time lying under your bed just where you left it. 3. “I’ve got too much to do and too little time.” This actually isn’t a fallacy, it’s a simple fact. You will never have enough time to do everything, just that which is important to you. My mother (and others I know) was retired for years and her major complaint was that she didn’t have the time to complete her to do list. 4. “There aren’t enough hours in the day.” This is a corollary to the “too little time” fallacy. Each day has exactly the right number of hours. If you want to pretend you have more hours in the day, stop watching television (or, if you continue watching, each day for a week, write down the time when you start watching television and the time you stop.). However, beware: Even if you stop watching all television, after a while, you will be back to fallacy number 3. I suggest you forget “time management” and simply recognize that you have to do a better job of managing yourself. Each day, make a list of everything you want to do that day. Pick that which is most important and do it. Then do the next most important thing and so on. And remember: If you have difficulty choosing one item over another, don’t waste time trying to figure it out. There’s no right answer. Go “eenie, meenie, miney, mo” or flip a coin or use any method you like. It doesn’t matter. Just choose. Just choose because the last fallacy is the pretense that “time waits for no man (or woman).” Of course it does. It will wait as long as you want (what else has time got to do?). But why wait?
I have been an author, motivational speaker and business consultant since 1984. I have three passions: The first is my wife of 37 years. The second is challenging conventional wisdom. The third is dogs and their welfare. I am the author of "Everyone Wins! Playing The Game of Conflict Resolution In All Your Relationships" as well as "Present and Persuade: Create Talks and Speeches That Capture Hearts and Change Minds."
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Time management is another one of those REALLY sad ways experts who once read a book will tell you that you are doing it all wromg. Yeah! Right! Like they know what your priorities are. Like they know you so well that you are motivated or driven by what they, in their conceit, consider that you should be driven by. Listen up - IT IS YOUR LIFE AND IT IS YOUR TIME. I know that is confrontational for some people but there is so much misery caused on this earth by those who would have you believe that they know YOU better than you know yourself. You see, before they can feed you their theories, they have to convince you of the error of your ways. This was a great piece of intel until "make a list of everything you want to do" - it all fell apart there. Making a list seriously reduces the chances of serendipity enriching your life. Making a list introduces a discipline that is designed to aid no-one. This is not a rehearsal, folks! Grab your time and squeeze into it whatever is there to be squeezed! I promise you, not painting the fence will not make you guilty about enjoying a half hour bun fight with your kids. Painting the fence instead of having the bun fight - well, that's a fish of a different odour.
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
I was going to read this, but it wasn't on my to do list (just kidding!). Thanks for your thoughts.
You've been talking to Einstein again haven't you? Don't you remember my telling you that was a waste of time? You probably don't believe in Round tuits either. Heresy !! My son flew out from Florida a few weeks ago to photograph a horse show here in Washington state. When he was getting ready to fly back home I jokingly said he was going back to the future. He is used to my humor and realized I was talking about the time zone changes so he laughed and agreed. I remember driving back from Florida one time and as I saw a sign which said "Now entering Mountain Time". I was driving the speed limit of 75 MPH and for some reason I decided to look at my cell phone. I had to laugh as the time on my cell phone lost an hour within 50 feet of passing the sign. I actually got to see time fly.
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
I'm having a good TIME reading about the TIME you entered Mountain TIME and now I'm running out of TIME to write more. Thanks for a good laugh! I found the TIME to do so.
So many projects, so little time,is appropriate for this internet world. It's like throwing S--T into the fan and watching the situation grow! But , the Old Coot is right, this isn't a dress rehearsal, so grab the bull by the horns and throw that job down!
Thank you for sharing, Larry.
Best wishes.
Frederick
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
Thanks, Frederick. You're so right about this fast paced internet world.
My God! I thought I was the only one who would remember round tuits! Another vanity shattered!
I'm still laughing at biblefreeorg's comment. Time. Keyword. It occurs to me that when talking about time, you are also talking about not making excuses for one's so-called lack of time.
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
Thanks, James. No one has "enough time."
There it is again ..... three more times!! What the heck causes that? Obviously there is no time management here. Which I think is Larry's point 
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
Thanks for taking the time to write.
I hope that this won't be the last time someone writes that they enjoyed this intel.
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
How sweet of you to take the TIME to respond, Laraine. I'm grateful.
At first I didn't think I would have time to read this article. I'm glad I took the time now. As to making a list, that takes too much time. I've tried that and if I had time to write down what I had to do, I'd have time to do the things on the list. besides, I always forget where I put the list. I just wait until someone calls and insists I do it NOW!
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
Thanks, Jim. I remember working for a boss who told me that, whatever is in his inbox, he puts in the bottom drawer of his desk. He said that, if it's important, it will be sent again. If it's urgent, he'll get a call. And if it's critical, the person will show up at his door. After a while, he simply threw out what was in the bottom drawer of his desk and started over. Reminds me of what you wrote.
I see Jim has added another [timely comment. I am just so glad there is no such thing as Time Management.
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
I'm glad too. At least it gives me something to write about. Thanks for your comment.
I agree that you ought to 'make a list of things you WANT to spend time doing,' but I also agree with theoldcoot that one ought to leave plenty of room for serendipity. The list should be more-'general philosophies'-than-'definite goals.' I think the point you're getting at is that time-management is simply a matter of constantly choosing "what's always more-important" over "what's just a momentary matter" when you're dealing with what's in the fryer of the moment
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
Thanks for writing. You're exactly right in your understanding of why I recommend a "to do" list. The other reason is that, sometimes, people feel overwhelmed by all they think they "have" to do. If they make a list, they often see that what they "have" to do is manageable.
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