Don’t Waste Too Much Time With This Simple Formula.
Time management can be difficult, but it often comes down to not understanding how you are spending your time. This formula forces you to explore your use of time, while making it clear and clear what you can and cannot do in the time you have.
As with many formulas, there is a constant. In this case, it is 24 hours, since there are only that many hours in a day. The rest of the formula variables, as explained by Elizabeth Grace Saunders of the Harvard Business Review , are perfectly tailored to your needs:
(External waiting) + (Internal waiting) ≤ 24 hours – (Self-help)
These variables do not make sense in this form, but each of them is broken down into smaller parts. Start by finding out your self-service number. This means adding up the time it takes to sleep, eat, and take care of yourself. Now add up your external expectations, such as work, commuting, pets, and relationships. Finally, add up your inner expectations, such as hobbies, side projects, and personal time. Here’s an example of how mine might look:
- (8 for work + 1 for housework and pet) + (2 for games and TV + 1 for reading + 1 for side projects) ≤ 24 hours – (8 for sleep + 1 for food + 1 for personal care)
- (9) + (4) ≤ 24 hours – (10)
- (13) ≤ (14)
When you add it all up, is the left side of your equation less than or equal to the right side? Failure to do so can lead to burnout very quickly. Don’t be afraid to break things up even more if need be. See where you can make sacrifices or change something if you need to. Time is a valuable resource and you really don’t want to spend more than you have.
The Formula That Will Stop You Wasting Time | Harvard Business Review