Jan Thomas of CereCore Institute called me a “Time Optimist.” I love that term…such a wonderful respite from the negative descriptors of disorganized, clueless, and chronically late. I don’t use it as an excuse. Being a “time optimist” means that I think that I can do a lot of things in a limited amount of time. I assume that I can make my daughter’s lunch, grade ten student papers, call my Grandma, and take a shower within a thirty minute time slot at the crack of dawn. The “diagnosis” (and I say that tongue-and-cheek) doesn’t absolve me of the responsibilities of being on time to a class, a meeting, or a dinner date with a friend. Nor does it mean that I don’t have to finish grading all my students’ papers. I have to do all those things…I just have to do them within a realistic time frame even though I operate from an optimistic view of the passage of time.
How to be a Responsible Time Optimist in the world today?
1. Tell myself (over and over) that I have to be somewhere 10 minutes before I actually have to be there.
2. Award myself when I am on time. Often a verbal pat-on-the-back is all it takes. A simple “you did it – you worked at leaving early, and you made it, Karla” can be the perfect reinforcer.
3. Create – and stick to – a time monitoring sheet when working on multiple task in a big chunk of time (e.g. grading 10 papers)
4. Be busy. It’s essential to remember the magic number 1 – One Thing at a Time. Nonetheless, the more I have on my plate, the more efficient I often am (unless, of course, I’m overloaded, a new topic altogether…).
5. Play Time Estimation Games with my family (and myself) – how long do we really think it will take us to unload the dishwasher? Fold the laundry? Walk around the block for a much needed mental pick-me-up?
Yes, time estimation GAMES. Keep this time awareness stuff fun. It’s hard enough being an optimist in a world of critics and judges; yet, people are relying on you to be something that you are not, “naturally” – a time realist.
Dr. K,
From one “Time Optimist” (I love that term) to another I would add one thing to your list that I have found helpful for myself over the years.
- Don’t beat yourself up if/when your optimistic guesstimation of how much time it takes to complete a task is off the mark, just keep moving forward.
I would be interested in hearing about your time monitoring system for large multi-phased tasks. This is one area I know I need to work on.
Thanks for the article.
Debbie
Don’t beat yourself up, indeed! Heck, that has to be a life motto! We let ourselves get stuck and, well, then we’re stuck. The trick, as you aptly put it, is to move forward.
Your reminder makes me think of a time a good friend Dee Dee asked me, “if you weren’t beating yourself up, Karla, who would be?” The answer was no one. I felt the answer, said it too…and got a good ole’ tear in my eye to clear away the unnecessary self-destruction.