How You Value Your Time Is How You Value Yourself

Slow down to speed up.

“I must govern the clock, not be governed by it.” — Golda Meir

Time is always on the move.

Picture this: it’s a typical morning, and you’ve got a list of tasks waiting to be completed. But it’s not your regular to-do list; it’s the Mount Everest of to-do lists.

You’ve got a colossal project, emails piling up like they’re trying to set a world record, and a meeting that feels like an unsolvable puzzle.

You’re staring at this mountain of work and thinking, “Where on earth do I even start?”

You’re overwhelmed, to say the least. But there are ways you can turn that intimidating peak into a mere speed bump.

This is where our story begins: with how we manage our time.

Understanding the brain’s clockwork

Effective time management isn’t just about making to-do lists and setting reminders. It’s deeply rooted in how our brains perceive and process time.

Different regions in our brain collaborate in order understand how time works. It’s not just one brain region doing all the work; it’s a group effort.

Meet the prefrontal cortex — the decision-maker of our brain. It’s the one in charge of making plans and deciding what’s most important for our day.

Then there’s our circadian rhythm. This non-physical process acts like an internal clock, letting us know when we’re at our sharpest and when we might start feeling a bit drowsy.

It can make managing our time feel either smooth or a bit bumpy.

There was a time in my life when I didn’t really think about this stuff. I went throughout my day feeling like I could conquer the world. Then I’d wonder why I shut down at a certain time.

These two components are vital in our mental, physical, and emotional state. And when they are disconnected, it can throw us off.

Daydreaming is being productive

Believe it or not, daydreaming is a key piece of our productivity. It’s a secret weapon our brains have for creativity and problem-solving.

When your mind takes a little break and starts wandering, it’s not just lost in thought. It’s actually exploring new ideas and making connections you might not be aware of.

Think of it as your brain quietly working behind the scenes.

Daydreaming gets a bad rap mostly because we see it as not being focused on something. In reality, you are focused on something subconsciously.

Our brains speak to us. And sometimes, listening to what it has to say is the most productive thing we can do.

So, don’t feel bad if you catch yourself daydreaming. It’s your brain’s way of saying, “Hey, let’s think outside the box for a moment.” A mental breather that can lead to some of your most innovative ideas.

The next time you find your thoughts drifting, don’t fight it.

In fact, make it a part of your daily routine. Embrace it, and you might be surprised by the solutions it brings.

How to take advantage of your time

I’m a huge believer in trying new things. You never know if something works unless you test it. In this case, there are tons of productivity “hacks” that roam the internet, begging for us to give them a go.

Of these time-management strategies, I’ve tried a few that work for me. The best part is you can use them based on the complexity or importance of your tasks and projects.

1. The Pomodoro Technique:

Named after the Italian word for tomato (inspired by a tomato-shaped kitchen timer), this technique is all about breaking your work into manageable chunks.

Here’s how it works:

• Set a timer for 25 minutes (one “Pomodoro”).
• Work on a task until the timer rings.
• Take a 5-minute break.
• After completing four Pomodoros, take a longer break (15–30 minutes).

The Pomodoro Technique leverages the brain’s ability to focus intensely for short periods, making it an effective way to tackle tasks while preventing burnout.

2. The two-minute rule

If a task takes less than two minutes to complete, do it right away. This rule prevents small tasks from accumulating and cluttering your to-do list. It’s a quick-win strategy that helps clear your mind.

3. Time-blocking

This strategy involves setting aside specific blocks of time for different tasks or categories. The activities differ from person to person, but it may look something like this:

• Morning routine (8:00 AM — 9:00 AM)
• Deep work (9:00 AM — 11:00 AM)
• Email and communication (11:00 AM — 12:00 PM)
• Lunch break (12:00 PM — 1:00 PM)
• Meetings and collaborative work (1:00 PM — 3:00 PM)
• Admin tasks (3:00 PM — 4:00 PM)
• End-of-day review and planning (4:00 PM — 4:30 PM)

When you allocate time for focused work, meetings, email management, and breaks, you increase your efficiency and concentration on what is most important.

4. Eat the frog

Coined by Brian Tracy, this strategy suggests tackling your most challenging or least enjoyable task first thing in the morning.

It’s like you’re conquering a dragon at the start of your day, and everything else suddenly seems way more manageable.

Not only do we boost our confidence because of this, we also avoid spending our time day-dreading those difficult problems.

Slow down to speed up

Rushing yourself to get things done only makes things worse. Develop a time management system that works for you, and revise as you go.

What you’ll discover is that your level of stress will decrease. Why? Because you get to move at your pace and not someone else’s.

Checklists won’t control you anymore. Instead, you control them.

Slowing down also does the following for us:

• Increases predictability: Knowing what you need to do and when you need to do it provides a sense of expectation. This predictability can help calm anxiety and reduce stress as you plan your day with confidence.
• Makes room for self-care: We are busy people. But when there’s no time to take care of our minds and bodies, a careful examination of how we use our time becomes all the more crucial. Things like taking breaks, exercising, and meditating are just a few ways to improve your well-being.
• Prevents overcommitment: When you manage your time wisely, you’re less likely to overcommit to tasks or projects. Overcommitment often leads to burnout and increased stress. Prioritizing and setting realistic goals can mitigate this.
• Reduces decision fatigue: Having too many options is not a good thing. Time management minimizes decision fatigue by pre-planning and organizing tasks.

We need structure.

We need order, not for everything but for most.

Most of us already create to-do lists and set events on our Google calendars. Few of us actually turn that into a highly productive and stress-reduced life.

Time management is deeper than our long list of tasks and projects. It reaches into the heart of our brains and makes their natural rhythms come alive again.

We then have the ability to take advantage of our time, living to become a better version of ourselves.

The secret to speeding up is in slowing down.

The cool part is there are many ways to do this, but that’s the most important step: doing them. And by doing them, we see what work’s for us and what doesn’t.

We prune and move on because the ticking clock stops for no one.

Your time is valuable. The same is true for you.

Instead of rushing away at things that don’t really matter, make time for what does by managing what you do and when you do it.

That will make a world of a difference.