I’ve been doing some writing on the self-help area lately (post on the subject coming up), and one of the topics typically covered are time management. It’s a popular topic no doubt, and there’s probably a reason why people say things like “there’s only 24 hours in a day“, “wish I had more time” or “I don’t have the time” and so on. To a certain extent I understand this very well. I’m a project manager, and at the moment I’m working on building a new course from more or less the ground up, and believe me, If I could have a few weeks extra before launch, I wouldn’t say no.

The Time Mangement Process

Whatever you choose to call your approach to time management, it usually covers a few standard points:

• Categorize where you spend your time
• Define areas in a matrix, continuum or similar ranging from “highly urgent and important” to “not important at all”
• Prioritizing your areas and actions that need to be done
• Create a to do list
• Do the most important action item, cross oit ff the list, go to the next one etc.

Some of the more advanced ones (which I like) go a step further (or before), focusing on your outcomes, purposes, and then planning (where many of the other programs start). If you’ve ever heard of NLP or Tony Robbins, this might be familiar ground.

However, this post is not about how to manage your time. There are probably more than enough resources online for this.

What’s Your Mindset Like?

There is a group in the population that has a very different approach to time and the amount of it that we have available: Kids. Remember when you were a kid and you were waiting on, say your favorite TV show (when I grew up in Norway we had one channel, and about half an hour devoted to kids at 6 pm) and it wasn’t on until an hour later? When you’re a kid an hour lasts five billion minutes if you’re waiting for something (consider waiting to unwrap presents when it’s Christmas). A kid will find a hundred things to do for an hour. There are trees to climb, action figures to play with, that lego car you’re going to build, run around with the family dog, say hello the kid next door… you know what I mean, right.

What are grown-ups like? “hmm…, well, I doubt I have the time right now. I’ve got a meeting in one hour. How about later?”

So the idea I have here is that maybe we (at least us adults) should adopt kids’ mindsets every now and then when it comes to time and time management. How much could you do in an hour if you thought of time the way kids do, rather than what you do as an adult?

What’s your take on it?

You know the scene in the movies where the main characters are about to finally get on with that kiss that you’ve foreseen since before you even started watching, and just as their lips are about to touch, the phone rings and destroyes the moment. This of course, has been used to the point of complete cliché, but what always ticks me off here is, why the hell do they bother with the phone? You’re right there with some superbabe or superhunk, things are getting really interesting and …you’d rather answer the phone?

The worst part about this scenario is that phone behavior today is frighteningly similar to this. A lot of people seem incapable of not answering their phone.

Cell Phone Addiction In Real Life Settings

Want to improve your meetings?
Want to get more out casual conversations with friends or colleagues?
Want to relax without interruptions?

Turn off your cell phone, or at least put it on mute.

Among the things I do, I work as a career advisor. Because of the economy, a lot of people in Norway, as the rest of the planet, are out of work. Some of the people I meet have little experience with work, some have lot, and they come from many walks of life. One frequent similarity, though, is their cell phone addiction. Whether in the middle of a presentation, a great discussion, or even moments of breakthrough for people struggling with self-confidence, I experience people grabbing on to their phones to answer calls or text messages.

This lack of social competence is strange to me. Is it really that hard to wait for a break or a moment where making phone calls or writing text messages are more appropriate?

The Need To Feel Connected

The times when I really become aware of this addiction in myself is when I forget my phone, and wonder what in the world I’m going to do without it. As if it’s a huge problem. I’m left with only e-mail, facebook, twitter, friendfeed, etc … Getting in touch isn’t really that difficult. On the other hand, one difference I notice in myself is that I don’t absolutely have to answer the phone when it rings. I have a cell phone. I can see who’s calling. I can call back if I don’t know the number, or check it online. If it’s an unlisted number it’s usually one of two people, and they can call back.  Or, it’s someone I’m not interested in talking to anyway.

It’s not a problem!

The Cell Phone Challenge

So, here’s the challenge (and this is one I’ll work even more at myself): When your phone rings from now on, consider taking just a second to ask yourself whether or not you want to, or need to answer it. If you’re in a meeting, or having a great conversation or discussion, do you really want risk destroying that great state or atmosphere just because of a phone call? Is what you’re doing right now more important, or the phone call (or text message for that matter) when you don’t even know who’s calling.

Consider this: What if that great meeting or conversation doesn’t get back on track? The moment’s ruined. And all because of a cold call from someone trying to sell you on subscription deal with a new phone company?

Would it be worth it?