How Time Management Techniques Can Kill Productivity

This is not an argument against the use of time management techniques but rather a point to be made about the common misuse of otherwise sound and strategic tactics. Many interpret effective time management as a way to unknowingly introduce complacency into their scheduling habits! Whether it is trying to make the best use of time when working online or even managing a household the objective is to increase productivity. There are some however who mismanage their attempts to better coordinate their busy schedules by simply 'putting off' or eliminating certain tasks altogether. What starts out as an attempt to increase productivity sometimes becomes more a series of self-justifications' as to why certain tasks can not be completed. In effect both complacency and procrastination begin to set in. Here are 3 examples as to how some people may misinterpret the intentions of better managing their schedules by simply eliminating certain tasks altogether. Allowing Too Much Time It is common for people to unreasonably lengthen their timetable for the completion of a task or project since this reduces the pressure on them. When this occurs their workload obviously gets backed up to the point where it becomes completely unmanageable. Effective time management focuses on increasing your efficiency when completing certain tasks or projects. Some people interpret it as making their schedule more convenient or stress free by eliminating or postponing certain objectives. Disabling Your Motivation When tasks or projects are intentionally postponed to make a work schedule more manageable challenges are removed and therefore motivation diminishes. Remember you want to get more done and increase productivity and this will require your being motivated. It stands to reason the less you do the more accustom you become to not being challenged and this can easily turn into complacency! Setting Unrealistic Goals A common misconception/belief is that anything you postpone can be done 'tomorrow' and this frequently results in it never getting done. What happens is these postponements than turn into procrastination which eventually results in a schedule that has completely gotten out of your control. Tomorrow never comes, uncompleted tasks stay that way and than many things begin to fall between the cracks and chaos takes over! Now your schedule is managing you instead of the other way around! The intention of time management techniques is to help people increase productivity while making the best use of time available. The problem is that some people interpret effective time management tactics as an approach to make their schedules more leisurely and convenient. This leads to some obvious difficulties insofar as to being more productive as the 3 examples above demonstrate. The point is making the best use of time means more effectively coordinating your own efforts and not simply 'shortening' your to do list to something more manageable!