Time Is On Your Side

If you haven't noticed, Kevin Shockey's back at Portal Al Exito...


Jon Zaadz has a blog, and on that blog, he posted an interesting topic: How to Have 36 Hours in a Day.

Now, short of a semantical throw-down, let's say The Jenius finds the approach intriguing. In summary, Jon suggests and [I comment]:


1) Optimize your sleep -- "Add" 1.5 hours [I make do with 4-5 hours; lucky Me.]

2) Optimize your diet -- "Add" 1.5 hours [Here's an area to work on.]

3) Multitask -- "Add" 2.0 hours [See below.]

4) Get organized -- "Add" 1.0 hours [Definitely a good idea; could save much more time.]

5) Improve your typing speed -- "Add" 0.75 hours [I'm around 35-40 words per minute; definite room for improvement.]

6) Improve your reading speed -- "Add" 0.75 hours [I average a 500-page book in 2.5 hours; can't read much faster, but could read less overall.]

7) Learn Out Loud (audio-based content) -- "Add" 1.5 hours [Big time saver what with spending 8-9 hours in a car a week.]

8) Use software to your advantage -- "Add" 0.5 hours [Done. Can't do much more yet.]

9) Cut your TV time in half -- "Add" 2.0 hours [I'm already down to only 4 hours a week, so it's doable. For the average person, the gain could be closer to 4 hours.]

10) Get help from others -- "Add" 0.5 hours [Already in effect, but could be worth trying a little more.]

As for multitasking, Time Magazine has a lead article on "Generation M" and their almost hyperkinetic need to do several things at once. Let's call a spade a spade: multitasking is nothing but rapid focus switching. You really can't do several things at the same time: you simply do one at a time at a very fast clip.

Is multitasking a time saver? Yes and no. If the tasks can be combined without interrupting each other--like walking a half-mile to a nearby appointment, thus combining exercise and business/pleasure--then by all means multitask. But if the tasks tend to engage the same faculties (think frenzied professional juggling work tasks), then it's been shown time and again that focusing and completing one thing at a time is ultimately more productive.

Is Jon's "12-hour addition" feasible? Yes. It's a good approach to finding ways to make time work for you. Don't forget that, if you choose to make it so, time really is on your side.

The Jenius Has Spoken.