Time Allotment, Not Management: The Key to Accomplishing Your Goals

When I worked in an office setting, we had at least two daily meetings.  Then, I spent significant time entertaining people who would drop in to chat about random things, countless emails, and phone calls.  What I found was I spent most of my day doing things that didn’t help me accomplish my daily tasks and goals.  As a result, I would stay to work late or bring work home, which interfered with my family time. 

I was busy from when my feet hit the floor until I went to bed around midnight, yet I never felt a sense of accomplishment.  One day, I came across a book that changed how I looked at the time and how I planned my day, set up my office, and prioritized my time at work.  

Does your story sound remotely close to mine? If so, this blog is for you! 

You have heard of time management.  Time management is popular because it promises to solve many problems, such as increased productivity and better work-life balance. However, time management can easily get in the way of our goals and lead to burnout. In this article, I will discuss why time allotment is a better strategy than time management and provide tips for allocating time to help you reach your personal and professional goals more efficiently.  

Why Time Management Can Be a Problem

I know you have heard the saying, “Time is money.” Well, I disagree!  The truth is money can be replaced, but time can’t.  You can’t get back yesterday, but you may be lucky enough to win the lottery and get more money than you can ever imagine.  

To manage something, we must have control over it, and time is something we cannot control. 

Life is unpredictable, and time continues to progress no matter what we do. Despite this, many people spend much time and energy trying to control their time instead of using it to achieve their goals. 

Time management usually involves trying to make the most of every moment of the day, but this may not always be practical or helpful. In reality, focusing too much on managing time can lead to stress and disappointment because we end up being busy without being productive.

The Pareto Principle: How We Waste Time

The Pareto Principle also called the 80/20 rule, highlights how we waste a lot of time on things that don't really matter. This rule states that 80% of the results come from 20% of the actions. In other words, we tend to spend a lot of time on activities that aren't contributing to our goals or well-being. For instance, scrolling through social media for hours, binge-watching shows, or procrastinating on tasks that won’t help us reach our objectives. By allocating our time more effectively through time allotment, we can focus on the 20% of activities that will help us achieve our goals.

The Benefits of Time Allotment

Time allotment involves setting aside certain blocks of time for focused work on high-value tasks that will help us reach our goals. This strategy is effective because it allows us to prioritize our values and objectives. Instead of trying to micromanage every moment of the day, we can make choices about how we use our time to achieve our goals. Time allotment also ensures we have enough time for self-care and a healthy work-life balance. Taking the time to relax and rest improves our overall well-being and helps us work more effectively.

Tips to Get Started With Time Allotment

1. Define your goals and core objectives

Have a clear picture of what you want to accomplish before allocating any time.

2. Separate high-value work from low-value activities

Consider which activities contribute the most to achieving your goals and prioritize those. Also, determine which tasks NEED your attention or if you could save time by having an expert perform the tasks. 

For example, I wrote this blog, but my virtual assistant took care of finding the graphics, formatting, and placing it on the website.  Can I do this? Yes, but it takes me twice as long, and it is time I can spend brainstorming for my next blog or simply going for a walk. 

You can use this same approach in the household, stop trying to be super mom/wife or dad/husband, and allow the children and spouse to help with tasks.  

3. Block out time to ensure focus

Set specific time slots for high-value work and make sure these time slots are dedicated solely to these activities. I prefer to work in no more than 90-minute increments.

4. Create a schedule

Plan carefully how you will spend your allocated time, and stick to this schedule as much as possible.

When creating the schedule, consider when is the best time for you to complete certain tasks.  For example, when my daughter was younger, I chose to work out at 5:30 am because I didn’t have to worry about life events that could throw me off schedule. Like traffic jams or the last-minute requests from my daughter to get something she needed for school the next day, you get the picture.   

5. Use productivity tools

Various apps and tools are available to help track your time and ensure adherence to your schedule. Additionally, many apps and tools can decrease your time to perform tasks.  

6.  Set Priorities

Make a list of your top priorities and allocate time to them first. This can include work goals, personal goals, and time for self-care.

7.  Schedule Breaks

Remember to schedule breaks in your day. Taking a short walk, meditating, or simply letting your mind rest can help improve concentration and productivity.

8.  Batch Your Tasks

Group similar tasks together to avoid switching back and forth between tasks. For example, respond to emails in one batch instead of checking your inbox throughout the day.

9.  Say No

Be mindful of how much time you're spending on activities that don't align with your priorities. It's okay to say no to requests or meetings that aren't contributing to your goals.

10. Being Productive Vs. Busy

The goal of time allotment is for you to accomplish tasks and not be busy being busy.  

Time allotment can be a more effective approach for achieving your goals than traditional time management strategies. By focusing on high-value activities and allocating specific time slots for these tasks, you can avoid time-wasting activities and achieve more in less time. Moreover, adopting a time-allotment approach helps ensure you have time for self-care and leisure activities and improves your ability to concentrate. Give time allotment a try, and see how your productivity and work-life balance benefit from this transformative approach!