Time management

[Isura]

I'm posting about general advice, recommendations about how/what tools you guys use to manage your time. I just graduated from college, and I've noticed nasty trend about how I seem to waste a lot of time these days. I was a pretty good student in undergrad, so I never really needed to take the time to learn time management (I got good enough grades by doing things as they came up). I'm not "working" this summer, as I've been playing poker as a summer job until I start graduate school in the fall. I suppose I'll need to acquire these skills anyways when I become a graduate student, so I guess I'd like a head start. Some comments:

I don't spend enough time:
1) Doing stuff with my girlfriend and friends
2) Exercising
3) Playing/studying poker
3) Cooking, general housekeeping (I live alone)

I spend too much time:
1) Reading OOT
2) Instant messaging
3) Watching TV (only about 2 hours a day, but I really don't like TV)

I was thinking I would use a spreadsheet/table to log how I spend each hour, for 1 week, and then analyze where I'm spending my time. But after that, what do you guys use to stay on top of things. PDAs, PC software, those personal planner books? Maybe buy a book on time management? Comments/suggestions appreciated.

[edtost]

clearly you've picked the right place to ask for help on this topic....

[TStoneMBD]

limit your OOT time to x hours per week. limit your aim time to x hours per week. etc.

[MrWookie47]

Is this the point at which someone recommends spending more time putting it in her pooper?

[swede123]

The personal planners/PDAs only work if you are willing and able to spend the time to set everything up and track it on a daily basis. Personally I wouldn't enjoy having my schedule this rigid, but to each his own.

Regards to your TV viewing, have you considered cancelling your cable/satellite? Seriously, if you don't really enjoy it the only reason you blow 2 hours per day watching it is that it's there. Cancel your TV and you will have two more hours each day to spend with friends, working out or whatever.

Swede

[chaas4747]

More importantly than this I think you need to devote your time to the items listed "Need to spend more time doing these". If you plan that time, and stick to that plan then the things you do too much will fall away without transitions.

[Shajen]

My wife has a simliar problem. When she has a lot to do, she makes a list of all the stuff she needs to get done, then gets stuck making the list the only thing she does get done.

The only way so far I've found to end the cycle is to tell her to stop making the list of things she needs to get done and start doing them. Prioritize, of course, but man, just do the stuff you need to do.

Planning to do it won't help. Bo Jackson, bro, Bo Jackson.

[RunDownHouse]

I really don't understand what you're saying. You don't have enough time in the day to both play poker AND read OOT? You want to see your girlfriend or work out, but simply can't make time in your oh-so-busy schedule?

This sounds like more of a sloth problem than a time-management problem.

[FishNChips]

I started to write a "do this and it will help" post...

screw that! You're what 22, you have no responsibility this summer. Relax, enjoy it. After this summer you will be on a schedule the rest of your friggin life. Sleep as late as you want, stay up as late as you want. See your girl as often as you want. Hang with friends.

I think turning off the cable/satellite is a genius suggestion (or cut back to base cable in case you need to watch local news/weather).

Don't sweat the schedule now... sweat it in the fall. Get a PDA in August so that you can get used to it and get it set up and can use it for school, but until then enjoy being young, independant, and completely free from responsibility.

If you want to learn time management and responsibility I'll trade spots with you for a few weeks!

FishNChips

[Isura]

Thanks, I think you right. I guess I was putting too much pressure on myself to get my poker hours in. At this point in my life, making 3k or 4k a month really doesn't make much difference.

[FishNChips]

If its important to get your poker hours in then establish what hours you will play and play those hours only. If its important enough to you then treat it like a job...

but seriously, you'll be on a schedule (likely set by someone else) soon enough so enjoy the last 3 months of real/true freedom that you'll ever get!

FishNChips