Ah, the elusive art of time management – a pursuit many embark upon, yet few truly conquer. In fact, if there were a competition for the most disorganized person on the planet, I'd probably win... or maybe forget to show up.
So as someone who has perfected the art of running behind schedule to the point where it's practically an Olympic sport, I've decided to grace the world with time management strategies that actually work .
DISCLAIMER - These tips may seem odd to the conformist eye but try it to believe it.
THE DEVILS BOX
If you are one of those people who think they have real potential to wake up in the morning if morning happened around noon well then the devils box is for you [yes i had to give it classic terrifying name because if this goes wrong ...you will see] .
Most of us place the alarm next to our bed and end up snoozing it or we place the alarm / phone at a distance hoping that it would change things but clearly we underestimate our laziness.
To tackle this common issue one can use a book lock safe[ like the one shown above ] or any lock safe for that matter which is portable . You place the alarm clock/ phone inside the lock safe and place it next to your bed and yes you guessed it right to put the key far away (enough distance to induce wakefulness).
Now every time the alarm rings you will have to get out of bed and force your brain to function to find the key .
Now if your heights of laziness have reached supreme levels like mine and you are able to fall asleep right after this then you can choose to modify this technique . Take a cold mug of water place it in the bathroom or wherever feasible and put the key inside it . This time when you grab the key the cold shock is sure to wake you up.
Drawback - This method wont give you the energy of a caffeinated cheetah it may make you feel worse if you have slept late. For certain individuals it might be a trigger for their inner hulk ,the box getting smashed is always a possibility so certain things need to be perfected.
However once they are this method will make you waste almost no time in walking up and you will soon be owning the morning.
THE HONESTY HACK
In the modern era of stress, anxiety, and distractions, Mary was the epitome of procrastination. Blaming time for her struggles, she set out each night with grand intentions to conquer her to-do list: wake up early, exercise, sleep on time. But the siren song of her phone always lured her, stealing precious hours until morning broke, and her plans vanished like smoke.
Late to work, distant from friends, and neglectful of family, Mary's life resembled a chaotic mess.
Finally, she faced herself in the mirror, a hard-hitting conversation brewing. "How long will you keep lying to yourself?" she demanded, her voice filled with frustration. "You're doing the wrong things and expecting the right results. When will you wake up and take responsibility for your actions?"
Well we all know what to do ( if you don't then this one isn't for you ) It's a comedy of errors, really – the battle between what we know we should do and what we actually end up doing.
We're like actors in the world's most absurd stage production, pretending we don't know the lines while secretly holding the script upside down
So this one is called being honest with yourself CONSISTENTLY . Every time you delay a task imagine the worst case scenario how few days or years from now you would be drowning in regret .
Understand yourself and your mental pattern of excuses and have a counter to them . Talk to yourself if you are one of the crazy ones .
The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off. -Gloria Steinem
You could always use anti vision techniques however they are not very sustainable on a long term basis and tend to induce anxiety.
Anyways here is an update, Mary's own words stung, hitting her with a force she hadn't expected. But in that moment of brutal honesty, Mary felt a sense of clarity wash over her. Acceptance followed, bringing an unexpected peace and newfound determination.
With a clear mind and a heavy heart, Mary embarked on a journey of change.
She honed her time management skills, prioritizing tasks and setting boundaries with her distractions.
Slowly but steadily, her life began to transform. No longer a slave to procrastination, Mary reclaimed control over her time, her relationships, and her future. And with each day, she grew stronger, proving that even the most stubborn of habits could be conquered with honesty and determination
So to achieve what Mary did use systematic techniques like motivational sticky notes, constant reminders on your phone or the accountability mirror which is you facing a physical and mental mirror that does not lie. It'll strip away your excuses, your bullshit, and leave you bare, staring at the person you really are.
And if you don't like what you see, well, that's on you. Make it a habit to constantly face the truth no matter how uncomfortable it is because in todays ever softening world lies have become our poison of choice.
For those of you who think this is an easy hack which did not need to be talked about because confronting your own BS is a breeze, right? Like, who doesn't love diving headfirst into their own dumpster fire of excuses? So if you're feeling brave, go ahead, take a peek in the mirror, Just brace yourself for the brutal reality check waiting on the other side.
Now if you have gotten the reality check lets fix reality ! For starters to build the honesty muscle spend 20 mins in silence and yes nothing less then twenty because that's the average amount of time people take to detach and delve into your own mind .
Once you are in your own mind ask yourself the following questions
Does procrastination stem from fear of failure, or a lack of alignment with your true purpose?
Are you prioritizing effectively, or drowning in trivial tasks?
Do you truly realize how ungrateful it is to waste a limited resource like time ?
If this has not successfully triggered an existential crisis . Then frame some questions of your own and stay with them until you get a raw answer.
Just like any kind of change this exercise will be painful for the first few days ,messy for a few weeks and absolutely transformative in about one month or more .
Honesty will take time for those who've tangled their truth so much, it's like trying to unravel a stubborn knot in headphone wires.
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