Productivity: 5 Resources to Get You Started on Time Management

Gain control of your life

 

Finding a time management discipline is much like a mastering an art: It takes time, persistence, and a good teacher.  And it always starts with a thirst for knowledge. 

Many people start to think about time management only after their work-life-balance ship has wrecked—after the currents and whirlpools have carried their bodies off course to a desert island of busyness. They find themselves lacking focus, direction, and miles away from their personal and professional goals.

At that point, you find your desire for knowledge. You admit you need to learn more.

Finding a time management discipline that works for you is not easy. These resources are a good place to start for an overview of what’s out there, plus some nifty tricks and hacks that will improve your life instantly.

 

1.  Randy Pausch Lecture: Time Management

Randy Pausch is best known for his bestselling book “The Last Lecture,” which he wrote after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. You can trust a dying man to know the value of every moment. Drawing from classics such as “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People“ his lecture is practical, useful, and hilarious.

 

 

2. David Allen Speaks to Google Employees on ‘Getting Things Done’

David Allen’s Getting Things Done was hailed as one of the best time management practices out there. It offers a simple, but comprehensive way to deal with all the “stuff” in your life in a way that can enable you to take care of all the small details without loosing sight of the broader picture. This lecture is a good overview of Getting Things Done.

 

 

3. Merlin Mann on Inbox Zero at Google Tech Talks

Merlin Mann runs the popular site, 43Folders.com. He has become recognized as an expert and  a fresh voice in time management and productivity. 

 

 

4. 26 Time Management Hacks I Wish I'd Known at 20

Senior UX researcher Etienne Garbugli shared this short and inspirational slideshow, that might be just the right push to get you going. 

5. The Hive Mind of  Reddit. 

 

You can find a plethora of knowledge and motivation for bettering yourself on Reddit, in r/getdisciplined and /r/getmotivated. These two discussions are extremely useful. 

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