T I M E M A N A G E M E N T
eight hours of sleep, you’d write in “56/33.3 percent” next to your
“49/29 percent.”
Now keep your time log for a full week. Try to pick a “typical”
week (if there is such a thing) that’s neither spent on vacation nor
a business trip, and relatively free of major crises. If a crisis does
erupt during the week you’ve chosen, you can always start over the
following week.
It is important that you be persistent and precise.
Can you do two activities at once? Of course. In fact, tradi-
tional time management books insist you do two, three, even four
things at a time. But for the purpose of this survey you’re going to
decide on the dominant activity at any given time. For example, if
you’re listening to an audiobook while driving to work your domi-
nant activity is “driving to work.” The book-listening is incidental.
If you’re reading a book with the television on, you need to decide
whether you’re mostly reading a book or watching television.
Start your log when you wake up on Day One.
6:15 a.m. Lay in bed, semiconscious, “listening” to “Morning
Edition.”
Make your next notation when you significantly change your
activity.
6:32 a.m. Dragged carcass out of bed. Bathroom. Shower.
Dress.
6:58 a.m. Breakfast.
The smaller the increments, the more precise the results (and
the more work the gathering).
6:59 a.m. Worked sudoku puzzle.
7:02 a.m. Stopped working sudoku puzzle to let dog out in
backyard.
7:02:15 a.m. Resumed working sudoku puzzle.