Defining “time management”

This is the way that Da Bei has done it:

Time management survey

1. I prefer working as part of a team
2. I am more efficient and alert in the morning
3. I am energized by an active, fast-paced work environment
4. I prefer taking time to reach a well considered decision than a quick one
5. I like working with both my hands and head. Head is preferred.
6. I prefer a neat desk
7. I prefer a day that is planned and predictable
8. I am more productive under a tight deadline
9. I prefer focusing on one task at a time
10. Incoming emails normally distract me
11. I prefer asking questions in person
12. I prefer a quiet work environment

You may want to consider making your own list: After I read this one that Da Bei did, I know I just couldn’t resist doing mine, and when you do so from pure stream of consciousness, it’s very self-revealing. Take a look at what I mean, first my list, and then my [albeit biased] observations about it.

1. I can work anywhere I have my laptop, however
2. With solitary work I much prefer my home office
3. The keyboard has virtually replaced my hand writing anything, yet
4. When offline, I must have paper and pencil with me at ALL times
5. I can’t get much done unless I feel organized with the complete picture first
6. I much prefer quiet when digging in – no music, no background noise
7. I can multi-task, but only with my “own” stuff
8. I must focus on conversations singularly and with full focus
9. I love tricks, tools, toys and hacks, but
10. I hate learning new software: it’s strictly my means to the end
11. I love mornings, I’m pretty useless past 9pm … even 8pm
12. Deadlines are good for me, I go down rabbit trails easily when I have unscheduled, unstructured time on my hands

• No wonder duplicating my home office in Oahu has been such a big priority with me.
• I really have to get a new laptop that is wireless compatible, but
• No wonder I’m still one of the world’s only hold-outs without an iPod, absolutely no desire for it at all.
• No wonder my blank journals are piling up and getting re-gifted: I love buying them, but I don’t write in them much as I used to.
• No wonder my notes are horrible when I’m immersed in the conversation of team sessions and group-think. Lesson’s been learned in a round-about way — whenever possible, I always schedule another half-hour of time alone to brain-dump after meetings, coaching calls, trainings, anything with other people.
• No wonder I was a prime candidate for GTD — in so many ways, I was/ am absolutely ripe for the picking!
• No wonder the biggest value of my Weekly Review has been reinventing the use of my calendar.

Good to meet you Da Bei: you and I seem to be very much alike. So glad you somehow found me via EM’s quote.

Want to jump in? Do your own list.

Pick up this trackback http://www.typepad.com/t/trackback/3333385
or put your link or your list right in the comments here.

Learn about yourself, and work while wide awake to your habits.

Stop at a list of 12 too or keep going, up to you.

Stream of consciousness now!