How often have we heard the lament, “I just don’t have enough time”?
It’s a common refrain, but what if the problem isn’t the clock’s hands moving too fast, but rather how we’re spending the hours we have?
In this article, I challenge the traditional notion of time management and introduce you to a paradigm-shifting approach: managing your activities.
I’ll explain more why time is not the culprit of non-achievement and how the activities holds the key to unlocking more results from every minute.
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Part 1: The Myth of Time Scarcity
The feeling of time scarcity is pervasive, but it’s a myth.
We all have the same 24 hours in a day; the difference lies in how we choose to fill them.
E.g. I used to be an overwhelmed professional, staring at an endless to-do list, wishing for more hours in the day. The truth is, time is abundant; it’s the allocation of that time that’s the issue.
Traditional time management often focuses on cramming more activities into the day.
But this approach can lead to burnout and a sense of constant urgency, without necessarily increasing productivity or satisfaction.
I never like the word “productivity” because it gives a sense of pressure — like I have to maximise my work in the amount of time I have. That is overwhelming, and the more pressure I feel, the less I want to work.
Many friends of mine who are parents tries to juggle work, family, and personal interests, only to feel that there aren’t enough hours. The paradox is that by trying to manage time, they’re actually mismanaging their activities.
The ultimate solution to time management is prioritization using the Epic 12 execution system . It’s about identifying what’s most important and focusing your time and energy there. Sounds easy and logical, but it’s hard to execute.
When I first started the business, I didn’t know that not all tasks are created equal. My to-do list used to have countless tasks to do (never-ending). It took me years to learn how to prioritize high-impact activities — those 20% of activities that create 80% of the results.
Part 2: Managing activities rather than time
Managing activities means being selective about what you commit to and ruthlessly efficient with how you execute those tasks.
It means embracing the 80/20 rule.
The 80/20 rule, or the Pareto Principle, suggests that 80% of effects come from 20% of causes. In the context of activity management, this means focusing on the vital few activities that yield the most significant results.
And it’s true that if we identify the top 20% of efforts and work that drive 80% of results with the Epic 12 execution system . By concentrating on these high-impact activities in the Epic 12 execution system , we optimize out time and amplify success without working longer hours and without spending 80% of the efforts and time on 20% of the results.
Learning to say no is a critical aspect of activity management in the Epic 12 execution system . It’s about protecting your time for what truly matters.
It means that not every task is worth our time. By saying no to less valuable or less impact tasks, we can make room for activities that highly align with our goals.
That, is the ultimate fix and solution to “time management” and productivity.
Part 3: Creating a daily or weekly plan full of the 20% high impact activities that creates 80% of the results with the Epic 12 execution system
Now imagine if we can have a well-crafted routine that consists of only the 20% high impact activities that creates 80% of the results , this means we are reducing 80% of tasks from our list (which gives us much more space to thinking and rest), while getting similar or even better result when we were trying to do 80%-100% of the tasks.
Embracing downtime and rest is counterintuitive in the quest for productivity, but rest is essential for maintaining energy, creativity, and focus.
I’d also schedule breaks and leisure activities to ensure that the work time is more productive and enjoyable (easier to get in the flow this way).
Such planning process that focuses on managing and prioritising activities can be a powerful tool for time management and control. It provides the structure and helps you develop habits that free up mental energy for more significant tasks.
This routine in the Epic 12 execution system not only nurtures our craft but also ensures that our most important work is never sidelined by less critical or miscellaneous activities.
And then what we can do — because life has a ton of miscellaneous tasks — is to batch process.
Batch processing involves grouping similar tasks together and tackling them in focused sessions. This approach can streamline your workflow and reduce the cognitive load of constantly shifting between tasks.
e.g. we can batch our emails, phone calls, payment of bills and messages replying in dedicated periods. This methodical approach saves time and reduces stress and overwhelm.
Overall, the ultimate solution to the perceived problem of not having enough time is not to manage time, but to manage activities using the Epic 12 execution system.
By applying the Epic 12 execution system in prioritizing, focusing on high-impact tasks, saying no, establishing highly effective daily and weekly planning, batching processing, you can transform your relationship with time and accomplish more than you ever thought possible.
Time is not the constraint; it’s how we choose to use it that determines our success and satisfaction.
