How to Hack Your Time: Unlearning Time Management Myths
Are you constantly feeling like there aren’t enough hours in the day? Do you struggle with managing your time effectively? Many of us have been taught myths about time management that leave us feeling overwhelmed and unproductive.
In this episode of the Beyond the Food podcast, I sat down with Vikki Yaffe, a time-hacking expert. We discussed how to unlearn these damaging time myths and embrace a more empowering approach to time management.
The Discriminatory Nature of Time Management
We started our conversation by highlighting a profound truth: time itself doesn’t discriminate, but the way we’re taught to manage it does. She pointed out that current time management norms and structures ignore the needs of:
– Women (who operate on different cycles than men)
– Neurodivergent individuals
– People with chronic illnesses
– Parents
– Creative professionals
This oversight leads to frustration and a sense of failure when traditional time management tools don’t work for us.
How to Hack Your Time: Debunking the “Not Enough Time” Myth
One of the most common complaints I hear from women is, “I just don’t have enough time.” Vikki’s response? “Absolutely! You’ve got too much to do and not enough time.”
But here’s the kicker: acknowledging this truth is just the first step. The real magic happens when we start making intentional choices about our time.
Vikki suggests:
1. Deleting 50% of tasks (you’ll likely still achieve the same results)
2. Doing some things “less good” or “less perfect”
3. Getting clear on what truly matters
She introduced a powerful question: “What do I want to be an example of for the next generation?” This perspective shift can help us prioritize self-care and make better choices.
Time Hacking: It’s All About Your Brain
Vikki’s approach to time management, which she calls “time hacking,” focuses on the root cause of our time struggles: our brain. She argues that traditional time management tools themselves can be a waste of time if they don’t address how our brains work.
Some examples of brain-based time wasters include:
– Rewriting to-do lists multiple times
– Over-planning without action
– Perfecting plans instead of executing them
Time Hacking Strategies
So, how can we start hacking our time? Vikki shared several strategies:
1. Understand your brain loves wasting time (it’s trying to conserve energy)
2. Recognize that “I don’t have enough time” is just a thought (and a harmful one)
3. Set deadlines that work for you (things take as long as you let them)
4. Give yourself excess time instead of rushing
The key is to develop a kinder, more playful relationship with time. Stop being so serious and rigid about it!
Hustle Culture: The Cousin of Diet Culture
As someone who’s spent years fighting diet culture, I was struck by the parallels Vikki drew between time management and dieting. Both industries thrive on making us feel inadequate.
Just as there are thousands of diet plans, there are countless time management tools. If any of them truly worked, we’d all use the same one!
Vikki defines “hustle” as doing things to change a belief about ourselves. Sound familiar? It’s like trying to lose weight to feel worthy. But true change comes from addressing the root cause – our thoughts and beliefs.
Learning to Invest Your Time
One of my favorite concepts from our conversation was viewing time as an investment. Vikki, with her background in financial investing, has developed a framework around “time debt” and “time investing.”
The idea is simple yet profound: what we do today can set us up for success (or failure) tomorrow. By connecting with our future selves, we make better decisions in the present.
Vikki the founder & CEO of Time Hackers, used to think “being disorganised” was a personality trait. She’s on a mission to take on the entire time management industry and help people achieve more, faster, while being kind to themselves along the way.
What you’ll learn listening to this podcast episode on how to hack your time:
• Why traditional time management tools often fail and what to do instead.
• How to identify and overcome your brain’s time-wasting tactics.
• Strategies for investing your time wisely to achieve more by doing less.
• The surprising connection between hustle culture and diet culture.
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