Time Management May Be the Problem — Not the Solution
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Tip
If you’re feeling overwhelmed and stressed, conventional time management strategies are unlikely to help. In fact, constantly trying to improve your efficiency can make things worse. As you become more efficient, you make room for even more tasks and feel even more pressure.
When you’re feeling overwhelmed, you are better served by attacking the root cause: the sheer volume of tasks. This means being honest with yourself — and others — about what you can actually commit to.
For tasks that are assigned to you, think in terms of priorities not time. For example, when your boss asks you to take on a new project, responding with “I don’t have time for that” may feel too abrupt. Instead, consider asking: “Where would you like me to prioritize this against x, y, and z?”
This accomplishes two things. First, it communicates that your time is limited and you can only commit to completing a certain number of tasks at a time.Second, it places the onus on them to tell you which task is more important, so that you don’t have to worry about failing to meet a critical commitment.
Translations
🇨🇳 时间管理可能是问题，而不是解决方案
如果你感到不知所措，压力很大，那么传统的时间管理策略是不会有帮助的。事实上，不断提高你的效率会让事情变得更糟。当你变得更有效率时，你会为更多的任务腾出空间，并感到更大的压力。
当你感到不知所措的时候，你最好从根本原因着手：大量的工作。这意味着对自己和他人都要诚实，知道你真正能承诺什么。
对于分配给你的任务，要考虑优先级而不是时间。例如，当你的老板让你接受一个新项目时，回答“我没有时间做那个”可能会让你觉得太唐突。相反，你可以这样问:“相对于 x、y 和 z，你希望我把这个优先放在哪里?”
这完成了两件事。首先，它表明你的时间是有限的，你只能承诺一次完成一定数量的任务。其次，它让他们有责任告诉你哪项任务更重要，这样你就不用担心不能履行重要的承诺。
