Many are concerned about managing their time well. There seem to be hundreds of articles out there talking about the how of time management. This blog post is different. I explore the why of time management. Not the why at a superficial level, but the why at an existential level.
I’ve worked with students and clients who talk about time management as being a challenge. They are not performing how they want to in their career or life. They aren’t currently living up to their potential. They aren’t showing up in life like they want. Hence, our discussion of time management.
What I have found with time management is that it is sometimes about death anxiety. I believe that at a core (and oftentimes unconscious) level, people want to manage their time better because someday their time is going to run out. They will die. We all know this in the end. As humans, we are born, we live, and we die, but death is scary for most so we try to distance ourselves from it. We pretend that it is later on down the road. “I have time,” we tell ourselves. But do we really?
For my PhD dissertation I interviewed participants with terminal illness between the ages of 21-42 to explore their sense of life purpose. Put another way, we discussed what it is like to live meaningfully when you are young and near death. Their responses were illuminating. Participants discussed spirituality/faith, relationships, being present in life in new ways, and challenges of having long-term plans. It is important to note that they also addressed their new perceptions of death. Two participants (ages 21 and 42 at the time of the study) specifically described how they always thought of death as occurring far later in life, but suddenly there it was; looming in front of them.
So, what does this have to do with time management?
We only have to manage time because it is finite. If we lived forever, then there would never be a rush, no time crunch, no need to manage time so conscientiously. There would be infinite opportunities. But knowing we will die puts a time pressure on our existence. Many feel compelled to manage time well because it is precious. The dissertation participants definitely showed how death can quickly move from far in the distance to right in front of you, regardless of age.
Death anxiety (the awareness and concern of one’s mortal end) could be the core root of why time management even matters. With this in mind, time management is also less about being productive, it is about living meaningfully. If each moment is precious then why waste it? Perhaps we sometimes busily waste away our lives. We fill each day to the brim, but with what and for what? Do you actually care about what you do each day? Is each day worth it?
My biggest fear is that I’ll look back at life and be full of regret. If I don’t make time to be with my wife, my kids, genuinely helping people transform their lives for the better, and live my faith, then what was the point? I might have led a busy life but it would be less meaningful.
What’s my key point to this post?
Keep doing what you do to manage your time well. I’m not advocating that you forget all that is working for you in managing your time. I simply suggest that you integrate your sense of meaning in life into time management. Meeting with a personal/career counselor or deep/holistic/integrative career coach (career coaches who responds to deeper level life direction needs) may help you if you need support in working on finding what matters most to you in your life and career. As a counselor and deep career coach, I am happy to address this with clients.
Considering the bigger why of your life when managing time puts your time into perspective. Time management should not be about staying busy and productive. It should be about living meaningful, which will then lead to productivity that matters. So, when planning out how you choose to use your precious time, I hope this post helps you consider, what matters most to you? Then, how will you give time to what matters most in your life?
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