Dynamic Time Management - an approach for our time

"Does the world really need another time management book?"

Dynamic Time Management was an early morning thought. It was the latest in a long list of thoughts that have occurred to me in the wee hours of the morning. However, it wasn't one that I forgot when I woke up properly.

Those of you who have known me for a while will know that I've written about time Management before. There was "Time Management 24/7" in 2003 and then "Mastering Time" in 2011. In addition, I've run hundreds of workshops for thousands of people helping them to become more productive. My message has always been to encourage individuals to take control of their whole life and create a personal balance.

In some respects though, it was a message many people refused to hear or doubted was possible for them.

That was before the whole Covid-19 experience caused a fundamental shift in the mindset of many.

Time Management for our time

Dynamic Time Management is very much a time management book for our time. As well as delivering all the essential tools and techniques that help us all use our time efficiently, it contains a hope that, finally, everyone can imagine, plan and create a life balanced on their own terms.

The Lockdown Effect

2020 was a strange year on many levels. Tragically, there was the widespread illness and loss of life to a unique virus. There was also an initial sense of bewilderment. For the first time in many people's lives there was a real sense of uncertainty about the future. In the UK, everyone deemed to be not doing a vital job, was subject to the Lockdowns which continued for many months. This isolation and restricted activity had a big effect.

Strategic thought

The first thing it did for many was it gave us all space to THINK. The home to work to home treadmill was broken. Commuting vanished and instead several hours a week appeared. With more time on our hands we began to ask ourselves the bigger questions that normally only get asked during points of flexion like marriage, turning 40 or considering a family.

Assessment of life and priorities

The opportunity to breathe and think has led many to reconsider what they are doing with their lives. Many people are questioning the validity of a traditional job or career. For many it's as simple as "Do I need to do things the way I've always done them?"

What the Lockdowns reinforced was the importance of family, of friends of community. It didn't matter what car we drove, the style of clothes we wore, the number of gadgets we owned.

Converging technology

The other big shift was the mass adoption of technology which enabled remote working. The pioneers amongst us had been trying to persuade organisations to adopt this technology for years. In fact, I ran my first ever Virtual Team building session in 2004! Admittedly, the technology was flimsy but it worked some of the time.

When the lockdowns occurred, many of the things we had taken for granted or just assumed were unchangeable were transformed overnight.

Individuals who had been told they could not do their job from home were suddenly provided with a laptop, wifi connectivity and a Zoom invite! It wasn't perfect and many were working in spaces not designed for work and in environments more akin to a creche. Nevertheless, ways were found to keep the wheels turning.

A Framework for Life

As the lockdowns eased and businesses reopened, the widespread hope was that we would all go forward to a new world of work. Some have been ecstatic at the thought of seeing workmates and getting out of the home, others have been disappointed. Many are floundering.

The initial thinking, prompted by a radically different routine, has triggered an unnerving voice inside the heads of many. "How can I preserve the good things from 2020 and build a more meaningful and pleasurable life?"

That's where Dynamic Time Management comes in. It's a framework for mapping out what you want to do with the rest of your life and how you are going to get there.

It enables you to put some structured thought into how you spend your days and create personal balance.

The Change Maker Toolkit

Dynamic Time Management is the second in a series of books that form the toolkit of the Change Maker. "The Complete Guide to Professional Networking" (Kogan Page 2014) was written to help Change Makers build the essential relationships they need in life. The new book will help Change Makers be effective in their use of time on the planet and the final book will be all about the process and mindset for making change happen.

Have I whetted your appetite? I hope so.

The book was published on Amazon and Kindle last week.