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You cannot have productivity or time management without priorities

My problem is that I have too much Stuff TM that I want to do. I have tons of hobbies and I love to learn, be it by reading, watching documentaries, whatever. I also like to participate with various communities I am a part of. What I am coming to realize is that the main reason why I am not productive and cannot manage my time well is that I am scattered all over the place. And it's not like at work where I can go to my boss and say that I have time for four project out of these ten so choose six for me to work on. This is my personal life; my so called leisure time. Reading one book means missing one documentary which means not participating in some online game which means not working on one of my four or five hobby coding projects which means not playing one of my 25+ computer games, etc.

I spend my entire day always thinking about what I am not doing. And pulling a GTD and brain dumping will not solve my problems as there is absolutely no way I can get 10% done of the stuff I want to get done. The thought of giving up hobbies because I don't have the time for them is one I can't seem to bear. How does one go about choosing Anime over PC strategy games, yoga over tai chi, electronics over philosophy, or Everquest over World of Warcraft!!! Until I make a painful decision give up whole meaty chunks of my life I drive myself crazier trying to time manage it all and I will never be productive; even if in some cases productive means finishing a science fiction novel or a module of Neverwinter Nights.

Tinjaw's picture

<light hearted> You're all missing the...

You're all missing the point. I want to do it all and do it now!. I don't care that there isn't enough time. [stamp feet] I want to do yoga, yogurt, and yoda all in the same day. [pound fists] I want to eat whatever I want! I want to sleep whenever I want? I don't want to work!

Why aren't any of you telling me like it is and telling me that sorry, but that is just not how life works?

The point of my starting this thread was that GTD, Franklin/Covey, etc. are only formalities (and as an AD/HDer I need formalities). But getting things done is no different than quitting smoking. You need to commit yourself 100% to changing. In my case it is coming to grips with the idea that time isn't infinite, and that as much as I want to, I just can't do everything I want to do. Before I get any benefit from any system, be it GTD, Covey, etc. I need to start down a zen-like path of acceptance. It may sound all new-agey, but I think it is irrefutably true.

So until I can accept 13 weeks of yoga followed by 13 weeks of tai chi I must be one with the idea that "My Body is Not Me But Mine / My Mind is Not Me But Mine" and that although my mind might not be satisfied because my body is limited I must learn to accept this.

Sorry to get all 43 Meta-Folder on y'all. Now, back to your regularly scheduled Friday unproductivity. :)

 
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