“I have to finish this final by midnight!” my son pushed past me, dropping a bag of dirty laundry in the doorway. The semester ended a few hours ago, and he was home for winter break. He sat at the kitchen table while I hid, not wanting to disturb him. Under the sofa, I got a little teary-eyed with pride, and not because I hadn’t swept in a while.
“That’s my boy!” I thought.
Doing things is hard. During the pandemic, I was diagnosed with ADHD, the Stanley tumbler of mental disorders. Missing deadlines has always been a fun hobby, so I could feel his anxiety as he rushed to finish his work. Unfortunately, anxiety is the unsustainable fuel driving the do-things engine.
Over the years, I’ve tried a million systems for time management and productivity. Turns out I was trying to shove a round peg into a neurotypical hole. Working with my brain and accepting how I do things made all the difference. Deadlines still fly by, but I’m not in a constant state of overwhelm.
The techniques that work for me would be helpful to my college-age son, so he put his phone away, got a pen and paper, and took detailed notes while I gave a three-hour lecture on time management. Whenever his hand would cramp up, he’d use the break to thank me for my sage advice and wisdom.
Just kidding. I secretly wrote my son a book and made him take it back to school.
Time Management for Bears
Eventually, Bear takes a hard look at his relationship with his phone. Then he comes up with ways to start and stay on task. Those work until they don’t, then he tries something else.
All this seems like I’m the best Dad in the whole wide world, but I’m actually a self-serving monster. TM for B’s is a pared-down version of a time management book I’m working on for independent creatives. People who have all day to get something done, then spend all night kicking themselves for not doing it.
Does that sound like something you’d want to read? Let me know in the comment section. Oh! I did a fun poll. Also, I’m starting a time management TikTok account where you can watch me work. It’s as awkward and uncomfortable as it sounds. You get tips and tricks, and I stay on task under your judgmental eye. It will be a time-lapse, so if I start sobbing into my hands during the day, I can edit it out.
Okay. Back to work.
I'm in. Assume I'll buy one... and then another one because I forgot I bought the first one and I'm on my phone and doesn't it sound like just the thing I need?
Based on the (currently 100%) poll, I’m hoping your book project sees the light of day because I’d love to read about some of the tactics and techniques that you’ve tried (even if they worked until they didn’t) because mine are currently on shaky ground, and I’d love to know if there are some new ones to try.