Comments on: Are time management systems effective? The problem with n=1 designs http://www.academicproductivity.com/2006/are-time-management-systems-effective-the-problem-with-n1-designs/ A survival guide for the 21st century researcher Fri, 21 Nov 2008 23:20:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Simon http://www.academicproductivity.com/2006/are-time-management-systems-effective-the-problem-with-n1-designs/#comment-30827 Simon Wed, 09 Jul 2008 20:34:53 +0000 http://www.academicproductivity.com/blog/archives/22#comment-30827 I was really interested to read this and just wanted to see whether there was any further empirical evidence that time management systems help or hinder. I've tried so many systems (probably didn't get very good at any of them) and can now - hand on heart - say that I am a) considered by people at work to be the most organised person they know and b) totally absorbed by time management systems to the point of obsessive compulsive disorder. The first is healthy, the second is deadly! What it means is that I put on a very organised front, showing people my shiny system (whether it's paper or digital) but on the inside, I'm thinking about which system to try next. The outcome? I'm almost *certainly* less effective than those who don't bother with a system! Is this a confusing and mixed message from someone who is the most organised person at work? Scary I know. Thanks, I enjoyed reading the post nearly as much as the naval gaze afterwards! I was really interested to read this and just wanted to see whether there was any further empirical evidence that time management systems help or hinder.

I’ve tried so many systems (probably didn’t get very good at any of them) and can now - hand on heart - say that I am a) considered by people at work to be the most organised person they know and b) totally absorbed by time management systems to the point of obsessive compulsive disorder. The first is healthy, the second is deadly!

What it means is that I put on a very organised front, showing people my shiny system (whether it’s paper or digital) but on the inside, I’m thinking about which system to try next.

The outcome? I’m almost *certainly* less effective than those who don’t bother with a system!

Is this a confusing and mixed message from someone who is the most organised person at work? Scary I know.

Thanks, I enjoyed reading the post nearly as much as the naval gaze afterwards!

]]> By: Matthew Cornell http://www.academicproductivity.com/2006/are-time-management-systems-effective-the-problem-with-n1-designs/#comment-64 Matthew Cornell Sat, 23 Dec 2006 22:51:52 +0000 http://www.academicproductivity.com/blog/archives/22#comment-64 You raise a great question. For me, it boils down to "does it help *you*? (or me). In my case, the before and after states are radically different, so much so that I didn't trust that it was the book/method. So I did a timeline, looked at possible contributors to give credit to, and came away with the conclusion the book really opened me up for a bunch of changes (new career, writing, etc.) As they say, YMMV... Cheers! You raise a great question. For me, it boils down to “does it help *you*? (or me). In my case, the before and after states are radically different, so much so that I didn’t trust that it was the book/method. So I did a timeline, looked at possible contributors to give credit to, and came away with the conclusion the book really opened me up for a bunch of changes (new career, writing, etc.) As they say, YMMV…

Cheers!

]]>