A fallibilist approach to time management

The question

NOT the overwhelming, impossible: How can I best use my time? (or my life!). Instead the humble, technical almost: How can I recover fast from bad uses of my time?

An answer

Choose a short unit of time. Time it through. Judge it after. Do it often.

Units of judging even more than of planning or journalling. Micro-judgements to take stock and change direction if needed. Micro-challenges to rise up to & sprint through. Micro-beginnings to dare to start fresh once again. Micro-experiments to learn from, try new things and blow steam. Micro-windows in which to let go, clear your head and be mindful. Micro-boxes (timeboxes, sandboxes…) to contain failures, mania & depression, to harness enthusiasm without overdoing it. Micro-commitments to push through joyfully, to overcome your anxiety and do without anesthetizing distractions. Micro-wins to start piling them on, chaining them into an upward spiral.

NOT planning, scheduling or journalling obsessively. NOT finding the great new project or true purpose or passion. NOT setting yourself a grand new deadline or obligation.

Inspired, of course, by Karl Popper’s fallibilist definition of democracy.