How To Protect Your Time And Productivity From Time Robbers
“I don’t have a time management problem. It’s just that I have A LOT to do.”
It feels like an oxymoron to say you can’t manage time when you feel like you have no time to manage.
Everything must be done. You have 24 hours in a day. You also have a life. You’re doing the absolute best that you can.
I get it!
As a time management and productivity expert, I’ve seen countless small business owners struggle with their workloads. They don’t often see themselves as having a “time management” or “work-life balance” issue. They just know they’re incredibly busy.
But maybe they would have time to manage if it weren’t being snatched from them as slickly as a crime flick pickpocket.
These thieves are known as “time robbers.” They’re very sneaky banditos who are also masters of disguise.
Let’s dive into the underworld of time thievery to see who and what is robbing it and what to do about it.
Time Sucks vs. Time Robbers
You’re familiar with the usual suspects, activities you know can drain your time if you allow them like:
Social media.
Going down the internet rabbit hole.
Procrastinating by doing things other than the task at hand.
Constantly checking your inbox.
Pings, dings, and rings that grab your attention and keep it.
These are time sucks. You know there’s the possibility you might get carried away once you engage in them. How many times have you thought to yourself that you’ll just spend a few minutes on Tik Tok for a little break, only to be shocked at the amount of time that actually passed?
The solutions to these time sucks – scheduling specific times for social media, checking your inbox twice a day, and setting a timer for your internet searches – are fairly obvious.
But time robbers are more insidious thieves.
Like masterful conmen, they lure you into thinking that they’re “just part of being a responsible employee” or “a necessary part of business.”
When they infiltrate your mindset like this, they’re very hard to detect and can do a lot of damage before you realize it.
Who Are Your Time Robbers?
Time sucks are usually activities you participate in.
Time robbers can be people who are a necessary part of your life. And they can lift your time before you realize it’s gone.
Here are a few examples of the time robbers in our lives:
Your boss:
You’d never know your boss was being a time robber when she says,
“I know it’s almost 5pm, but do you have a couple of minutes to chat?”
“Can you help me with this project? I need it by the end of the day.”
“I’m meeting with a client this afternoon, can you pull a report together?”
Anyone, including your boss, who hijacks your schedule, your energy, and your time is a time robber. You’ve heard the saying “a lack of planning on your part doesn’t constitute an emergency on my part” - that’s roughly what’s happening in these situations. Your boss likely isn’t intentionally passing along their bad habits to you, but once you recognize this behavior, especially if it becomes a pattern, there are things you can do to protect your time (and your sanity!).
Even though this person is your boss and you are obliged as an employee to do what you are asked, you CAN exert some control by:
Setting early expectations with your boss once you notice this pattern and not allowing her to hijack your schedule.
Giving your boss an estimate of the time it will take to do the task. Err on the lengthier side if the project is new to you.
If she wants it done sooner, tell her you’ll need help offloading other things so that this can take priority.Ask for as much notice as possible before being handed a project.
Your employees:
If you’re the boss, you have to guard your time against time robber employees who say things like:
"I know we only had this meeting scheduled until 3pm, but I still need to talk to you about XYZ."
“I’m sorry to disturb you but I have an urgent need to talk to you about.”
“Do you have a second to chat about something?”
The only way your employees can rob you of your time is if you allow it. And that’s easy to do if you haven’t set boundaries by:
Scheduling time in your calendar for people to come to you with issues. A 30 minute block once a week should be ample time. If it’s not, you’ll need to address why your employees are having issues.
Making sure your employees know that chunk of time exists for them. You demonstrate a caring, supportive attitude when they know you’ve set aside time to focus on their needs. That’s great for morale and productivity.
Teaching them to jot down issues they want to discuss so they’ll be prepared at the appropriate time. Encourage them to work through the issues on their own before scheduling time with you.
Your coworkers:
A healthy workplace has a nice balance between being social and being nose-to-the-grindstone. If the balance gets out of whack, you can find your time being robbed when coworkers:
Want to spend time talking about how something isn’t going to work.
Interrupt you to ask questions, make comments, or gossip.
Tip the balance of collaborating too much in their favor.
The tricky part about dealing with coworkers who double as time robbers is that it feels awkward to set boundaries. After all, you have to work with these people and want good feelings, camaraderie, and teamwork.
You can set boundaries and protect your time by:
Setting a block of time that is a no-interruption zone. Let people know that unless the building is burning down, this time is sacred.
Put an away message on your email, silence your notifications, and put a sign on your door, if necessary.
Push back against the fear of seeming bossy, selfish, or controlling in your own mind. You’re there to do a job…and so are they. It’s totally okay to guard your most precious asset – your time – against pesky time robbers.
Don’t participate in gripe sessions. It’s easy to get sucked into them, especially if you happen to agree, but for your own mental health, turn gripe sessions into scheduled problem solving sessions.
Your family:
This one is particularly tough because family time is one of the most important parts of our lives, and we LOVE those sneaky time robbers!
Work-life balance is something to strive for. It makes a difference to your mental well-being and keeps the bonds between you and your family strong.
That’s why it’s vitally important to set boundaries, even with your family to ensure that both work and life get the proper amount of attention without leaving you feeling guilty about one or the other.
Watch out for these family time robbers:
Not being on the same page can lead to scheduling conflicts. Communication is critical! Keep a family calendar so that you know important family activities, kids’ events, school vacations, and holidays so that you can plan appropriately.
If you work from home, it’s especially important to set both physical and emotional boundaries. Discuss the signals that indicate boundaries with the rest of the family. For example, if the door is shut, that means no interruptions.
Create a contingency plan. What should your child do if your door is closed but he really needs you? Brainstorm together different scenarios and come up with a plan together.
You can see the common thread in all these scenarios, the importance of establishing and maintaining boundaries.
Each one of these time robbers are people you need in your life. They’ll take as much time as you’re willing to give, and then some, unless you define the rules you’ve set for your own time.
The good news is that time thieves can be rehabilitated! The stronger you are with your boundaries, the lower the recidivism rate for these banditos.
Like an un-crackable safe that protects your jewels and watches, work on creating the mindset that protecting your time will make you a better boss, coworker, employee, and member of the family.
Without having to be on guard, you’ll be fully present for all the important people in your life.