Arun is Bringing You...Your Daily Remedy

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Ninja Time Management


So I've been recently trying to refrain from too many boring personal blog posts about this and that. In the early days, I was much more liberal with what I was blogging about (hence I was able to set a sizzling pace of 3 posts per week)!


Now a days, I only like to write GOLD! (obviously, this means all recent and forthcoming posts will be awesome).

That being said, I'm currently in the midst of the busiest time of my life.

I know what you're thinking: "Oh common ARUN! I know you! You're extremely handsome, you love going out, partying, writing blogs about how you are soooooo awesome, and general adventuring! You expect me to buy into all this 'busy-ness'??"

Well you are correct in your evaluation of me, but yes, I do expect you to believe me. In fact, everytime I get great ideas recently, I never have the energy/time to sit down and write out a quality post.

These things usually go through a couple of editing iterations before I'm happy enough to post.

In fact, as I'm typing this right now, I am taking a break from an absolutely insane schedule today. I just got off of a 1.5 hour conference call and needed to do something for myself (and your self) so here it is!

Truth be told, I'm kind of a time management ninja. You know I can't post without giving myself at least one pat on the back.

People never seem to understand how I have time to hang out and do fun things with the amount on my plate. I am involved in FAR more things than anybody I know. Here's a sample:

  • I'm enrolled as a full-time MBA student - I NEVER miss class.
  • I'm a teaching assistant for 1st year MBA classes
  • I'm the event chair for the San Diego Downtown Relay for Life
  • I work "full time" in internet marketing
  • I'm involved in a consulting project with a company making recommendations to improve their customer relations
  • I am doing a social media research project with food trucks in San Diego that is essentially like another job
  • I am a Rady School of Management Ambassador
These are all things that I categorize under "work." Of course, I probably have twice as many things I would categorize as "play".

The key to ninja time management is efficiency: I am probably 90% efficient on a day-to-day basis. What I mean is, I spend 90% of my time doing things that are either essential, or really fulfilling.

For example, writing this post would count as efficient. Surfing Facebook - not efficient.

School work, internet marketing, networking events, working out = efficient
Watching TV, puttering around = not efficient

Reading books, hanging out with friends doing fun stuff, playing sports = efficient.
Lengthy recreational phone conversations, internet chatting = not efficient.

Basically, I waste VERY little of my days. I would actually say that the average person is maybe 60% efficient but thinks they are 90% efficient.

I see it all the times. People go through the motions and think they're getting things done, but there is no output to show for it.

I know people who get together to study for HOURS but very little gets done.

Not my style.

I mean, I'm all for hanging out with people, but lets actually hang out. Doing so under the guise of "studying" makes both processes mediocre.

I'm serious when I say I think people I know in my position would have a panic attack.

Honestly, even I have moments where I'll feel totally overwhelmed. But that feeling is only fleeting and after taking a minute to organize things in my mind, its gone.

So that's what is up. Expect some really good posts coming up though. I've got a sort of break coming up so they'll be some hilarious stuff coming your way.

Thanks for your patience!

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