“How do you do all the things you do? Don’t you ever sleep?”
People ask me that a lot. Often it’s said jokingly, but sometimes it’s sincere. I wish I could get by on less sleep—imagine how many more quilts I could finish or books I could write with an extra hour or two each day—but I need eight hours every night. Anything less and I’m not functional.
Still, I get a great deal done. Not everything I want, but more than many people might expect. The truth is I’ve learned to manage my time well, though it didn’t come naturally.
Some people seem born with an organizational knack. In my experience they’re often the math-loving, science-minded, left-brained types who find satisfaction in neatly balanced columns of numbers. I admired them from afar, but they weren’t my crowd.
Like many creatives, I started out on the opposite side: intuitive, spontaneous, and often scatterbrained. You know the type—constantly looking for misplaced keys, sometimes leaving with mismatched shoes, overdue library books piled around the house, and drinking coffee from a mug that jokes, “A Clean Desk is a Sign of a Frightened Mind.”
I love the freedom of creative thinking, but living with chaos and the anxiety it creates left me feeling perpetually behind. Wanting to reduce that stress, act on more creative ideas, and simply enjoy life more led me to search for better ways to use my time.
It’s been a long process of discovery, experimentation, mistakes, and wins. I haven’t found a perfect formula—time management is an ongoing practice—but I’m much better at it than I used to be.
The first step was dismantling common time-management myths that can sabotage your efforts before you even start. Let’s examine a few of them.
SOME PEOPLE ARE BORN ORGANIZED. I’M NOT ONE OF THEM.
Yes, some people appear naturally organized. Maybe you aren’t one of them. That doesn’t mean you can’t learn to manage your time better.
Calling yourself “disorganized” can be an excuse. If you’re content with chaos, stress, and missed deadlines, that’s a choice—but don’t disguise it as an unchangeable trait. If I can improve my habits, so can you.
THE MYTH OF MULTITASKING
Multitasking is overrated. Sure, you can combine certain low-attention activities—returning a quick call while stirring dinner, or knitting during a familiar movie—but most of the time trying to do two demanding tasks at once just reduces the quality of both.
When you split your focus, mistakes happen and you finish neither task as well as you could have. There’s nothing like discovering a dropped stitch or redoing work to remind you that focused attention matters.
PLANNERS AND TO-DO LISTS
I’m a devoted list maker and I rely on a planner to set realistic goals, build action plans, and structure my time. A planner can transform how you work, but only if you actually use it.
Buying a planner and never scheduling time to use it is like sleeping with a geography book under your pillow hoping to become a better traveler. It takes an upfront investment of time—my weekly planning ritual happens every Sunday evening—but it pays off.
Start anytime; undated planners let you begin mid-year. The key is consistent use: block time to plan, prioritize, and schedule, and the planner will reward you with clarity and momentum.
TECHNOLOGY MAKES YOU MORE PRODUCTIVE
Sometimes. Technology offers powerful tools that can boost productivity, but it also creates endless distractions. Devices and apps make it easy for anyone to reach you at any moment, and the constant flow of information makes it harder to concentrate.
Be selective about the tools you adopt. I use several helpful apps, but I’m careful to guard my focus: I can’t write while answering emails or scrolling social media. For me, time management depends less on gadgetry and more on deliberately fencing off focused work time and protecting it from interruptions.
WITH THE RIGHT KIND OF TIME MANAGEMENT, I CAN DO IT ALL
No. Time is finite. You can get better at using it, but you can’t buy more of it. Even if you eliminate TV, endless browsing, and procrastination, you won’t accomplish every single desire or obligation.
What you can do is set boundaries and decide what matters most. Learning to say no is crucial. If saying no is hard for you, try this: when asked to take on a time-consuming project, respond, “Give me a couple of days to think about it,” and then actually think about it.
Taking time to weigh the pros and cons will help you decide whether a commitment aligns with your priorities. Often, someone else will take the task while you consider it. Everyone must choose; you simply don’t have time to do everything.
But you do have time for the things that matter—those pursuits you truly value and are especially positioned to accomplish.
If you want more resources to reach your goals, I’ve written additional guides to help, including planning your year, establishing a morning routine, goal-setting tips, and strategies to stop procrastinating and overcome overwhelm.