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Time Paralleling, Multi Tasking, Maximizing Time

Friday, August 29th, 2008

Time Paralleling, Multi-Tasking

What is time Paralleling according to my definition? Time Paralleling is a way of maximizing your time, a form of controlled multi-tasking. I define Time paralleling as running more than one activity at a time in parallel, so as to maximize your time, and to be efficient. The most common example I could imagine that the average person would understand is a chef put in a complex cooking situation trying to juggle, or multi-task everything he/she does. This chef would likely have 4-6 top burners cooking at all times. The chef would have an oven with 2-3 shelves, and likely counter space with 5-10 different ingredients or foods to prepare.

This chef, with there 10 different foods, different temperatures, different preparation times, different heating elements, etc all have to multi-task at the same time with everything they are doing. They are extremely prepared and focused on how long everything takes to complete. What makes it more challenging is that preparing foods, cooking on the burners, and cooking in the oven all take different amounts of time. What’s more is each food item is at different stages of being prepared from being frozen to being almost done. They have to keep everything started and slowed, or sped up so that everything is prepared and comes together at the same time. This chef does a tremendous job of paralleling the time of each food they are cooking, this is a skill someone would go to school for.

How would the average person use time paralleling in their average day life? You would use it with running errands, you would use it at home with chores. You would use it with the time leverage of other people quite often. Let me use some basic examples of how someone would use it in their every day life. Whether you are at a Laundromat, or doing laundry at home, you simply shouldn’t sit in front of a washer and dryer waiting for the load to be done. Bring an educational book, bring educational MP3 audio. If you are at home just choose something else to do. I am sure at home you naturally do something else already, but if you are at a Laundromat than just bring something educational to do. If you have a large food item in the oven, or even something in the microwave for even as little as 8 minutes, don’t just sit there and stare at it through the window, make sure you are working on other things at all times, your time is valuable.

I think the above examples are pretty obvious, and I am sure you are already doing these things, so let me discuss some paralleling that’s not as obvious. When I am talking to others in business, I often talk to them by text message, email, or instant message. It’s not uncommon for people to take 5-10 minutes to get back to me even when they are engaged in a conversation, just simply get on more conversations, or fill that time with emails. Don’t get too busy where you aren’t focusing, or giving good answers. While you are waiting for a 25 minute oil change, make some phone calls, bring a book. While you are waiting in line at the post office, make some calls. TV shows and movies often have 5-minute commercial breaks these days. Waiting 10 minutes for your favorite TV show to start, have something else going. One of the best examples I can give you is listening to educational tapes or audio while driving. To maximize this time is simply foolish.

The reason that time paralleling is so important is that your neighbors, your friends are doing it to some degree, you need to do it more to keep ahead of the rest of the population. This is not a game of keeping ahead of the jones’. This is not a game of showing off with material things. 95% of the population is broke by retirement. You can’t afford to spend your time the same way as everyone else, you must be constantly watching it, working on it, and paralleling. Over the course of a week, you will find that this time paralleling will save you a large amount of time. You can also be doing something while you are waiting for the fax to go through for 5-10 minutes.

If you are at a sit down restaurant by yourself and waiting 20 minutes, read a book, make a few important calls. Even one step better, get a bluetooth hands free phone to use. You can grocery stop while making calls on your phone. You can walk a mile while making phone calls. Don’t just lay on the couch cramping your hand holding a phone. Make yourself active, use your hands free cell phone with bluetooth and do almost any hands on activity at the same time, maximize your time. Many people call this mutli-tasking. I am fine with multi-tasking as long as you don’t become inefficient at it, and provide bad service or upset people.

In closing, I believe time management, and time paralleling will become increasingly important in the future, As everyone has increased access to maximize it through new technologies, we will see who makes the best use of their time over the years. You are familiar with the famous quote about a penny saved being a penny earned, why not a second saved be a penny earned. Time is money!

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