Ramesh, a mid level software professional was having difficulty in managing in his personal and professional tasks. He recently missed deadlines of many of his tasks while his team missed few deadlines on project schedule. His family members were also not happy as he was not able to give time to his parents and fiancee.
He was suggested various trainings and books by his immediate and other seniors. He read various books and attended few trainings on time management and started following in real life what was taught in trainings and books. He was confused that Steven Covey related time management to self management, David Allen (Getting things done) related it to organized work and others related it efficiency and tools. When he started using all of this in real life he found that things were little bit different than books and suggestions suggested in books were not working as expected. He was able to see some improvements but he didn't get any relief from overwhelming pending tasks.
Unintentionally, he was also postponing his private time with his fiancee named Seema who was very supportive, understading and mature. He tried to explain his workload to Seema, she asked him for a date instead. They went to watch a movie and then for a candle light dinner. She opened up his problem of not able to focus on managing tasks. He was unwilling to discuss this over a candle light dinner, but was persuaded by Seema by promising that she would speak only 3 point in 5 minutes and then move on to his fairy tale talks.
After looking at aquarium in dim light for some time, Seema turned to him and asked first question: “Do you remember how many tools you use for managing the your tasks”. Ramesh was blank and started counting the tools. He was using mobile phone, post-it, outlook and a diary for writing down all of his tasks. Seema said "I need you to think of just one" and moved on to second question. She said that she had been observing him doing the same work again and again and asked if he had ever thought of taking less time in doing the same task again. Ramesh was again blank and had no answer as Seema moved to her third and final question. She asked him if he was aware of his priorities in life. Ramesh was fast to answer this time and started with list of number of things in work and personal life. Seema listened to all carefully and said that she will have to spend seven lives with him to see all this happening in real and she is happy to do so. And they continued their candle light dinner with their fairy tale talks…
Ramesh was restless and could not sleep whole night. In the monring, he called up his team lead to tell that he was not be coming to office due to tiredness. His team lead was angry but Ramesh said that he would finish his pending tasks when he would feel well. Ramesh took rest and kept thinking about three things Seema told.
Ramesh was using many tools; many of tasks were duplicated in various tools; and was also not able to carry all his tools to the places he used to go. He decided to just use one tool as told by Seema and spent the day marking all the tasks in one simplest tool.
He then thought about second question of Seema and realized that this concept he had been hearing all the time in workplace, but thought that this was only for performing work in workplace and had never thought of using it in real life. He then spent whole evening thinking of many personal and work related tasks where he can save time or delegate. He was still tired and fall asleep after dinner before he could pay attention to third question of Seema.
Ramesh woke up with Seema’s third question wavering in his mind; he again applied leave and started thinking about it. He had many professional and personal aspirations and was working for each one of them on and off. However he had made no significant progress in any of those aspiration in recent years and some of them were just resting in his heart. He called up his childhood friend and discussed all of them. After discussion he found out that many of his aspiration were far away from reality and he really didn’t and would not need them in his lifetime. He also found that he was doing many things just because someone asked him to do and he really did not enjoy doing them and their results. As a result of this awareness, he was surprised that he had picked up a goal for lifetime while doing away with many unnecessary goals. He was also clear on things he wants to do in office and decided to focus on activities he was good and enjoyed while giving away activities he never liked to other colleagues.
Ramesh was feeling exuberant and wanted to tell this to Seema. He went to her home in the evening; both of them then went to a park and he discussed his revised personal and professinoal goals. Seema was happy and called up Ramesh's parents to invite them to a surprise family dinner...
