Turn gargantuan tasks into manageable, bite-sized pieces.
Love it or hate it, time management is an absolutely critical skill for success in college and beyond. Knowing how to break down large to-dos into more palatable pieces, juggle multiple assignments and responsibilities at the same time, and keep it all moving without throwing sleep and self-care to the wayside makes even the busiest times manageable.
But it seems that hardly anyone teaches you exactly what these skills are. You hear--and may even make--calls for greater time management skills, but what does that actually mean? What are we asking for in that request?
The good news is that time management comes in many shapes and forms. Over the next few entries, I'll be sharing some of my favorite time management techniques, explaining how they work, and offering practical applications for using them.
Tip #1: Chunk, chunk, chunk
Addresses: Handling large, multifaceted to-dos
Humans are really, really good at thinking in dichotomies. In so many situations, we think something either is or isn't a certain way, with little to no in-between. We're primed to think this way in virtually all aspects of our lives, but this tendency wreaks havoc on your productivity if left unchecked.
That's because you tend to think of progress as a dichotomy as well: something is either finished, or it's not. Unless prompted to do so, you're unlikely to recognize partial progress on the way to a major milestone.
You don't see how far you've come; you only see how far there is yet to go.
This is a huge problem for motivation because you're most inclined to do the things that you perceive as (relatively) easy wins.
If something delays gratification or includes too many steps before reaching your perceived finish line, avoidance starts to feel a whole heck of a lot more appealing than starting to tackle that big, scary task.
So, what can you do to flip the script on your dichotomy-loving brain?
Find ways to break those big tasks into smaller, bite-sized pieces.
The Practical Impact of Chunking
Take, for example, writing a report. You may think about the entire process as a single task. A six-hour-long process doesn't fit neatly into anyone's day, so it gets put off, and put off, and put off, until you're scrambling to meet the deadline, right down to the wire.
And then you remember how awful it felt to write that report, so you avoid subjecting yourself to that discomfort the next time you have a similar to-do.
But it doesn't have to be that way!
Instead of thinking of the whole task as a single step, consider the parts of the process that invite a pause.
Your report may require research, collaboration with colleagues, creating citations, crafting visual aids and charts, writing drafts, and proofreading and editing. Think of each of these as their own mini-task, ones which you can complete independently of other aspects of the overall task.
You can even break these mini-tasks into even smaller micro-tasks. For example, if you have three charts to create for your report, you can make each one its own micro-task, or you can make the data entry for all three one micro-task and making them visually appealing another.
As you can see, there's no right or wrong answer to how you create your chunks so long as they help you see a big to-do as a series of smaller tasks.
Why Chunking Works
The magic of those bite-sized pieces is that task avoidance decreases or evaporates entirely when you feel that the relief of having it done outweighs the negative of the effort it takes to get there.
Where that threshold lies is unique to each person, and recognizing your own tolerance for tasks is the key to making chunking work. I usually recommend people start out testing chunks that are designed to take 10-15 minutes to complete and tweaking from there.
Once you find your own threshold, you'll find that you're actually more motivated to complete those chunks than you are to avoid them.
That's because there's always a cost to not reaching your own goals--you just usually overlook it. It's that little voice in the back of your head that tugs at your free time, reminding you of what you should be doing.
In most cases, drowning this voice out is the easier path. You just ignore it. Or you justify your choice, doubling down that putting off the big task is really a strategic move...when you just don't want to do it.
But when your tasks are chunked to the right size for you, it becomes less annoying and more rewarding to just do the thing than it is to have to fight that nagging voice.
You are motivated not because staying in the same place will hurt at some point in the future but because moving forward actually feels good.
What Can Chunking Do For You?
Chunking not only makes tasks more manageable, it also makes more of your day viable productive time. If you've already got a handful of small chunks thought out, suddenly those awkward 8 minutes between meetings, 4 minutes waiting for your order to be ready, and 12 minutes before you have to head out of the house are useful pockets of time.
As those small pockets of "lost time" throughout the day transform into usable moments, you find yourself ending your day with anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes of to-dos already off your list.
That's time back for hobbies, being with family, self-improvement, or rest.
Having that free time back by just making using of the awkward pockets that already exist in your day is a game-changer.
Additionally, chunking can help substantially with feelings of overwhelm and uncertainty about how to move forward. Because chunking forces you to think through the steps of your to-dos, you can't simply put them off and leave them unaddressed.
You begin developing a plan from the moment that you begin chunking. Even if you're not actively working on a smaller task, your brain is still processing and planning how you'll accomplish the remaining steps, setting a foundation that will make it that much easier to tackle the next to-do.
Of course, conceptualizing your tasks as a series of bite-sized pieces instead of one massive time sap helps, too. It allows you to put blinders on and scale your focus and responsibility down to just the immediate future, fending off "what if" cycles and anxiety.
Integrating Chunking Into Your Life
Chunking takes some trial and error to get right. You might have to give a couple tries to find the right size chunk for you, and you might need some practice before breaking bigger items into smaller pieces feels comfortable.
I always recommend that people start with relatively low-stakes tasks. Think about your least favorite chore at home. Consider how you could break that down into pieces that are so small, and so manageable, that it's more aggravating not to do them than it is to just get them out of the way. Then, try actually using those smaller pieces, and reflect on whether and how conceiving of the task in that way impacted your emotions around and willingness to complete it.
When you're starting out, it's also important to give yourself feedback. Take time to reflect on what has and hasn't worked, what parts of the process feel comfortable and which are still effortful, and what impact chunking has had on your thinking. Do you find yourself avoiding things less? Are there certain types of to-dos that are still uncomfortable? These and other answers will help you make the tweaks you need to create a personalized approach that is as effective as possible for your unique needs.
The greatest beauty of chunking is that once you have tried it and experienced its benefits, you can share it as a helpful tip with those around you. Whether they be students, colleagues, or family members, everyone gets overwhelmed, and everyone can use some extra help managing their responsibilities.
And if you find that there are still aspects of chunking that are hard to nail down, reach out--helping people is my specialty!