A Million Little Cuts

Years ago, I wrote an article called “Ten Speed Time Management”.  The concept was based on the metaphor of biking in 10th gear, consistently and effortlessly, until we hit the city.  There we find people, crosswalks, cars, stop signs, animals, streetlights, and even garbage.  All are obstacles that impede our progress and our speed. We have to shift down to the lower gears, shift up, then down again – never getting close to 10th gear. And moving far less efficiently.

Isn’t that what our day often looks like?

That’s the metaphor – schedule top priorities, known as Big Rocks – in 10th gear. Get rid of all distractions and stay fully focused. Your kids, your spouse, your health – they need 10th gear. Let the low gears handle the little, urgent stuff, so there’s always room for the bigger picture. Ride most of your day in 10th gear – it’s much more fulfilling, energizing, and fun.

I’d like to dig deeper into those distractions. They seem relatively harmless – checking that text. Taking a quick call.  And of course, the cu de gras of cuts, email.  We’re checking email incessantly – literally hundreds of times a day.  Let’s not forget the social media drug, and hey, how about news and sports? COVID getting anyone’s attention?

Constant distractions and interruptions are killing our productivity, blowing up our anxiety, and stressing us out.

They’re like a million little cuts – you don’t notice them until it’s too late.

Big cuts are painful and obvious. But those nasty little cuts are cutting away our time from what’s really important. Time to pay attention.

What little cuts are killing your top priorities?