What to do when your attempts to train yourself in planning have failed? What if living by a schedule feels monotonous and boring? Is there an antidote to the reluctance to complete set tasks?
If you, like me, give up planning after just a few days, then we have something to talk about 🙂
The thing is, certain types of people don’t fit time management systems based on goal setting, planning, and prioritization.
The advice of Gleb Arkhangelsky, Alexander Gorbachev, or David Allen (author of GTD) goes against the inner nature of these people. They need a different system!
- Without a step-by-step plan;
- Without priority tasks that need to be done first;
- Without deadlines and specific dates;
- And finally, a system without goals!
Intrigued?
Then read on, and you’ll get an unusual time management system: effective, proven, and guaranteed to work. A system for those who hate planning.
“Absolutely Real Facts”
Once, during another friendly kitchen-table conversation, the outstanding psychologist and coach Oleg Matveev shared the secret of his mega-productivity. I was shocked!
Oleg talked about a method that increased his productivity fivefold! Can you imagine for a second what would happen if your productivity increased five times? Whatever it is right now.
But that’s not what surprised me. What surprised me was the very approach to time management. I’ve read books on time management, but I’ve never come across anything like this. What Oleg shared was so simple and unusual that I couldn’t help but admire it.
By the way, you don’t need to know Oleg personally to see the results of his intense activity. He manages to regularly conduct trainings, record new podcasts, make an incredible number of blog posts, work with people’s problems, strengthen his English skills, read books, upload new videos, watch movies in English, manage multiple websites, and communicate on his forum.
Many people wonder: “When does he find time for all this? How does he manage to be so productive in several areas at once?” The answer is close. But first…
Interesting fact: About eight years ago, Oleg Matveev considered himself a fairly lazy person. Deep down, he knew he wasn’t realizing his full potential and could accomplish much more… if not for laziness!
This continued until he started applying the system you’re about to learn about (with his permission). But first, I want to highlight important information that will help you determine if this method is right for you or not.
“Time Management Is Not for Everyone”
In any book on time management, the image of a successful and productive person runs like a red thread. It’s a disciplined professional who controls their time and achieves set goals by the planned deadline. They are punctual, keep a daily planner, and use planning software.
But does this image suit everyone without exception? Of course not! Despite the abundance of advice on how to become such a person, more than half of the world’s population simply cannot make this dream a reality.
Those who were born to swim are being taught by time management books to run on land!
It seems that setting goals, making plans, prioritizing, delegating, managing risks, and keeping track of deadlines is almost the only right approach for anyone who wants to be successful.
Let’s figure out who planning, time management, and the GTD system really suit, and who needs a completely different approach.
“Two Categories of People”
In psychology, socionics, physiognomy, esotericism, astrology, and numerology, there are countless types and subtypes of people. But they all fall into two big categories: rationals and irrationals.
The first type consists of people who are consistent, systematic, balanced, organized, and thoughtful. The second type consists of people who are spontaneous, impulsive, improvisational, and flexible in non-standard situations.
Almost all modern time management systems are perfectly suited only for rationals. But for irrationals, these methods feel unnatural. When an irrational tries to force themselves into planning, they swim against the current and act against their inner nature. They break themselves.
With every irrational who forces themselves to work on a schedule, the following happens: they burn out! That is, a moment comes when living by the schedule becomes unbearable: there’s no motivation, and even the thought of work makes them sick.
By the way, the biggest discomfort for irrationals is working in large companies and corporations, where an atmosphere of managerial bureaucracy reigns with its rational demands: reports, deadlines, plans, schedules, and so on. None of this is for them.
The ideal option for irrationals is working for themselves, or working in a relaxed, creative atmosphere with no rigid requirements.
“Rationals vs Irrationals”
You can’t say which type is better. Each has its own pros and cons. Nevertheless, rationals are often held up as an example, while irrationals are unfairly criticized and considered fickle and flighty people.
Books on socionics say that irrationals are people who take on many tasks and don’t finish them. This happens because no one has told irrationals about the great potential within them and how to use it.
This is unfair. After all, the world is full of information on how rationals can unlock their potential, but there are very few recommendations for unlocking the potential of irrationals. And those recommendations are little-known.
Interesting fact: the ratio of rationals to irrationals on planet Earth is approximately 49% to 51%.
Do you already know which type you belong to? If not, the information below will help you figure it out.
SIGNS OF RATIONALS:
- They love to make a clear plan and steadily follow it to achieve their goal. They have one global goal and several sub-goals;
- Their productivity and ability to complete tasks depend little on their mood. Rationals get themselves into work mode even if their emotional state isn’t conducive to it;
- Rationals always have several ways to achieve a goal in their arsenal. If one doesn’t work, they try another;
- They are calm about monotonous work;
- Rationals feel comfortable when there is certainty and control over the situation;
- Rationals get annoyed by unforeseen circumstances that force them to redo the entire plan. Prolonged uncertainty leads to severe stress if they can’t get the situation under control for a long time;
- They love order. They feel comfortable when things are in their proper places;
- They study new material by reading a book sequentially: from beginning to end;
- In the morning, they plan what they’ll eat for dinner. On Wednesday, they plan what time they’ll drive to the supermarket for weekend shopping.
- They have a whole arsenal of diverse goals. They strive to succeed in a wide variety of areas;
- When they fail to achieve one goal, irrationals switch to another. Unlike rationals, who change not the goal but the way to achieve it.
- Their productivity heavily depends on their mood. If an irrational is in a bad mood, they will avoid planned work, putting it off “for later”;
- Monotony and repetition depress them. They like to do work in the form of a game. They often look for new approaches to doing the same task;
- They are spontaneous and unpredictable. In unforeseen circumstances, they act quickly, flexibly, and effectively. Lack of control over the situation doesn’t bother them;
- They don’t like to tidy up. They don’t care whether things are in their proper places or not. The term “creative mess” was invented by irrationals;
- They always fail when trying to apply the recommendations of widely recognized time management systems;
- Their motivation drops if they have to study new material by reading a book in strict sequence. They often want to skip ahead and move to more interesting chapters;
- Irrationals find it hard to answer questions like: “What will you eat for dinner?”, “How long will you be visiting?”, “How much time do you need to do this work?”;
- When they talk about something, they often get distracted by unrelated topics, then return to the main topic, then get distracted again.
- Conventional time management systems are completely unsuitable for irrationals;
- The great potential of irrationals lies in being successful in several very different areas;
- Irrationals should allow themselves to move unsystematically in several directions at once. This is the foundation of their success;
- The variety that irrationals crave so much is achieved by spontaneously switching between different activities throughout the day;
- Keep a list of areas where you want to succeed, regularly check it, and choose the direction your heart is drawn to right now;
Rationals can be compared to train conductors. They plan the route, time, and duration of stops at intermediate stations. They arrive at their destination to the minute and really dislike unexpected train delays.
The great potential of rationals: to become big professionals in one chosen field. They are potential gurus in their craft. They act thoughtfully and complete what they’ve planned on time. They are valued for the quality of their work, punctuality, and speed.
Successful rationals are that very image that irrationals passionately but unsuccessfully strive for. They strive because they don’t know about their own potential and how to realize it.
So, it’s time to identify the basic traits of irrationals and discover what their potential is.
TRAITS OF IRRATIONALS:
Irrationals are like car drivers who can deviate from their planned route at any moment and take a different road. For example, if a traffic jam looms ahead, they quickly turn and go around it. If a relative suddenly calls about an urgent matter, they turn around and drive in the opposite direction.
It’s much harder for train conductors to react quickly to unforeseen situations than for car drivers. But they reach their destination more often than drivers who constantly change direction.
The Great Potential of Perceivers. Successful Perceivers are rare. But when you come across them, they surprise everyone to the core. These are people who manage to learn several languages, run three businesses, play two sports, spend time with family, attend new seminars, travel, connect with new people, visit all sorts of places in a single day, study several very different fields of activity, and so on.
In other words, they are successful in very different areas and create the impression of people who somehow manage to do a hundred things at once.
Oleg Matveev is a vivid example of a Perceiver who once found the key to his spontaneous personality type. By the way, that period of his life when he considered himself lazy was actually a time of ineffective attempts to apply common rational approaches to achieving goals and success.
So, if you’ve figured out that you’re a Perceiver, then the information ahead will delight and deeply inspire you. When they learn about spontaneous planning, Perceivers feel an inner uplift because this system resonates with their inner nature.
But if you’re a Judger, don’t skip the reading. Maybe one day you’ll be able to offer invaluable help to a Perceiver you know, who’s gritting their teeth while trying to adopt planning 🙂
“Turning Perceivers’ Weaknesses into a Powerful Engine for Progress”
Well, it’s time to learn about the Perceivers’ secret weapon. Why do I say “secret”? Because you can’t find it through logic, as it’s hidden in those aspects of personality that society typically calls weaknesses and flaws.
The paradox is that all the flaws Perceivers struggle so hard against hold enormous potential, capable of turning their lives upside down. When used correctly, of course.
So let’s figure out right now what these flaws are and how to use them.
“FLAW #1: Perceivers don’t finish what they start and jump to something else”
As we remember, Perceivers have a whole array of diverse goals in their arsenal. They simultaneously want to learn to play the guitar, create their own website, write a book, perform on stage, act in a movie, become a scientist, travel the globe, get into design, and so on.
From this long list of desires, Perceivers pick one goal, get inspired by it, and brim over with enthusiasm. After some time, they move to action and strive to get good results quickly.
The new activity, like a breath of fresh air, fills their life with meaning and brings variety. At first, things go well, but soon the first difficulty inevitably hits. They overcome it, and then they face another obstacle.
And then, after a while, the activity starts to get old. They realize success isn’t as close as they’d hoped. They understand that achieving good results is based on long, hard work that no longer offers variety. The new territory has been explored, interest has dried up, and from here on out, it’s just grinding.
Finally, another difficulty completely extinguishes their enthusiasm. Perceivers temporarily stop working toward the goal, promising themselves they’ll definitely come back to it later. But as a rule, that “later” never comes, because they find another activity and dive into it headfirst.
The First Mistake of Irrationals: They strive for one goal while isolating themselves from other goals. For example, while learning Adobe Photoshop, they simultaneously want to master a music creation program, but they suppress this desire.
Their reasoning goes like this: “I can’t afford to study several programs at once. First, I’ll master one, and only then move on to another. Otherwise, I’ll get confused, and my learning will be ineffective.”
The Solution. Any normal irrational will be jumping for joy at this solution, anticipating the incredible possibilities that have just opened up. Here it is:
ALLOW YOURSELF TO MOVE IN MULTIPLE DIRECTIONS AT ONCE!
Dear irrationals, you were simply made for this, damn it! Forget what others say! Forget the rules of rationality that force you to move sequentially: first one thing, then another. This rule is not for you.
You were made to be multitaskers. So be them! Learn English, Spanish, and French simultaneously. Build your website and write a new book at the same time. Study Photoshop, Cubase, 3D Max, Adobe Illustrator, Corel Draw, Sony Vegas, After Effects, Flash, Dreamweaver, and program in ten programming languages all at once!
Monotony and single-tasking are killing you, understand! Right now, think and list three or four goals you’d like to achieve. And now tell yourself: “I can do all of this at once!” Can you picture it? So, how do you like that prospect? 🙂
“FLAW #2: Monotony and Repetitive Work Kill Motivation”
Irrationals truly dislike monotony. That’s why they tend to abandon promising projects, switching to something more interesting.
As you remember, irrationals tend to seek new approaches to work. They are driven by a desire for variety, because variety keeps their interest alive and is a source of their motivation. The thirst for novelty is in their blood.
The only trouble is that in any work, monotony eventually sets in. And here lies…
The Second Mistake of Irrationals: In the pursuit of results, they completely ignore their natural need for new experiences. A similar mindset is at play here: “Yes, right now I want to do something else. But I shouldn’t spread myself thin if I want to succeed. I must continue what I’ve started!”
This mindset backfires. Irrationals force themselves to keep going when they feel their interest waning. Instead of refilling themselves with new experiences by temporarily switching to another area, they keep pushing forward, killing their motivation.
The Solution: Variety! This solution complements the call to be multitasking and answers the question: “How can I achieve several goals at once?”
To avoid monotony and see things through to the end, spontaneously switch from one activity to another many times throughout the day.
Play guitar for a few hours, then spend an hour writing a book, take fifteen minutes to answer emails, read a business book for half an hour, then work on a client project, and only afterward study English.
A week in this rhythm, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the results. After two weeks, you’ll say: “And I did all this?” In a month, you’ll be stunned! And in six months, those around you won’t believe such a thing is even possible.
Oleg Matveev, after a month of working in a spontaneous rhythm, looked back, assessed the amount of work done, and said to himself with admiration: “Without a doubt, this month was the most productive month of my entire life!”
“FLAW #3: Mood-Based Productivity”
An irrational’s productivity heavily depends on their mood. That’s a fact. Try to make an irrational work with inspiration and diligence when they’re not in the mood, and they’ll erect a monument to you while you’re still alive!
It’s precisely this “flaw” that completely nullifies any attempts to live by a schedule. Today, an irrational plans that tomorrow at 2 PM they’ll be working on a presentation for management. But tomorrow, unexpectedly, they suddenly realize they have absolutely no desire to do that work.
And they simply can’t foresee such a turn of events!
The reason is that an irrational’s mood changes in the most unpredictable ways. I’m not talking about emotional state right now. I mean their inclination toward different types of activities. Right now they want one thing, an hour later something else, two hours later they don’t even know what they want 🙂
That’s exactly why a big mistake for irrationals is planning tasks that need to be done tomorrow, the day after, and the day after that.
You can’t plan tasks A, B, and C for Tuesday, and D, E, and F for Wednesday. Because you can’t know whether on Tuesday you’ll feel like doing A, B, and C, or maybe just E and F instead. It’s impossible to predict in advance. So just stop doing this. Once and for all!
The secret solution: if an irrational doesn’t feel like doing something, it automatically means they feel like doing something else! But the irrational doesn’t know what they want. So keep a list of all sorts of tasks from different areas that you want to pursue, and review it regularly.
“End of Part One”
Well, dear friends. This brings the first part of the article to a close. In it, we discussed the basics of spontaneous planning, laying a solid foundation for the second part.
Honestly, I didn’t expect the text to turn out exactly the way it did. The article plan was somewhat different. By design, after describing the differences between rationals and irrationals, specific practical steps were supposed to follow. But my irrational nature took over and led my thoughts in an unexpected direction 🙂
As soon as I described the differences, I had to surrender to the wave that carried my thinking toward listing flaws along with solutions for them.
As a result, I had to accept splitting the article into two parts. Sigh… it’s always like this! I can’t help myself. I hope I haven’t worn you out too much with this long text?
By the way, the best bits had to be saved for the second part. As tradition dictates, it will be practical. In it, you’ll learn how to live without goals and how to spend your work time in a spontaneous rhythm, staying in an endless flow of inspiring variety without spreading yourself too thin.
“Summary”
Finally, let’s sum things up to reinforce what we’ve covered.
That’s all for now. See you in the next part! Bye-bye.
“If you share this text online, please credit the author. Thank you!”
Warm regards, Ivan Pirog
P.S.: Read the continuation of the article The Success Formula: Spontaneous Planning and Living in the Flow.