You Don't Need A Rolex
Productivity Tools Don't Have To Be Fancy or Expensive
A hospital pastoral visit found me in Charlotte recently. After leaving the hospital, my middle son and I decided to go to a high-end mall called SouthPark. As we were walking along looking at all the stores, we spotted the Rolex store. Eventually, we decided to go in. I must admit, I’d never been in a Rolex store before. I realized we were underdressed and certainly underfunded. But we weren’t shopping, just looking.
We left and talked about how we liked our smart watches better. They could do a whole lot more than those expensive watches behind the glass cases. But all of them could do at least one thing: give the correct time. That’s what a watch is for! A ten-dollar watch can do just as good as a ten-thousand-dollar Rolex at telling time.
This brings us to an important time management principle: You don’t need fancy or expensive tools to manage your time or be productive. When I was a teenage believer, I honestly used to think that if I just had the “right” study Bible, I’d be a better Bible student. Wrong! The best study Bible is the Bible you actually study.
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The same is true when it comes to calendars, task lists, and other productivity tools. You don’t have to wait to find the perfect planner, calendar, or app to start being productive. You can use a simple paper calendar, a sheet of paper, or a note-taking app already on your phone to get started.
If you nerd out on apps or love technology, you can get trapped in the cycle of always looking for the perfect productivity software or app. You may end up spending more time doing this than actually being productive! Sometimes, simpler is better, cheaper, and easier. Even a 3x5 card can do wonders for your productivity if you’ll use it.
You can use what you have and upgrade it later if you like, but just get started.
Don’t know where to start? Grab that 3x5 card and write down everything you need to do today. Now prioritize and identify the top 3 items that MUST be done - label them 1, 2, and 3. Start on 1, check it off when done, and then continue to number 2.
If you think of something else that needs to be done, jot it on the card, but keep working on the top three. Need to make a note? Write it on the card, but keep working on the top three. Need to make a phone call later? Jot it on the card, but keep working on the top three.
Do you see that even a simple tool, such as a 3x5 card, can be a powerful way to stay organized, focused, and productive?
You don’t need a Rolex; a cheap Timex will do!