by Dee Jones
Most time management systems, even the ones that claim to
be “revolutionary,” have a few things in common.
- They tell you to set and write down your goals.
- They show you how to set up a calendar.
- They give you instruction on how to prioritize your tasks and projects.
Now these similarities aren’t
a bad thing. These basics turn up in so many time management
systems because they work.
Still,
it’s hard not to get that “same old same old” feeling when yet another time
management book gives you tips on keeping a to-do list.
It’s like food. You might love chocolate cake. But, if
you had to eat it every day, it wouldn’t be long before you started to want
something different. Even if it was just another kind of cake.
If you’re craving “something new” when it comes to time
management, How to Make Your Dreams Come True might be what you’re
looking for.
What Is How To Make Your Dreams Come True?
How
to Make Your Dreams Come True? is a book by Mark Forster, author of
Do It
Tomorrow. And you can get
Dreams for free on his website.
Dreams has a unconventional take on time management. For
one thing, you’re advised to only do things when you feel like doing them.
If you have to write an essay, don’t force yourself to work
on it if you don’t feel like it. You should wait until you’re in the mood to
tackle that writing assignment.
The theory is that procrastination often results from you
trying to force yourself to do things you aren’t ready to do. But if you only
do things when you feel like doing them, you won’t have much reason to
procrastinate.
It sounds good, right?
The problem is that we all have projects and tasks that
we’ll never just feel like doing. And if we tried to wait until we were “in
the mood” to work on them, those projects just wouldn’t get done. .
Luckily, Dreams contains plenty of strategies designed
to make you want to do the things you need to get done.
The Basics of How to Make Your Dreams Come True
There are many useful
techniques in this time management book. But here are the three major parts of the system.
1. The “What Was Better” List
According to Forster, when we focus on the problems in
our lives, problems are all we tend to see.
And a traditional to-do list is just a list of
problems that need to be solved.
Looking at each day as a bunch of problems can affect your mood and overall outlook. And that can have a
negative impact on your productivity.
But if you focus on the
positives in your day, it will improve your general mood and outlook. And that
will increase your daily store of energy and motivation.
And an easy way to focus on
the positive is to keep a “What Was Better” list.
At the end of every day, make a list of what was better
about today, no matter how big or small. Some things on your list could
include:
- Finishing the
first draft of your novel.
- Being on time for work for the fourth day in a row.
- Preparing the perfect scrambled egg.
Keeping a What Was Better List is pretty simple. But Forster
considers it the most beneficial strategy in the book.
2. Self Coaching Sessions
Imagine a happy and successful future-you, one who is
living the life (both personally and professionally) that you want to be
living.
Now imagine that future you
being able to come back in time and help you get where they are.
That’s what self-coaching
sessions are all about.
With self coaching, you spend a few minutes every day
“talking” with your future self (in writing) about things like:
- Where you are right now.
- How you’re feeling.
- The things you need to do and why you aren’t doing them.
- The things you want to do but haven’t started yet.
Dreams is actually written as a series of self-coaching
sessions between Forster and his future self. And it’s fascinating to see
this technique in action.
Self-coaching can help make decisions, and
work out problems. It can also help you figure out why you’re feeling
resistance to working on certain projects. And realizing why you’re feeling
resistance is sometimes enough to make the resistance fade away.
3. The Future Vision
Remember that successful and
happy future-you I mentioned earlier?
The third of the major
techniques in Dreams is to write about that version of yourself.
Imagine what your ideal life
would be like, both personally and professionally.
Now write down that vision
of your ideal life. And use the present tense, as if you are already living that life.
Forster gives an example of his own future vision. In it he describes his future-self’s office, home, successful
business, and good health.
According to Forster, when you give yourself a vision to strive for, your
subconscious mind will get busy working on ways to reach it. And you'll find yourself instinctively doing
things that will take you closer to that vision.
Are you skeptical about whether or not techniques like these
can actually help you get things done?
Well, you’re not alone because so was I. But I’ve tried many
of the techniques in Dreams. And I've been pleasantly surprised by how well they worked.
If traditional time management systems don’t work for you, maybe How to Make Your Dreams Come True will.
Even if you’re happy with your traditional time management methods, one of the techniques in Dreams just might help you be even more
productive.
If you want to give How to Make Your Dreams Come True a try,
you can get your free copy at Mark Forster’s website. Just follow the link
below.
How many time management systems have you tried in the last year or two? Have any of them worked for you, or are you still searching for the perfect time management system?
