5 Time Myths That Limit Your Impact

Our relationship with time often feels like a high-stakes game, where the rules are as complex as they are unforgiving. At Time Boss, we believe that mastering this game starts with a profound, yet simple truth: You are 100% responsible for the impact you're making.

If this notion makes you want to hit the close button, take a pause. This journey into the heart of time management is not for the faint of heart, but for the brave souls ready to challenge their deepest beliefs about time.

The Foundation of Impact: Beliefs about Time

Our daily actions, from the mundane to the monumental, are not just items on a to-do list, they are the physical manifestations of our internal dialogues and beliefs about time. Consider a typical day: the rush to check emails, the quick calls to clients, the firefighting in accounting, etc. Each action, seemingly dictated by necessity, is actually a choice driven by underlying feelings and thoughts.

This cascade from thoughts to feelings to actions is where the magic (and the chaos) happens. Anxiety about missing an important email leads you to compulsively check your inbox because, deep down, you believe that "if I miss this email, something bad will happen." It's a story we tell ourselves, rooted in various myths about time that we need to debunk.

Debunking Time Myths with Time Wisdom

Time Myth #1: There's Not Enough Time
Time Truth: “There’s not enough time” for the impossible to achieve expectations you’ve created, but there is 100% enough time if you right-size your capacity, then ruthlessly prioritize the most important things. You have to own that your time is finite, and necessarily incredibly valuable. You need to thoughtfully invest that valuable time, and set aside the things that simply won’t fit.

Time Myth #2: This Is Just the Way I’m Wired
Time Truth: This is just the way you’ve wired your habits, up until now. Everyone can change, you simply have to do the work and rewire your habits. It requires disciplined focus, and often accountability to push past the friction, but change is possible. Here’s what Mark Johnson, a Time Boss cohort member, had to say about it: 

“Prior to Time Boss, I had given up hope with my personal time management. I had just resigned myself to a future lifetime of struggle. After implementing the model, I have experienced a huge amount of progress while maintaining a sense of peace.”

Time Myth #3: If I Just Had a Different (Boss/Partner/Client)
Time Truth: You are 100% responsible for the things you tolerate. External change begins internally. Advocating for yourself and negotiating for what you need isn’t a zero sum game that requires your boss/partner/client to lose so you can win. It requires you getting on the same side of the table as your counterpart, and casting a vision for how your mutual approach to time needs to be different for you both to win! I suggest using the Compassion / Common Goals / Context framework to do so.

Time Myth #4: I Can’t Prioritize; Everything Is Urgent and Important.
Time Truth: Even if you have 20 A1 priority tasks, at 8am tomorrow, you’re going to do one of those things, and whatever that is will be your actual priority. And whatever you do next will be your next actual priority. Given that, you can understand your priorities in advance, and can plan your schedule accordingly. The key is to then consider what priorities break if they don’t get accomplished in time, and make a plan to support those priorities, such as delegating the priority, or downsizing another priority to make room.

Time Myth#5: I Just Need to Get Past This (Week/Month/Year/Project).
Time Truth: Temporary fixes don't address chronic issues with your habits. The habits that have ensnared you in a cycle of stress and overwhelm are the very ones that need transformation, not circumvention. The only long term solution is to change your habits related to time.

Time Boss Transformation: From Myth to Mastery

Embracing the Time Boss philosophy means recognizing that your beliefs about time are the architects of your reality. By challenging and reshaping these beliefs, you can construct a more fulfilling, impactful, and balanced life. This process is not about superficial changes or quick fixes but about a deep, systemic transformation in how you perceive and interact with time.

To further explore how to implement these strategies and transform you or your team's productivity, consider checking out the Time Boss Operating System Masterclass. This program will provide you with the tools and insights for you or a team member to transform their relationship with time, and get more done with less stress. 

These strategies can easily be applied to full teams via Time Boss for Teams. If you're curious to learn more, schedule a time with me to see if it's a good fit.