4 Rules to Help You Control Your Time When You Struggle With Time Management

I started today’s recording a little out of breath for two reasons. One, my allergies are doing their thing. Two, I tried to beat a train across the gravel road near my house, sprinted like I was 16 again, then stood five feet from the track waiting for it to pass. Zero seconds saved, 100 percent humbled. Consider that my icebreaker.

This is Part 2 of my “Timing Counts” series. In Part 1 I covered four black-and-white, everyday rules that keep me moving: the Five Second Rule, the One Minute Rule, Power Hour, and Time Chunking. Today I’m sharing four more tools that help me protect momentum, especially when life is full and my calendar is loud.

For context, I’m recording on the final day of my 75 Hard reset. It has been a meaningful mindset shift for me, and I wouldn’t have finished without the simple approaches below. None of these require a perfect schedule. They just need honest priorities and a willingness to begin.

1) Slingshot Days

What it is: A concept I learned from John Acuff. You don’t have to wait for Monday, the first of the month, or January 1 to start. Any moment can be your slingshot.

How I use it: After a retreat this year, I flew home feeling uncomfortable in my own skin. The easy thought was, “I’ll start Monday.” Instead, I unpacked, stretched on my living room floor, and set my alarm. That night was my slingshot. The next morning I didn’t snooze. Starting right then gave me a confidence boost no calendar date could deliver.

Try this: When you catch yourself saying “I’ll start on…,” pause and ask, “What can I start in the next 10 minutes that matches my intention?” Send the text. Prep tomorrow’s lunch. Fill the water bottle. Make it real now.

2) The Law of Diminishing Intent

What it is: The longer you wait to act on a good intention, the less likely you are to do it.

How I use it: If I decide on Thursday night to reduce alcohol, eat better, read more, or walk after dinner, waiting until “Monday” dulls the spark. The reasons I wanted the change are freshest now. Acting while the intention is hot preserves that energy and turns it into evidence that I can trust myself.

Try this: When motivation appears, do a micro-action within the hour. If your idea is “walk more,” take a five-minute lap around the block right now. That tiny proof makes the next step easier.

3) Timed Activities First

(My adaptation of Parkinson’s Law: work expands to fill the time available)

What it is: If something has a fixed time requirement and a hard stop, do it before the flexible tasks that will sprawl.

How I use it: If I have 24 minutes before I need to leave, scrolling for “just 15 minutes” becomes 19, then 21, then panic. Shoes on. Hair brushed. Lunch packed. Those happen first. I can use leftover minutes however I want without the anxiety tax.

Try this: Before you open email or social apps, handle the non-negotiables that control your exit or start times: get dressed, prep the backpack, set up the Zoom link, print the document. Then enjoy the margin you created.

4) The Overload Offset

What it is: When you feel too busy or overwhelmed to do a small healthy thing, do a tiny bit more than planned to puncture the resistance. If you “don’t have five minutes” for a walk, take ten. If reading ten pages feels impossible, read twelve.

Why it works for me: It’s a mental reset. Going slightly beyond the minimum reclaims agency from that overloaded feeling and builds a stronger identity: “I am someone who follows through.” During 75 Hard, when the second workout felt impossible, I’d occasionally add a few minutes. Not because I had to, but because it reminded me I was in charge of my effort.

Important note: Use this sparingly and wisely. This is not about punishment or perfection. It’s about choosing one small overcorrection to break a mental logjam, then returning to sustainable habits.

Try this: Pick one easy place to apply it this week. If you planned a 20-minute stretch and feel heavy resistance, set a 22-minute timer. Smile when it dings. Momentum restored.