Clocking in: timely hints on being productive

There are lots of misconceptions out there about what good time management really comes down to, and how to achieve it. Here are some of the most common ones, and an assessment of whether they’re actually true.

It's about managing your time.
False: Time management is a misnomer, says Jordan Cohen, a productivity expert and author of Make Time for the Work That Matters. He says that it's really about productivity: "We have to get away from labelling it 'time management'. It's not about time but about how productive you can be."

You just need to find the right system or approach.
False: "Having a system can be useful, but it takes more than that," says Teresa Amabile, a professor of business administration at Harvard Business School and co-author of The Progress Principle. "And what works for each person, like spending an hour and a half on focused work at the beginning of the day, will not absolutely for another person." So try lots of different approaches — really try them.

You need to devote time to change.
Somewhat true: "Small tweaks can make a big difference," Amabile says. "The best approach is to start out with a few small things. Progress in this context might mean that you find yourself with some additional time each day when you can reflect and think. Even if it's just an additional 20 or 30 minutes each day, that's progress."

It's up to you – and only you – to get it right.
Somewhat true: "There is no one who's responsible for how productive you are," says Cohen. In that sense, this rests on your shoulders. He is clear: "You're expected to be productive, so you better take this puppy on yourself." But Cohen and Amabile both say you can't do it alone. "If you're in an organisation where there are pressures for immediate responses or turnarounds on all requests or there is no room for any kind of slack, it's very tough to do time management on your own," says Amabile.

In association with Harvard Business Review