Self-help recommendations on time-management and organization

[DrManhattan]

The fact that as INTPs, we tend to have poor organization skills, like to procrastinate and work well under pressure has been talked about a lot on this forum. It's truly among the biggest problems I face in life (except for the working under pressure part).

I am in my thirties now and I've been able to use my logical mind to help me improve in most of the areas in life where I was traditionally weak. I know its geeky, but I have learned how to exist and even thrive in social settings by actually studying the mechanics of social interaction and then practicing what I've read over time. I have learned how to feel comfortable talking to others by taking advantage of public speaking opportunities (similar to Toastmasters) and by tutoring students. I have greatly helped my own career in technology by studying very technical, theoretical books on Sales, Marketing and Branding and then practicing techniques to sell myself and influence others.

However, I have yet to find any self-help systems that can help me to overcome my lack of organization, procrastination, and time-management. (I received an article once that I thought would have great suggestions on overcoming procrastination; however, when I finally read it 14 years later , I realized it was complete crap.) I don't think the vast majority of materials out there will work for an INTP. Has anyone had success with books or systems that have helped them to greatly improve in these areas? I saw that one poster on a similar forum topic recommended "David Allen's GTD system." Is anyone familiar with this? Do any of the INTPs in here recommend other systems that have actually helped them to improve?

 

[MattKelevra]

Your post sounds like I could have written it. Just replace 30 with 22. Toastmaster with joining a fraternity and college clubs, etc.

I found writing lists is the only thing that helps (a bit). I've always enjoyed video games growing up and it's reminiscent of completing an objective in my mind. Get slight satisfaction from it, and when its on paper in front of me there is no way for me to make my mind forget about it.

 

[RubberDucky451]

There has been another thread discussing this issue, I'd recommend searching for it. I find it's helpful if i just say to myself 3 things I'm going to do, IE: Eat,Study Spanish,Play Piano.(Finish then repeat). It seems to help.

 

[lisaniel]

If you are confused with what, when and how to manage your time.. there are many books available for time management.

 

[Linada]

I do GTD. It's helped me enormously in going from mad messy disorganized to actually having some sort of control in my life.
It helps that I like to follow procedures, but the book and the audiobooks have a lot of smart nuggets in them.
Eg: your brain is for thinking, not remembering. So true for me.

 

[Cognisant]

Mental tagging works for me, it's when you "tag" the memory of something you need to do, to an object that you know you're going to interact with in everyday life, your keys for example. The idea is that whenever you interact with that tagged object you'll recall the memory by association, dice in particular are really good for this assuming you can remember to carry it around with you.

 

[ShipwreckSilence]

For procrastination what I do sounds sort of silly but it works. Instead of telling myself I will do something "in just a minute" or "later" I just tell myself I will do it at the count of 10. Then I count to ten and do it. The trick is to make yourself start counting before you think about it and talk yourself out of it. Anyway like i said, sounds silly, but it totally works for me.

 

[Linada]

I have found that kind of imprinting on objects to be quite limited really. If I manage to imprint something sufficiently to trigger a memory, it's then very hard to delete it again. While that's useful for routine things, it's impractical for large, ever-changing lists of stuff.

 

[rovina123]

Initially get full knowledge about time management and then proceed with that.


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[vavel7]

What has helded me personally a lot is 1) keep on a simple, silly schedule (e.g. eat, go ro gym, dp the same manouvres: drink the same coffee , watching that tv series on my computer on the same time with the same bisquites and so on, 2) listening to music CONSTANTLY -having my headphones on all the time, 3) "trick"your mind to see fictionary deadlines MUUUCHHH SOOONERR than the ones that are supposed to be "real" for the outside world, 4) get into mainiling lists and forums that your insight as INTP its just valuable, 5) THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE: "feel" that you are on the right path afterall, 6) when you do get absorbed "live" it as much as possible to its core...

Nowadays, there are many people that honestly believe that I'm a person that plans everything ahead and has goals & sticks to them... Which is sooo wrooooongggg!!! All INTPs can learn how to "play" their individual minds and just adapt. The whole concept of a goal can be tricky. I begun with not using the word "goal" anymore, I'm thinking of it as some dots within SOME NOT ALL of my casual obsessions that in the broader scheme of things get me closer to a greater purpose that has a truth somewhere inside it.

Somehow, these dots that people call "goals" tend to be squashed in the process. But I've also find out that in order for all of this to keep on working from time to time I need to check up on my Fe somehow, when I work just a little bit on it everything else works fine, whenever I don't everything (let alone these "dots") is on the verge of collapsing and then I retreat to behaviors and habits that I had when I was youger.... brr

Hope this helps!!

 

[goodmanmorx]

Thanks For Sharing........

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