FAQ’s About 2Time

faq.jpgQ. What is 2Time?

Q. Why does anyone need a new approach to time management?

Q. Does 2Time apply to every professional?

Q. Do I have to abandon the system I am currently using?

Q. Do I have to buy anything?

Q. How is this different from all the other systems and approaches out there?

Q. Is it hard to design your own time management system?

Q. Must I set the goal for myself of getting a Black Belt as soon as I can?

Q. Is it better to be at a higher belt than a lower belt?

Q. Where does the name 2Time come from?


Q. What is 2Time? 2Time is a do-it-yourself approach to time management in which a working professional can define their own time management system to fits their unique circumstances, lifestyle and way of working. Once the system is defined, they can take the next step and improve it over time, starting at whatever point they find themselves now. 2Time provides users a structured belt system for improvement, ranging from White to Black belts, that describe different levels of time management and productivity.Q. Why does anyone need a new approach to time management? A. Not everyone does need a new approach, but there are some who are looking for greater productivity and less stress. 2Time’s focus on these goals ensures that users craft their own time management systems that produce these two results. However, most people who use the approach say that they benefit from 2Time’s focus on helping a user to build his/her own system. In doing so, they take full charge of their own productivity for the first time in many cases. The systems they build are unique creations that fit their exact circumstances. 2Time isn’t about users abandoning their current approach, but instead gaining a greater understanding that allows them to make their own improvements.Q. Does 2Time apply to every professional?A. Every professional can benefit from using the 2Time tools to gain a greater understanding of their current time management system. For some, their current practices might be exactly the perfect set they need for their lifestyle and career. In this case, the 2Time approach can be used to chart a path for improvement, if that is desired, or just to confirm that nothing needs to be changed. In most cases, however, users find that there are gaps in their time management systems that need to be filled with new practices that they must create for themselves.

Q. Do I have to abandon the system I am currently using?

A. Not at all. In fact, one of the basic ideas in 2Time is that if you try to abandon your current system, built up after 10-40 years of daily practice, you will probably fail. Instead, it’s better to start with what you are doing right now, apply the 2Time tools to understand your current practices at a deeper level, and then apply small changes over time that will take you to higher levels of productivity.

For some, this evolution takes days, and for others it takes years. There is no single right approach. You are in charge.

Q. Do I have to buy anything?

A. No. And you might want to hold off on the purchase of that fancy new gadget/PDA/smartphone until you gain a better knowledge of the fundamental practices of time management. These tools can actually do more to destroy your productivity than help it.

Q. How is this different from all the other systems out there?

A. I searched high and low for some assistance to build a time management system to suit my new circumstances living here in Jamaica (I moved here in 2005.) I couldn’t find anything that was helpful, and I found myself having to do a LOT of work to put together my own system.

I decided it was too much work to do once for myself only, and I started to write about the process I was following. Hopefully, others will follow suit and put the control and creation of individual time management systems in the hands of the user, where it truly belongs.

There is an important place for all the programs that exist in the books, blogs and classrooms out there, as they each describe combinations of practices and tools that work for at least one person. What a user must do is to take from these approaches and apply them selectively to his or her own situation, taking care to follow the 2Time approach of slow, steady improvement, and the idea of different practices that must be managed simultaneously.

Q. Is it hard to design your own time management system?

A. In the 2Time approach, it’s not only easy, but the first system that a user creates is the one that they are currently using. The only difference is that they are building it using the fundamentals of time management for the first time.

From this point, they can take their system to the next level if they desire, because they have an understanding of the “design principles” of time management systems.

Q. Must I set the goal for myself of getting a Black Belt as soon as I can?
A. Only if that suits your needs. There is no need for most to become a Black Belt, but there is a need for users to understand the level at which they are currently operating, and the belt level they desire in the future. Some may be happy with their current belt level, and a few may even look forward to taking themselves down a belt level, if for example, their health is failing or if they plan to retire.

Most users do want to improve their belt levels, however, but they should do so at a pace that works for them.

Q. Is it better to be at a higher belt than a lower belt?

A. “Better for what?” is my question in return. Achieving higher belt levels is critical for the kind of job that requires it, but absolutely unnecessary for one that doesn’t. “Better” time management systems are those that fit the needs of their users, period.

Q. Where does the name 2Time come from?

A. Recently, a friend of mine facetiously asked me whether or not 2Time has something to do with cheating on one’s spouse… I hurriedly explained that it has nothing to do with adultery! Instead, the name comes from the 2 kinds of time that we tend to spend engaged in getting stuff done. One kind of time is “execution time” in which we are completing tasks. The other kind of time is “planning time” in which nothing is being done except planning, maintenance, reviewing, etc. My observation is that people spend too little time balancing the two, and end up spending too much time in execution mode, without even thinking. The 2Time system is designed to highlight the need to create a systems that balances these two kinds of time.