I think this is an interesting look at time management as someone who is constantly trying be more efficient.

So how do we become better time managers? There is certainly no shortage of advice — books and blogs, hacks and apps, all created to boost time management with a bevy of ready-to-apply tools. Yet, the most frustrating reality for individuals trying to improve their time management is that no matter how effectively designed these tools might be, they are unlikely to work. Simply put, these tools presume a person’s underlying skill set, but the skills comprising time management precede the effectiveness of any tool or app.

The article then discusses the skills for successful time management:

Three particular skills separate time management success from failure:

  • Awareness: thinking realistically about your time by understanding it is a limited resource.

  • Arrangement: designing and organizing your goals, plans, schedules, and tasks to effectively use time.

  • Adaptation: monitoring your use of time while performing activities, including adjusting to interruptions or changing priorities.

I have constantly looked to tools to help manage time though the fundamental issue is not the tool it seems but the user behind the tool.