I go through phases in my life when I become fixated on time management. The most intense was in Argentina, where I learned that Leonardo da Vinci reportedly slept for just 20 minutes every four hours. That was how he got a lot of stuff done.
Well, I wanted to get a lot of stuff done. I was 30 and full of energy, so I thought I’d give this technique a try. I experimented for a couple of weeks. Every four hours, I would set an alarm for twenty minutes. I would nap, hear the alarm, and get back up and go at it again. (My wife Judy was a sound sleeper, but with my alarm going off at least twice between 10 P.M. and 7 A.M., it would sometimes awaken her, which I’m sure endeared me to her.) I finally abandoned my noble experiment due to chronic fatigue and dozing off at inopportune moments. (For all you Seinfeld fans, I did this before Kramer did that famous episode.)
Throughout the years, I have tried various techniques to manage my time. Some have worked, while others have been discarded. Nonetheless, I remain interested in observing the habits of accomplished individuals who use their time effectively. This journey is ongoing, and I welcome you to join me in exploring effective time management.
Douglas Southall Freeman wrote two Pulitzer Prize-winning biographies of Robert E. Lee (4 volumes) and George Washington (7 volumes). Today, this historian’s works are still considered the definitive biographies of these extraordinary Americans. Freeman was also the award-winning Editor of the RICHMOND (VA) NEWS LEADER, which was a major paper, for several decades. Add to these responsibilities, two daily radio broadcasts, memberships to various boards and civic organizations, alongside church and other extracurricular activities, and one must ask—how did Freeman do it?
Part of the answer can be found in the biography of Freeman written by his grandson, David E. Johnson. Johnson’s work included the typical daily schedule in Freeman’s later years, as a TIME magazine writer witnessed. Johnson called this chapter “Adventure with the Clock.” Here is Freeman’s schedule:
2:30 A.M. Awake.
2:30-2:44 Dress, shave, devotional.
2:45 Downstairs to the kitchen.
2:45-3:08: Prepare and eat breakfast, then walk to the car.
3:08-3:25 Drive to RICHMOND NEWS LEADER office.
3:25-3:29 Park, walk into building, up to office.
3:30 At desk, Associated Press wires in hand.
3:31-7:58 Read wire dispatches and morning paper, write editorials, mark items for index.
7:58-8:00 Walk to WRNL studio.
8:00-8:15 Broadcast.
8:15-8:17 Walk back to the office.
8:17-8:32 Morning staff meeting.
8:32-11:58 Attend to duties of Editor. Answer mail, receive visitors, attend meetings, check the first edition of the paper, and block and set editorials. (In his later years, Freeman would, at times, take a brief nap at 11:00 A.M.)
11:58-12:00 Walk to WRNL studio.
12:00–12:15 P.M. Broadcast.
12:15-12:17 Walk back to the office.
12:17-12:30 Complete the last details of the day and prepare for the next day. Walk to the car.
12:30-12:47 Drive home.
12:48-2:00 Lunch with his wife, Inez, work in the garden, walk the grounds. A less structured time.
2:00-2:30 Nap.
2:30-6:30 Work on historical projects.
6:30-8:45 Dinner; evening with family.
8:45 Retire for the evening.
I have known some people who have slept the same number of hours as Freeman, but few have been so focused. Two observations stand out about this schedule. First, much of his work was completed while the rest of the world was still asleep, which meant fewer distractions and interruptions. Second, research shows that people are most productive in the early hours of the day because the brain is freshest then. Just like a muscle, our brains tire as we use them throughout the day, leading to decreased productivity by evening. Businessman and writer Donald Miller suggests we view our brains like smartphones. While we sleep, they recharge and are ready for a full day of work upon waking. However, as the day progresses, our brain’s energy levels grow depleted. Utilizing our brains in the early hours maximizes productivity. Freeman’s schedule is a practical example of this principle, reassuring us that effective time management is within our reach.
Johnson’s biography of his grandad, titled Douglas Southall Freeman, is a captivating look at a remarkable historian and one of this nation’s significant media leaders. Although Freeman died over seventy years ago, his influence endures. He was a preeminent journalist and historian—a rare person who excelled in two different professions. One key to his success was his mastery of time management. I look at Freeman’s schedule from time to time-no pun intended-and each time, I am struck by the sheer discipline and focus it represents. It inspires and challenges me to enhance my mastery of the clock.
Mark
Dr. Mark Edge
The WorkEdge Company
Telephone: 903-245-7851
Email: workedgetexas@gmail.com
Website: www.workedgetexas.com
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