Planning your building project is critical but, in my view, time management is an overrated concept that is not worth struggling with.
Fundamentally, time can’t be “managed”- a much more useful perspective is the concept of prioritisation.
Building programs are notoriously complex, with a huge number of activities that are competing for your attention.
Particularly in regard short-term planning, establishing priorities is the most effective strategy. But, even when considering a long-term program, I would argue that thinking in terms of priorities is the most effective approach.
Let me give you an example.
One of the most critical milestones in a building program is achieving “lockup” – the stage when your structure is essentially weathertight and secure. It is such an important stage that it demands your overriding focus and all activities leading to that point must be regularly evaluated in terms of this priority.
Constantly asking yourself the targeted question – “is this action critical for achieving lockup?” is the absolute best way to ensure you achieve that milestone in the most efficient way possible. So, purchasing your oven is not a priority at this stage of the program and may indeed distract you from the actions you need to be taking to ensure, for example, that your windows are installed as soon as practical.
Now, I can hear some of you highlighting an apparent flaw in my argument – that unless you order your oven early enough, that one decision may delay your whole project. But note that I highlighted the purchase of this item, on the understanding that you had already prioritised the ordering of all the long-lead time items. More on this topic later.
For now, just practice using priority as the fundamental criteria in assessing what you need to do today to move towards completing your project.
It will give you the clarity you need to achieve your goals and it will significantly reduce the confusion that often arises when you try to make sense of your building project.
Best wishes for your building journey…
