Mindful Time Management (Because You Will Never Have Enough Time…)

by Danny Penman on Thursday, July 31, 2025

The secret to time management is accepting that you’ll never have enough of it. After all, if you had any spare time, then you would have already allocated it to something else by now… The brutal truth is, there’s always too much to do and you’ll never be able to achieve everything you want. Once you’ve accepted this, then you can begin optimising your life.

There are countless time management techniques available but I’ve found that the humble ‘To-Do’ list remains the most effective of all. It works best when drawn up on paper with a fountain pen or a pencil. This forces you to slow down a notch and to think about what you want to achieve. I’ve worked in many high speed, high stress, environments such as newspaper offices and live broadcast TV news, and I’ve found that this old-fashioned approach still works wonders.

Never write down more than six to eight points on your To-Do list. Then, choose two (or a maximum of three) items and write ‘PRIORITY’ next to it. If you do only those Priority items, then you will have successfully managed your time. The other points are simply ‘nice to have done’. In this way, the non-essential items will eventually fall off the bottom of your list. In my case, the only real priority is to write for a few hours each day – the other things can generally wait or be safely ignored. It’s always a good idea to have a ‘self-admin’ task. This item is usually one of those little things that simply needs to be done, such as, paying a household bill.

It’s best to draw up your To-Do list at the end of the day, ready for the next day, so that you don’t have to spend the next morning worrying about what should go on the list (drawing up such a list could easily consume a whole day. Trust me, I’ve done it).

And when you complete each task, remember to pause for a moment and focus on the satisfaction that you feel as you cross it off the list. Pay special attention to the sensations the pen or pencil makes as it glides across the page. Many people use such tools as Trello to manage their time. Trello and its ilk are wonderful tools but there’s something inherently mindful about using a To-Do list with a pencil (or fountain pen) and a piece of paper. I use Trello to sketch out the structure of the books I’m working on, so I’m all in favour of such tools – I just don’t find them effective for time management.

Alternatively, you could try Oliver Burkeman’s advice and produce a ‘Done List’. Burkeman’s advice is usually invaluable and I especially like his techniques for warding off those vague feelings ‘of falling behind’. His technique undoubtedly works for many people but I prefer to mindfully embrace my insecurities and then, more often than not, they simply evaporate as I focus on the sensations they trigger in my body. In my case, vague feelings of anxiety and insecurity tend to localise in my lower stomach. Simply paying attention to them seems to dissolve them.

It’s also best to avoid being side-tracked by ‘Time Stealers’ such as emails, apps, phones and social media. Time Stealers trigger endless streams of thoughts. Before you know it, half the morning’s gone. It’s incredibly difficult to avoid being drawn into their orbit as they were all designed from the ground up to grab attention. They are genuinely addictive…. So, you can’t rely on will-power. The only solution is to put them out of temptation’s way by quitting apps and browsers, or switching off devices – or keeping such things as phones and tablets out of sight, under a book perhaps, on the other side of your desk (or preferably in a different room). Try to only check up on them two or three times a day, preferably at pre-set times. In my case, I simply close everything down apart from the word processor on my Mac (and generally work in Microsoft Word’s ‘Focus’ mode.) From time to time, I will also remind myself of the old adage that ‘writers would rather pick out the hairs from the bottom of the shower than actually write’.

Another tip is to become fully aware of the gaps in your day. It’s easy to mindlessly rush from one thing to the next, and then the next… and not notice the gaps in between. The mind often fills these spaces with stress and anxiety. And before you know it, you’ve been side-tracked once again. Instead, use such gaps to cultivate mindful awareness. Pay full conscious attention to the beauty (or ugliness) of the world around you. Or try savouring a cup of coffee and a piece of cake. Focus on every single taste, aroma, and sensation. Mindfulness can be enjoyable as well as productive.

Making these ideas work in practice:

– Use ‘Mindfulness Bells’. These are gentle reminders to take a pause and to act as a gentle nudge to bring you back to full awareness. Mindfulness Bells are those things that you do regularly, often unconsciously, and can include such things as standing in a queue (or line), drinking a cup of tea or coffee, putting on make-up or chopping vegetables. Mindfulness Bells can be anything at all. As you do such things, do them mindfully by paying full conscious attention to all of the sights, sounds, smells, and sensations that accompany them.

– Meditate regularly. Mindfulness meditation liberates you from the pressures of time. This is partly because it helps you deal with tasks more skilfully and creatively. It makes you happier, less stressed and anxious too. Even ten minutes a day can transform your life.

– Make a start. Research has shown that when people are stressed then the motivation to do something arrives after they’ve actually begun a task. So, make a start, even if you don’t feel like it (especially if you don’t feel like it) and then you’ll discover the impetus to carry on.

– Whenever you feel that your day is running away with you, the Three Minute Breathing Space will help you regain control. Listen to it here: