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layout: post
date: 2025-04-05
title: Time Management
---

> I didn't have enough time to do this

Is probably the most frequently conveyed message in every organisation around the world.

When I hear it I try reframe it. I also recall doing this on a job interview that was a mock 1:2:1 with a engineer. I think it strongly aided me getting that job.

> I noticed you said you didn't have time to do this a couple of times today and I am going to challenge this. There are 40 working hours in a week. Everyone has the same amount of time to spend [at work]. So rather than saying you didn't have time, say you didn't prioritise this. It is true, right? You opted to do other things instead.
>
> We work in an agile way. Top down. Most valuable thing first. If you manage your time in the same way then the the conversation changes from a potential performance challenge to a prioritisation one.

- Now, if you didn't prioritise the right things then that's an alignment problem. There has been a failure to express the urgency and priority of the work. We can agree what the priorities are going forward. Check then act.

- If the work got superseded by something else, e.g. a production incident then that is fine. That is the right call. You re-prioritised effectively.

- If you re-prioritised effectively, but it was unknown to others that the work was at risk then that is a communication problem. Be pro-active in setting expectations going forward.

- If you focused on the wrong thing, yet it felt right at the time. That is a learning opportunity. More so if this becomes commonplace.

- If you didn't know where to start or it felt like an insurmountable problem then it is a sizing issue. Break it down. Seek help. Start Small. One step at a time.

- If you opted to think about it instead, you needed comprehension time. This is fine, to a degree - if this is happening frequently, for extended periods, or in specific work areas it might hint at a training need.

- If you opted to do nothing instead, then that is a productivity issue. Get your act together.