Process of Elimination (FF-024)

Originally Published: September 28, 2023

Revised: May 25, 2026

I remember when I was eleven years old and my parents took me to the bank to open my first checking account with Bank of the West.  My dad owned his own business and had learned that he could save on taxes by having my sister and I manage the money in our own accounts. The skills that I learned to balance a checkbook then are similar skills to what I use and apply to time management.  

Manage Time through the Process of Elimination

I promise you that I am not a paper hoarder and I do throw a lot away.  But I still have that first checking statement from 1992; it is a reminder of my journey with managing money.

I might be one of the only people who still balances a checkbook.  I still print the statement and cross-reference it to the check recording booklet.  When balancing a checkbook, it is really about the process of elimination.  What matches up?  Great.  What is left over?  And finding where you need to make adjustments.

Our time, in a way, is similar.  During our workday, we have meetings or phone calls already parked on our calendar.  Those are what I often call the "non-negotiables."  We have already committed to showing up.  In the checkbook sense, those are the transactions that easily match up.

What remains are the projects and tasks that you need to work on.  

What is the priority and how much time do you have available on your calendar?

To help ensure you have enough funds in your account -- excuse me, to ensure you have enough time on your calendar -- I recommend blocking off time as "FOCUS TIME" or "DEEP WORK."  It is a necessary "non-negotiable" placeholder to match the priority project or task for that day.  Trust me, the "Future Friend" will thank you for this.