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Time Management
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Break It Down
Henry Ford, credited with designing the first production
line, once maintained,“Nothing is particularly hard if you
divide it into small jobs.” Following his own advice, Ford examined the
apparently huge task of assembling an automobile and broke it down
into logical, sequential steps. What seems obvious to us now—the
production line process—was, however, innovative in his time.Virtually
any complex task is open to the same approach Ford took with the
automobile.
experts counsel the following strategy: every time you
handle a paper-based document you don’t want to deal
with, put a red dot on it. Once it starts looking like it has
the measles, you’ll get the message.

2. The task seems overwhelming. Herculean, massive, gargantu-
an, endless—all these terms can be used to describe that propos-
al you have to write, that meeting you must plan, or that home
remodeling project you should undertake. The task is not neces-
sarily unpleasant; in fact, you may even look forward to accom-
plishing it. But it’s so huge and overwhelming that you just don’t
know where to start. A common example of feeling overwhelmed
is writer’s block, paralysis by the enormity of a writing project.
Here are three strategies to help you get a handle on the
project:
• Divide and conquer. Breaking a major job into small
pieces can help conquer an overwhelming task. Chapter
5 discusses this strategy in detail.
• Find a solitary place to do it. Is there a room at work or at
home where few people ever go? Hide yourself there to do
the task that shouldn’t be interrupted. Close your office
door and make clear to everyone that you are not to be
disturbed. Or go off on a “work vacation” to do what you
must in pleasant surroundings, undisturbed.
• Ride the momentum. Once you get going, keep going as
long as your concentration stays strong and fresh. But
when your mind wanders, stop. Take a break.