Patrick Combs - Columns

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Double Time

Everyone faces a common problem in their career - too many things to do, to little time. Good news: You can accomplish many of your tasks in a lot less time than you think--but first you have to give up your assumptions about how long it ìoughta take.

Let's say you have a document to write. You figure it ìoughta take four hours because similar documents have taken that long in the past--or because other people tell you it ìoughta takeî that long. Well, guess what? You can get that task done in one hour if you think you can get it done in one hour.

Try it. Get yourself an egg-timer, set it for a short amount of time, and race the clock. (My kitchen timer is ticking away right now--17 minutes to go.)

I first learned how to "double-time" by watching my friend Leland create high-quality, professionally-done videos in a day. A good video "oughta take" at least a week, but apparently nobody had ever told that to Leland.

But as good as Leland was with "double-time," I recently found an even greater example in a Brazilian novelist, Ryoki Inoue. Before I tell you his story, think about how long you think it "oughta take" to write a 200-page novel.

The Wall Street Journal recently reported that Ryoki Inoue has just written his 1,039th novel since he took up the craft ten years ago. For the benefit of the reporter, Inoue started the book around 10 p.m., and by 5:30 a.m. had put the finishing touches on a 195-page story of drug traffickers and corrupt cops.

I read about Inoue the other day and thought, ìIf he can write a novel in six hours, Iím sure I can write a column in 30 minutes.î (Normally a column takes me three to four hours.) According to my egg-timer I've got twelve minutes to go.

Not everyone knows this, but the new film "George of the Jungle" started out as a Saturday-morning cartoon over fifteen years ago. One day, as the show was being developed, two professional songwriters got a call from the studio. "We need theme songs for 'George of the Jungle' and two other cartoons," they were told. And we need them fast."

"How fast?"

"Four hours from now."

The songwriters said okay and went to work. The clock ticked. Four hours later they had banged out all three songs.

And guess what? The studio not only liked them and used them, but the song for "George of the Jungle" turned out to be one of the most memorable and successful things they ever wrote. (The very same song is used in the movie version.)

So get away from your own and other people's assumptions about how long a task is supposed to take. Get it done much more quickly.

Want to make an independent film? Get it done in a week.

Want to create a web site? Get it done in a day.

Want to write a speech? Get it done in two hours.

Take all the tasks on your list and get them done in one-third the time they "oughta take."

Time flies and so can you. Double-time!

Hmmm.... according to my timer, I've still got four minutes to spare.

Hot Tip
Unplug your phone while on double-time.

Hot Tip
Work while an egg-timer is counting down.

"One always has time enough if one will apply it well."

-Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

1. all assumptions are false
2. all assumptions are limiting
3. are assumptions are reversible
4. you have to make assumptions
5. all assumptions produce outcomes
6. most people have invested their life in untested assumptions

-Leland Kaiser

"Half of our life is spent trying to find something to do with the time we have rushed to save."

-Will Rogers