Friends, I have a (slightly embarrassing) problem that affects me personally and professionally: I have no idea how long it will take me to do something. So when I think, oh, this will only take X minutes or hours, and it takes 4x … that is a big problem!
Even if the next time takes only 3x hours… yikes! That’s still way longer than X!
Conversely, sometimes something I am dreading is over with quite quickly, not so bad.
I don’t think this is JUST about time management – though I need to do that better, too. It is also because I have a kind of time blindness with my ADHD diagnosis. But more importantly than WHY — what do I do about this?! How do I manage expectations from others – 2nd manager in a row that I’ve missed deadlines on, yikes! – and from MYSELF?!
I am open to advice, open to sympathy, open to success stories. Please do not just say “manage your time better”. Please give me actual actionable (ugh what an adjective) tips and tactics that I can do to…. manage my time better.
For reference I am mid-career, early 40s, with an MBA, married spouse, + 3 kids under age 12.
How do know how long something will take me and estimate and work with myself and set and manage expectations?! Thank you!