Time confetti is a concept coined by Brigid Schulte in her book Overwhelmed.
The term is used to describe all the bits and scraps of time that pull us in lots of directions.
As a result, we are rushing from one little thing to the next.
When life is full of time confetti, we are focused on handling the little things “right now”.
We can’t leave nagging tasks around us undone.
This results in the inability to relax.
We push big projects into the future because there isn’t time right now.
My Perspective
There are a lot of techniques and ideas out there to combat time confetti.
Many people don’t reach the point of trying solutions because they haven’t recognized they have a problem. Considering types of time confetti mentioned, below are three types to consider:
Housework – Dishes on the counter. Mudroom in disarray. A living room with toys scattered everywhere. A layer of dust in the dining room. These are just a few of the nagging household chores that might quickly take priority over rest and rejuvenation.
Phone – Carrying our phones everywhere is a constant source of time confetti. There is always a notification of some sort just waiting for us to engage. We may emerge from the phone an hour later feeling drained and wondering if we accomplished anything.
eMail / Chat – Bouncing from project work to email or chat and back again is the most distracting form of time confetti at work. Spending an hour of focused work time also attending to emails and chats that come in is a definite recipe for ending the hour feeling unproductive.
I found it interesting that all three forms of time confetti that came to mind for me are also the primary causes of mental and physical clutter in our lives.
Your Turn
Do you recognize time confetti in your day-to-day?
Which of the three types is your greatest challenge?
Can you try one day of ignoring and resisting one of the three?