Happy Monday 🌞
I am personally guilty thinking “I just need more time” several times a day. (Do we really all have the same hours as Beyonce in a day? Because I don’t feel like it. 😆)
“More time” has been the solution I’ve wanted to apply to a lot of problems lately. Our family is moving in about two months and we’ve had a lot of admin added to our plates, so I’ve been feeling the crunch.
And sometimes, as it is with moving, needing more time is absolutely true. Layering such a big project (moving) on top of my existing work and life tasks is a lot, but that’s short term.
So here’s what I’ve learned: if I’m saying “I need more time” about the same problem for months on end, it’s probably not a time issue anymore — it’s a systems issue.
Two weeks ago, I wrote about my emails getting completely out of hand. That wasn’t something that happened overnight; it built up over months. I kept telling myself I just needed to find more time to get through my inbox, but the reality was that my email system wasn’t working.
The same thing happened with my daughter’s bedtime routine. For months, bedtime was dragging later and later, and I kept losing my evening time because by the time she was finally asleep, I was exhausted. I kept thinking I just needed to power through and find more energy, which really just led to drinking more caffeine, but what we really needed was a better bedtime routine. (Happy to report that we have managed to wrangle bedtime, and it’s been so much better.)
Here’s what I’m focusing on remembering: time doesn’t just materialize, especially if you're a parent, or you run a business, or a number of other reasons. When you’re already stretched thin, you can’t solve persistent problems by working harder or longer.
The question I’m asking myself now when I face ongoing challenges is: “Do I need more time, or do I need a different system?”
If it’s been going on for months, it’s most likely the latter.
So how do you know which one you’re dealing with?
- Short-term crunch = Time problem. Maybe you have a big project deadline or you’re covering for a colleague who’s out, or like me, you’re moving in a few months. These are legitimate “I need more time” situations.
Here’s what helps me: In true time crunches, I lower the bar, simplify what I can, and remind myself it’s temporary. The goal isn’t to do it all — it’s to get through it as best I can.
- Recurring struggle = System problem. If you’re saying “I’ll get to that when things slow down” about the same thing for months, your process needs an overhaul, not more hours.
The insight I keep coming back to is I can’t fix a broken process just by trying harder. But we can all build systems that work for the life we have and not the one we wish we had time for.
The beauty of recognizing this difference is that it shifts you from trying to squeeze more time out of your day (which is exhausting and unlikely) to asking: “What would need to change for this to work smoothly?”
If you have a systems problem to change, here's more about making systems changes in work and life.
I hope you have a lovely week ahead. As always, feel free to reply if this sparks any thoughts or questions. ✨
See you next Monday,
Hailley
P.S.: A little life update on the move I mentioned in this newsletter. 🏡
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A few months ago we did a "Collaboration Day" at Buffer during an interview process where I was the hiring manager, the LinkedIn post took off and I had a chance to chat with Inc. about why some companies hire candidates for one day. It's a great read where she speaks with a few others who have done the same thing.
- There are a lot of tools I use daily, one tool is AI, specifically Claude, which I use for writing, processing, summarizing, and a ton of other daily tasks. If you haven't yet, I highly recommend checking out Claude. (Full transparency: That's a referral link so I can enter to win a few free months of Claude if you sign up.)
Your life will not magically exceed your standards. Improve your boundaries and life improves too. - James Clear
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