Learn from the Shawshank! Andrew's Task Management System

Are you trapped by time?

When I entered Shawshank Prison, the first thing I noticed was that there was no such thing as free time. Here, the orders from the guards and daily chores consumed my every minute and second. Being robbed of time. That was the invisible chain of Shawshank.

In this world surrounded by prison walls, I pondered. How could I regain this time? How could I obtain "my time"? It took me a bit of time to find the answer.

However, there came a moment when I realized something. To regain control of my time, I had to clarify what needed to be done and cut out all waste. This way, even within limited time, I could move towards my goals.

Identify your tasks: Divide them into two

There were only two main tasks that I needed to do in Shawshank.

The first was a task that moved towards my goal. My goal was escape. Every night, I dug a tunnel towards the wall. That was my "to do". This task was the key to regaining my freedom.

The second was a task that had to be completed. This was something I had to do regardless of my will. For instance, helping the guards with their tax filings and performing various chores within the prison. These were tasks that simply had to be finished, but there was one important thing: I should not let these "tasks to complete" take more time than necessary.

Many people come to a halt here. They lose the "time to move towards their goals" and become trapped by the chores before them. But I was different. To regain my time, I began to create a system.

Minimize tasks you can’t control

When I took on the tax filings for the guards, I initially lost a lot of time. If I had continued like that, I wouldn’t have had any time left to dig the tunnel. So I decided. "I will systematize this task."

First, I simplified the steps for creating the tax returns and created templates. Initially, it took time, but thanks to standardization, I was able to dramatically reduce the time spent on the task. And I could redirect the saved time to digging the tunnel.

This was my first step to reclaiming my time. If I had neglected my preparation, I would have been consumed by time rather than dreaming of freedom.

“Digging into” your time

The escape plan at Shawshank was not just about digging a tunnel. It was also an action of "digging into my time" in my mind. Little by little, I continued to chip away at the wall every night, scattering pebbles while envisioning my future.

Watching the busy people of today, I think. Are they not dominated by the tasks in front of them? Are they truly securing important "time to move towards their goals"? The answer I found at Shawshank was to take control of how to use my time.

Freedom lies in how you use your time

Inside the walls of Shawshank, I learned. The key to obtaining freedom lies in managing time. No matter how many constraints, no matter how busy it may be, protecting "time to move towards goals" is the first step towards freedom.

So, I want to convey this to you. Prioritize tasks that move towards your goals, and systematize the tasks you must complete to handle them efficiently. And do not give up on regaining your time.

Remember, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies.

Your time is limited. But how you use it is up to you. It doesn’t matter if it’s just little by little from today. Start digging your tunnel. Surely, a day will come when you can see the blue sky.