Have you ever battled a kinked garden hose? You’re eager to water those wilting plants, but instead spend precious minutes untangling a green mess. The immediate temptation is to turn on the water and deal with kinks as they arise—but we all know how that ends.
Your workday operates on the same principle. You can dive straight into emails and urgent tasks, or take five minutes to untangle your priorities first.
The Garden Hose Theory
Taking just five minutes to plan your day is like properly unravelling your garden hose before watering. It seems like a delay, but this small investment prevents constant interruptions later.
When you “unkink” your day in advance:
- You create a smooth flow between tasks
- You identify obstacles before they trip you up
- You maintain consistent focus on important work
- You prevent productivity-killing interruptions
The beauty isn’t creating a rigid schedule that can’t be broken, but establishing awareness of what truly matters each day.
The Unkinking Method
First, untangle before pressure builds. Plan your day before opening email or messaging apps. This prevents others’ priorities from immediately hijacking yours.
Second, identify the major kinks—those tasks that could completely stop your flow if left unaddressed. These might be difficult conversations, complex problems requiring focus, or bottlenecks holding up other work.
Third, arrange your day to ensure smooth flow. Group similar tasks together, block time for focused work, and build in buffer zones for the inevitable unexpected sprinklers.
Start Small
If you’re not naturally a planner, don’t worry. Start with this simple approach:
- Take two minutes each morning to identify your three most important tasks
- Schedule when you’ll do them
- Protect that time as if it were a meeting with your most important client
The Real Value
The true value of planning your day isn’t just productivity—though that improves dramatically. The real benefit is the sense of control and accomplishment it provides. Instead of feeling like you’re constantly chasing kinks in the hose, you’re directing water exactly where it needs to go.
So tomorrow morning, before jumping into work, remember the garden hose theory. Take five minutes to lay everything out properly. Your future self will thank you as the day flows smoothly ahead.