Rethinking Time: The Power of Multipliers

Finding time is the significant challenge for many people. Instead of giving up goals, Aaker offers a new solution: rethinking time. This module illuminates how to align goals and execute on them by creating “Multipliers” (defined as one activities that fulfill multiple goals), which will enable you to achieve more goals that are important to you.

With many important goals in life, you may have more to achieve than feels doable, leaving you with the sense that time is scarce. Instead of letting go of goals to create more time, try this module, which encourages you to ask: How might you align your goals to feel more time affluent or, in other words, rich(er) in time?

A Multiplier is one activity that fulfills multiple goals. A Multiplier enables you to achieve two or three goals or even a home run. 

Multiplying is not multitasking. Multitasking equals multiple activities done at the same time to achieve multiple goals, an approach that typically leaves you feeling divided.

Creating Multipliers introduces a new way of thinking about your goals. With a single activity (running with a friend rather than running alone, for instance), you can accomplish multiple goals without the negativity of feeling divided.

• Find Multipliers. Find a single activity where you can bring along another person (e.g., friend, partner, child). Doing so creates a “double”, where two goals are achieved at the same time. Can you identify activities that are “triples” or even “homeruns?”
• Decide based on Multipliers. When deciding to participate in a new activity, see if you can make it a double or a triple. If no, consider foregoing the activity.
• Protect Multipliers. Look for things to do that help you achieve multiple goals simultaneously, and then protect these activities on your calendar.