Wisdom for today’s world

Matt Limb OBE compares modern time management systems with folklore phrases used by past generations.

In today’s world, the quest for efficiency is everywhere and it feels like there’s an entire industry dedicated to telling us how to work smarter and squeeze more into our days, plus crack that elusive work-life balance.

Most of this guidance revolves around our computers or smartphones, with a dizzying array of productivity apps and software promising to organise every minute of our day – and sadly, our lives.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not some Luddite resisting progress. I embrace much of today’s technology, provided it is part of the solution, not part of the problem. I’m all for anything that genuinely helps me manage my time. But several of these so-called time-saving techniques are anything but. Sometimes, you end up spending more time working the system than doing the task itself.

To this we can add the lifestyle coaches who’ve sprung up in recent years, swearing by the ‘perfect morning’ routine. And let’s not forget the life hacks flooding social media, all guaranteed to make us more effective, more fulfilled and more… well, more everything that apparently really matters these days. But for all this noise, are we actually any better at managing our time and lives than previous generations?

All about balance
I sometimes wonder if we’ve lost something valuable in our relentless pursuit of efficiency. Our grandparents had no productivity systems or lifestyle coaches, yet they were one of the most productive generations you could meet.

My grandfather had a saying which he quoted on a regular basis: “An hour before seven is worth two after eleven.” To him, the quiet early morning hours were a gift, a chance to get ahead before the world woke up and pressures started piling in. But he also understood balance. After an early start, there was always time for a proper lunch, never rushed, with a moment to reflect before tackling the rest of the day.
But it wasn’t just him, the whole community operated this way. Villages would stir at dawn to the sound of rattling milk churns and the first cough of an awakening tractor engine, the rural and village equivalent of an alarm clock.

There were no fancy sunrise clocks waking you gently or morning music meditation apps raising you from your slumber, just the knowledge that if you didn’t get a head start, the day would run away from you.

It was a simpler time, maybe even a better one, depending on who you ask. Or perhaps people were just more focused back then.

Nowadays, lifestyle coaches preach a gospel about 5am starts, promising heightened productivity and clarity. They’ll tell you to journal, meditate, stretch, then sit and plan your day before dawn. But really, it’s just a rebranding of the old belief in early rising. Our grandparents didn’t need motivational speakers to tell them the value of an early start. They felt it in the crisp fresh morning air and saw it in the work done before some people were even awake.

Common sense sayings
Their generation knew a thing or two about time management and their wisdom was wrapped up in short, punchy sayings that were simple and memorable, but always practical. These nuggets of advice were born out of necessity, passed down by people who worked the land and understood the importance of timing and effort. Today, they’re often dismissed as pointless, quaint or even old-fashioned, but the truths they carry are timeless.

Consider the old phrase of making hay while the sun shines. It’s not just about the weather; it’s about recognising opportunities and acting swiftly. It’s about timing, decision making and resolve. It’s not about waiting for perfect conditions because perfection rarely comes.

Their version was even simpler: if you have the chance to do a job, just get on with it. No flowery language, no dithering and no motivational speakers. In their minds, hesitation was the quickest route to nothing getting done.

The wisdom of dealing with problems early was a guiding principle. Across the farm, if a fence post looked wobbly or a gate was sagging, they’d sort it before you could say, “leave it for later”.

Procrastination was an invitation for trouble and this mindset kept their homes and farms shipshape. It’s what modern business gurus would call risk management or selective preventative maintenance, but they just saw it as good common sense.

For them, teamwork was second nature: “Many hands make light work.” During haymaking, lambing or shifting a stubborn cow, neighbours helped each other without expecting anything in return.

Today’s buzzwords like ‘synergy’ and ‘team dynamics’ try to capture this, but back then it was simply how communities thrived. They understood that a problem shared was a problem halved, long before corporate away days made team-building an expensive and fashionable industry.

Helping each other wasn’t just practical; it was the social glue binding communities together. Whether it was fixing a broken gate or sharing fruit from an overabundant harvest, reciprocity was a given. These days, networking experts talk about building your social capital, but back then, it was just good manners. Relationships were built on trust and mutual respect, not transactional exchanges.

Living life
When it came to waste, they were masters of making do. A Sunday roast would stretch to midweek, transforming into hearty meals with a little creativity. “Waste not, want not” was their guiding mantra. Now in an age where fast fashion and disposable goods are the norm, their resourcefulness feels like a lesson in sustainability. They didn’t need buzzwords like ‘minimalism’ or ‘eco-friendly’, it was how life was lived.

But they did firmly understand and recognise the price is what you pay, but the value is what you get.

Early mornings carried a weight of wisdom, too. Watching birds foraging for breakfast on a dewy lawn taught them more than any motivational poster could. They knew the value of getting ahead while others slept, long before it was rebranded as the five in the morning club.

It wasn’t about hustling for success but about making the most of quiet, productive hours.

But they also knew the importance of rest and leisure. Saturday evenings were for relaxing, often down at the local village pub with a game of dominoes.

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” wasn’t just a saying, it was a reminder to take time out. But equally they did not forget “early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.”

They didn’t live to work; they worked to live, a perspective today’s busy hustle culture could learn from.

For them, balance wasn’t a goal to be achieved, but a daily natural rhythm to be maintained.

Equally, no job was beneath them, they understood that the tasks others avoided were often the most profitable, because “where’s there’s muck there’s money”. Getting your hands dirty wasn’t just accepted; it was respected.

“The early bird catches the worm” was something they lived by, getting ahead wasn’t just about ambition but about making sure the work was done when the time was right. They didn’t dress it up as ‘embracing the grind’, it was simply getting on with what needed to be done. They recognised that value is often found in the effort others shy away from.

Looking back on that generation and how they motivated themselves, it’s hard not to compare it to today’s world of productivity apps and lifestyle coaching.

Our grandparents didn’t need planners, time management systems, or endless advice on social media. They relied on common sense, hard work and the wisdom passed down through generations.

Their sayings were short and sharp but, above all, honest. They didn’t promise miracles, golden goals or quick fixes. There were no seminars to attend, books to buy or lifestyle lectures to listen to; just truths lived out day by day.

If they were around today, they’d likely raise an eyebrow at all the talk of ‘life hacks’ and ‘efficiency tools’ and quietly get on with their day, knowing that sometimes the simplest wisdom is the best.

When I look at the growing trend for time-saving systems and lifestyle coaching, I can’t help but feel we’ve vastly overcomplicated things. Maybe we need fewer systems and more sayings, less advice and more action, plus a bit more common sense.

Perhaps it’s time to dust off these old bits of folklore and give them another listen. After all, if they were good enough for our grandparents’ generation, they might just be good enough for us too.

Photographs: Matt Limb OBE

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