Chasing the Time Thief, Toshika Sakiyama: How an Author Who Published Time Management Books in Three Countries Teaches You to Protect Your Time

I look at the evening sky through the window and am startled.
I feel like I've been moving around all day, yet... nothing I needed to do is finished.

This is a story about me from when I was newly married.

When I spent my days at home, I was troubled by the mysterious phenomenon of the sun setting before I knew it, so I decided to track each and every thing that was happening.

This never happened when I was at work.
I would finish my own work, as well as the miscellaneous tasks pushed onto me afterward, and get everything done before heading home. Yet, at home, nothing progressed at all. Why?

Back then, I couldn't put it into words.
But now, after more than 10 years of seriously facing how I use my time, I can say it.

My time was being stolen.

My time was being stolen by 'Toshika Sakiyama'.

I publish books on time management both domestically and abroad.

My representative work is 'The Magic Housework Notebook That Saves Time,' published when I was in my 20s.

It is a book I wrote about the 'housework notebook' I created when I was a housewife working part-time, thinking about how I could make my life easier.

It eventually went into its ninth printing and was even turned into an app and a planner.

Because I created this book to reach housewives who were struggling just like my past self, the content of this book itself is specialized for 'housework and household chores'.

However, this way of thinking itself can actually be used for work and study as well.It is a magical method that can be applied to any profession.

In fact, the background of how the housework notebook was born might have its origins in what I did in my studies and work in the past.

This time, I would like to introduce this way of thinking, which can also be used in business, from the perspective of 'work' rather than 'home'.

Who is Toshika Sakiyama?

First, as a fundamental premise, I want to convey that whether it is work or housework,a 'time thief' is lurking in every scene of daily life—that is the reality.

I call this 'Toshika Sakiyama'.

In a nutshell, this time thief refers to 'actions that are repeated over and over'.

Specifically, these are:

Taking the first characters of these seven actions gives us 'Toshika Sakiyama'.

They are the seven great modern thieves that secretly steal your time.

For example, do you experience things like this in your daily life or work?

If any of this rings a bell, you have already been robbed.

The time thief is not a flashy phantom thief.
They sneak in quietly like a ninja.

They do not steal in a flashy way, but quietly. You do not even notice that it is gone. There is no trace left behind.

That is precisely why it is possible to feel like, 'I should have been busy doing various things, yet nothing is finished'.

So, what should you do?

First, realize what has been stealing your time.
This is the first step. You cannot develop countermeasures if you do not know the extent of the damage.

Here, I would like to introduce the 'ecology of the time thief Toshika Sakiyama' and two methods for investigating her.

Toshika Sakiyama is right beside you

Toshika Sakiyama is a master of disguise.
She has seven different disguises.

First, I want you to know that a time thief is an 'unpleasant presence.' However—and this is the tricky part—what is 'unpleasant' differs from person to person.

For example, the time spent choosing clothes in front of the closet in the morning.
Do you enjoy the process of wondering 'which one should I wear?' Or do you find it a hassle?

The answer will surely vary from person to person.

In other words, the true identity of a time thief is 'a repetitive action that is not enjoyable for you.'
The moment you think, 'This might be a waste'—that is the work of Toshika Sakiyama.

Here, while using 'time that is a waste for me' as an example, let's track her as she lurks in our daily lives, constantly changing her appearance.

Searching

Searching for the same thing over and over again. This includes not just physical objects, but also files and information.

Deciding

Because you are thinking from scratch, hesitating, and making decisions on the spot, it takes time to reach a conclusion.

Redoing

Refers to redoing initial settings, processes, or tasks multiple times.

Hesitating

This means being unable to easily decide on priorities or the order of tasks.

Going to fetch

Refers to the waste of going to fetch the same things repeatedly. As an advanced example, this could also include "running out of supplies and having to go buy (or order) them immediately."

Looking up

Searching for or confirming the same information multiple times.

Thinking

Thinking through the design and setup on the spot every time.

I think you now understand the ecology of Toshika Sakiyama. Now, let's begin the actual "investigation" to speed up your work.

An analog investigation method anyone can do

Whenever I found Toshika Sakiyama in my life or work, I used to "investigate" by writing it down on paper myself.

There are three steps to the analog investigation method

All you need is one sheet of A4 paper.
This is a method where you write down the "present," "past," and "future."

Fold the A4 paper into four, as if dividing it vertically.

The reason for folding it into four is that you might come up with something more concrete after step "3." In that case, write it in the fourth section.

If you think about which of "S-A-K-I-Y-A-M-A-T-O-S-H-I-K-A" the "reason" for your struggle falls under, it will come to mind easily, so please give it a try.

From here on, let's go through three case studies.

[Case 1] You decide on file naming rules for invoices and documents every single time

This is a matter of "deciding."

However, if you look closely, it feels like "thinking" is also involved. And as a result, it seems to be affecting "searching" as well.
As the "Sakiyama concentration" increases, efficiency drops rapidly. Conversely, when you solve this, the time you save also increases.

Once the analysis is complete, let's look for solutions.

▼ Practicing things like this

Then, just by typing "filename," the rule will appear, such as "WP_Sheet_Diagram_Template_CAT2_NAME_TAG."

▼ You can easily create the same file name by deleting and typing.

[Case 2] You finish a presentation deck only to have to redo the whole thing because "the direction is wrong after all"

This is a matter of "redoing."

In a similar case, I once had to redo an entire manuscript I had written. As a result, time thieves like "researching," "thinking," and "hesitating" accumulated once again.

Now that the analysis is done, I will look for solutions.

▼ Practicing things like this

Regarding "confirming the direction at the draft stage (or when 40% complete)," if you do this every time, it is better to turn the example text into a template. Register it in your dictionary or create a dedicated notepad so you can copy and paste it.

This will free you from the time spent "hesitating" and "deciding."

[Case 3] Looking up specific Excel functions (like VLOOKUP) on the internet every time

This is "looking it up".

In my first year as a working professional, I did this over and over. Then I thought, "Wouldn't it be faster to write it down in a notebook and open it, rather than searching and finding the right page?"

So, I decided to create a "My Function Dictionary." I'll introduce how to make one.

1. Prepare a palm-sized notebook.

2. Make one page per function.

3. Write the "name and meaning of the function" at the top.

4. Next, write the formula.

5. If there is a concrete example, write it down. It takes a little effort, but by writing it so you can "understand it at a glance," you will never have to search for it again.

▼ This "My Dictionary" can be utilized in scenes like these. Note that a text file or similar is also fine instead of a paper notebook.

I have introduced three case studies.
In this way, if you understand "what is stealing your time" and the "reason" for it, it becomes easier to derive solutions yourself.

However, there was a problem with this analog investigation.

Sometimes, you just can't think of a "solution."

Therefore, I will introduce the latest investigation method possible only because it is the modern age. — That is "AI investigation."

How to conduct an investigation using the AI Time Police

AI investigation is very simple. When you feel like your work isn't going quite right, just copy and paste the "prompt" into the AI.

This is the final version I created after testing it with the AI several times, based on the original prompt draft I wrote.

By simply copying and pasting the content within the shaded area below, the AI will find everything from the "Toshika Sakiyama" lurking in your work to the "solutions" for it.

Of course, you can have it fine-tune the content to match your specific work.

Reporting prompt for the AI Time Police

Public investigation with the AI Time Police

Here, I would like to introduce a series of steps where I investigated my own work troubles as a public investigation.

My work trouble is...

1. The AI's response when I entered the prompt

2. My response

I am writing in detail here, but just choosing a number is also OK. Then, it is designed to conduct an interview.

3. Situation report from the AI police

4. Aftercare

I asked for a bit more detail regarding specific improvement measures.

↓ This explanation arrived.

It only took a few minutes to get this far.

Compared to when I spent time on analog investigations, it has become very speedy to go from finding problems to deriving solutions.

However, I would still recommend doing analog investigations from time to time.

AI is just too convenient.
If you don't develop the ability to think for yourself, there is a fear that if 'Toshika Sakiyama' were to disappear, you might not be able to think creatively on your own, which could slow down your work.

In conclusion

To make these seven time thieves easier to remember, I came up with the character 'Sa-Ki-Ya-Ma-To-Shi-Ka'.
However, some people might still get lost and wonder, 'What were they again...?'

If that's you, I'd like you to print this table or take a note and keep it handy.
You should be able to start your investigation right away.

If you catch each 'Toshika Sakiyama' one by one, the time that was stolen from you will return. You cannot change the length of a day, but the intensity will change surprisingly, so please give it a try.

▼ Click here for background and books.