By Abundant Robert K. AWOLUGUTU
Time is the most precious element of human existence. The successful person knows how to put energy into time and how to draw success from it.
-Denis Waitley
In this article we take a look at time, a vital resource around which human life is woven. It plays an important role not only in the life of individuals but corporate entities as well.
We all have 24 hours a day, 168 hours a week and 8, 736 hours a year. No one gets more or less. Whether you live a great life or a life of mediocrity will depend on how you use this vital resource of your existence.
Time is a mystery. It has been a subject for intense research by various philosophers. Here are some definitions of time to reflect on:
“Time is the inexplicable raw material of everything. With it all is possible, without it, nothing. The supply of time is truly a daily miracle, an affair genuinely astonishing when one examines it.”-Arnold Bennet. “Time is a unique and interesting resource, invisible, unalterable, and unstoppable.”-Tommy Newberry. “Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff that life is made of.”-Benjamin Franklin.
According to Robin Sharma, author and leadership expert, “Time slips through our hands like grains of sand, never to return again. Those who use time wisely are rewarded with rich, productive and satisfying lives.” “Time is money”-Benjamin Franklin “Time and tide wait for no man.”-Geoffrey Chaucer
From the above definitions we cannot control the flow of time but we can organize our daily activities by utilizing time to get more done and enjoy the good things of life. We should be able to manage our time wisely to achieve our goals and live a more fulfilling satisfying lives.
Time management is self-management. With the prudent use of your time, you can get more out of all that life has to offer.
Some people make a budget so as to keep track of how they spend their money but hardly give a thought about how their time is spent and on what. “If you kept a careful diary of all your activities for any seven-day period you would probably be shocked and shamefaced at the number of hours you fritter away each week doing little or nothing.”
Time is the stuff life is made of. It is your most precious gift and best possession. The more of your time you waste, the more of your life you waste. Life is short. Make every moment count. You should never procrastinate. Value your time and do not let anyone waste it for you.
As said earlier, we all have the same 24 hours a day. The success-oriented person will prioritize and spend his time on activities that help him move forward with his dreams and vision.
If you want to manage your time wisely, one of the things you can do is set goals and give a time frame within which to achieve them. Goals are the things you desire to manifest in your life. Goal accomplishment should benefit you and the people around you.
Most people squander their time and regret at the end of their life. The most serious dent or blot in your life is when you call your children and whisper to them that you have not lived well or up to expectation when you are about dying. So spend your time on things that impact lives.
A goal according a wise man is “The progressive realization of a dream in a given time frame.” If you have goals, you have a target to meet.
Once goals are in place, then you need a plan to reach your goals. It is important that you identify the various tasks or activities to perform to accomplish your goals.
You must prioritize your tasks. List them in order of importance. Focus your time and energy by working and completing one task at a time. This requires self-discipline, determination and a commitment to achieve success. The tasks that are important and urgent must be done first. You can do these at the beginning of your day and follow through with every task.
It follows that you do not allow time teasers to derail your efforts at goal achievement. There are certain habits that can rob you of much needed time that could otherwise be channeled into productive activities. Notable distractions include interruptions, uncontrolled lunch and tea breaks, procrastination, meetings, bad delegation, inadequate tools and logistics, reading of newspapers, unnecessary phone conversations, watching movies and time spent on social media among others. These have the potential to undermine the progress of individuals and organizations. Time is money, let no one spend for you.
Another time management hack is to have a clock in front of you. Sometimes we can lose track of time because we are busy. As you work, take a second to look at the time so you can stay on track.
If you want to get more done during the day, wake up early in the morning. When you go to the office early in the morning, you have the opportunity to complete any unfinished business from the previous day. You can also start your most important and urgent tasks before others arrive who may distract you. This method will help make your day productive.
Delegate when necessary. You will agree with me that you do not have the expertise for every task that needs your attention. Workload can also be overwhelming. If you know you do not have the capacity to execute a certain job well, delegate this to someone who can do it better. Good leaders make use of the talent and skills of others whilst they attend to what they can do best themselves.
On the surface a project may appear big and scary. We get frightened by the size of a project and the time it will probably take to bring it to completion. Break a large project into manageable tasks and tackle one after the other to completion. Small successes will lead to a big success.
Take breaks. Working continuously can lead to a burn out. The brain and the body can lose effectiveness after long hours of work. Take a few minutes of rest and get back to work.
Declutter your work space. Get rid of physical clutter that may surround your workplace. Too much clutter makes work difficult. It is said, physical clutter leads to mental clutter. When you declutter, it may help improve your performance and progress.
Pay attention to what you eat. A malnourished person will not be as effective and strong as a healthy person. A healthy person will likely accomplish his tasks faster within a given time frame than one who is lethargic because of poor nutrition.
Exercise your body every single day. You may ask what has this to do with time management. Time spent exercising your body is never wasted time. Exercise will help keep you mentally and physically great. This will help you make better decisions, build your immunity so that you do not easily become ill and take sick leave, reduces anxiety and depression, boosts energy and adds stamina. You can do more within a certain time frame because of your physical and mental fitness.
When you are obsessed with perfectionism, it will be difficult making progress with your vision and goals. Do your absolute best within the time allotted to you and move on. Those who aim for perfectionism often make mistakes that slow down productivity.
Time management is self-management, it is self-mastery, it is self-discipline, and it is self-control. By applying the aforementioned time management hacks, one can perform at peak levels, accomplish worthwhile goals and live a happier, satisfying and fulfilling life. When you use your time wisely you can get more out of life and make a difference in the lives of the people around you.
Yours in inspiration,
ARK AWOLUGUTU
Email: [email protected]
Cell: 0559 466 048; 0208 455 296
