Time is here for our taking. The difference, however, lies in how wisely we each use it, manage it and how it benefits us. To use it most wisely, we must each come up with a time management system that works for us and then follow it.
Because our mortality is what prompts us to seek ways to maximize our time, it is not a surprise that most of us invest energies and effort into finding out and creating an effective time management system. Having an orderly system will help us arrange our priorities better and make sure that every second of our time is spent on things that are of value to us and are worthwhile.
This doesn’t always happen, of course, because of our indecisiveness and failure to figure out what we really want to do with our lives, we end up wasting time. We do things that are far from the accomplishment of our goals. Worse, we perform activities without having much of a goal in the first place. Not knowing what we want at the onset poses a danger to time wastage.
We don’t really need to get professional help or enroll in expensive time management classes just so we can come up with our own time management system. This is because each of us has a system that is tailored only for us, being unique individuals with unique lifestyles, orientations and needs. Thus, if we truly want our time spent to the maximum extent, we should spend some of it creating and planning a sound time management system.
While it has been said that no two time management systems are exactly alike, here are a few suggestions to get you started. The following recommendations and tips are the ones that are most common among the systems that have been created in the past. You might want to lift ideas from them then build ones of your own.
– Find out how you are spending your time now
In order to manage your time better, you must first assess how your time is being spent at the moment. Try to divide your daily schedule into fifteen minute intervals and see how many minutes or hours you spend doing a single task, like watching television or getting ready for school or work. This will give you a rough idea on where to cut the amount of time you give for a certain activity, especially if you feel this particular activity doesn’t really help in maximizing your time’s value.
– Create a schedule
A lot of people find making schedules very limiting. However, if you really want your time management system to work, you should have a reason to force yourself to perform important tasks. A schedule not only arranges your time for you, but it also serves as a guide. Of course, when you make one, stick to it. Don’t keep changing course as you go along.
– If you can’t juggle, delegate
It’s okay to admit that you’re not superman or superwoman. We’re only human and we simply can’t do everything at once, no matter how hard we try. Some people have attempted to juggle too many things at the same time and ended up with work that is half-baked. Seek the assistance of other people to do the other things for you. Conversely, don’t just accept and say ‘yes’ when people ask you to do things for them when you know you don’t have the time to do so.
– Saying ‘no’ is not bad
If you really have to turn someone or something down, don’t hesitate to say ‘no’. Assess what is really important to you and go with that, instead. Some people feel guilty when they say ‘no’. You shouldn’t. It’s your right and privilege to turn somebody down when he or she asks a favor from you. Remember, you own your time. Allowing other people to dictate what you should do with it is a disservice to yourself.
The above recommendations are just a few of what you can include in the time management system you are planning to create for yourself. Of course, you can tailor this to fit your specific needs. Not all time management systems are alike. However, one thing is common among them. They are all designed to help you extract the greatest value possible from the little time that you have.