The quest for more time is probably one of the most common activities among all persons in this world. As humans whose mortality often dictate how we choose to live our lives, we seek ways and means to extend whatever little time is afforded to us and make sure that when we get it, we try to extract the greatest benefit and value we possibly can.

Each of us has his or her purpose in this world, and, more often than not, the only way to achieve this purpose is to better manage our personal time.

So how does personal time management planning happen?

It really doesn’t take rocket science to figure this out. Personal time management planning means setting aside the mundane and unnecessary activities, weeding them out one by one, and focusing our energies and efforts into tasks that help us achieve what is truly important.

Now, determining what is important depends on how we have lived our lives so far. What is important for one may be considered puny and uninteresting by another. So, there really should be no argument about what it is. For some people, family is what is important. For others, it’s career.

Whatever it is, personal time management planning should seek to gain more time to do things that are on the top of our priority lists, regardless of what they are and if they are acceptable for other people.

The best way we can manage our personal time is by making a list of things you want to do and achieve in your lifetime. This list should be written down instead of just keeping it inside your head. Among these items, choose which are fit for the short-term and which are long-term.

It would be nice if your short-term goals also lead to the accomplishment of your long-term goals, because it means you have a very consistent life plan. However, having otherwise doesn’t really mean you are inconsistent. It simply entails that you have a lot of plans.

Realize that our time in this world is limited…

Your goals may change along the way, but, for the meantime, try to stick to the ones you have. Changes are unpredictable, so you must not try to reach for a goal thinking that it will eventually change. This is a negative and confusing way to live life. Keep things in order and deal with the shifts later. After all, once you already have a set list of goals in place, any future changes will be easier to deal with, than if you’ve never had any plan at all.

Time wasted is one of the greatest stressors of our lives…

Thus, in order for us to be fit and well-equipped to face challenges, we must be able to manage our time effectively. Everything revolves around the availability, or inavailability, of time. Time runs whether or not we can cope with it. It goes on regardless of our ability to handle it. Thus, it is our duty and responsibility to make sure that we are within its wavelength. Otherwise, we get left behind and end up more frustrated than ever.

Life, as some say, is the constant chase for time. Indeed, it is so. Time is the most valuable thing we can ever have in this world and not even the richest among us can control it. It’s a great balancing factor, knowing no age, gender, religion, ethnicity, social and political background. It doesn’t even care about our individual problems.

Therefore, in order for us to effectively manage our personal time, we must learn to be resilient, look it in the eye, tell it that we can handle it. There are many ways to manage time, as books and articles would suggest, but it is really up to us to make things happen. Yes, time is in our hands.