Time Management

TIME MANAGEMENT

(A skill to utilize our time effectively for enhancing our knowledge and talents)

INTRODUCTION               

Every one of us has the same 24 hours of time in a day.

There are few things in the world that is very common to all of us, no matter that there are wide differences in our state of being and what we desire to be. Time is one such element that is very common whether we may be a prince or a pauper, a rich or a poor, a skilled or an unskilled, everyone in the world has the same 24 hours of time in a day and it moves day-to-day at the same interval to all of us.

The way we use time differs and makes a lot of difference.

The time we all have is the same throughout our life span but the time each one of us makes use of, differs variably. Also, the factor in which we use or invest our time varies diversely. Whatever the factor may be, in which we use our time and energy, we slowly start mastering it or mastered by it. The way we use our time makes a lot of difference in all of our lives.

Don’t compare with Great Legends or Least people but just analyze how efficient you use your own Time.

Always there are people who are celebrities because of their excellence in one or many things. Though we admire their Excellency that is of our interest, we can’t say that they had best utilized their time. Also, there are few people who aren’t renowned but happy about how they are and what they do. So, it’s important not to compare ourselves with the Great Legends or Least people in order to use our own time efficiently by analyzing ourselves, in time management.

GOALS OF TIME MANAGEMENT 

To be able to have control over our lives, we need to Manage our time and don't let it manage us!

We have a lot of things to do and we do a lot of things, but all the things we have to do and we do aren’t beneficial to us. There are certain things we start doing and we aren’t able to stop doing it though we don’t learn or get anything beneficial out of it, for our long term or short term goals. Also, certain things will leave a bad remark and disturb us often. We need to manage our time well and shouldn’t allow it to manage us. Also, we need to have control over our own lives and don’t let anything to have control over it.

To be healthier and happier (less stress)

Many people suffer a lot due to various reasons. One of the biggest reasons for all the inability, incapability and inefficiency is improper management of our time. Many times we invest our time in something that is destructive or idol. We don’t think whether what we do is helpful, either intellectually or emotionally or physically. When we use our time efficiently, it will be surely useful either intellectually, emotionally or physically and we would be able to be healthier and happier without stress.

To enjoy the maximum interests in opportunities we have

As human beings, we are very unique and we have wide interests and tastes that are unique to each one of us. Though many people master over certain things and show themselves to the world, they are the same human beings who have the same temptations as others. A successful person in time management doesn’t just concentrate on one thing in all the 24hours to master it, but concentrate on many things of interest and give special care to the field of excellence. When (s) he looks back, (s) he would be able to be happy about the self that (s) he had enjoyed the maximum interests through the opportunities (s) he had.

To develop our Skills and Talents 

Every one of us spends a lot of time in Education at the beginning years of our life in order to be skilled and talented, for getting better opportunities and Work for the self or for the social cause. Learning the skills and talents doesn’t end when we complete our graduation but it goes on till the end of our life. Education is getting the knowledge, and Skills/Talents are the outcome of education that is at the practical and usable level. Using our time for practicing the learned things helps us to enhance our Skills and Talents.

To set up Goals and achieve the same

We all have our own dreams and goals after we identified the time for utilizing our time. In order to accomplish our dreams, we all set up our Goals. The Goals are not meant to just think and set, but it is set to be achieved. Managing our time well support us to achieve our Goals and go nearer to our dreams.

WAYS WE SPEND TIME

It can be productive or destructive

Every one of us has the same amount of time and we invest our time in many things of our interest or decision or need or want. All the time that we invest in things has some outcome. Sometimes it may be productive in learning something useful and new, and at times it may be destructive in doing something undesirable. There will be also times which may not be explicitly productive or destructive, it will surely lead to either of the ends.

It can be interesting or uninteresting

There are boring moments in our lives and there are always some interesting moments too. When we are held up in investing our time in something that we do not want to do or just by compulsion, it will be the uninteresting moments of our lives. We always have the tendency to remember the interesting moments which we do with desire and which we did with all of our involvement.

It can be creative or uncreative 

One of the hardest things for many of us is to think and act in our own way. And most of the times, the instructions that were given to each one of us, is to follow a certain set of procedures or imitations. Though it pays a pathway to learn something that we aren’t familiar with, it makes us uncreative. There are also times we ourselves try out something of our interest in our own way on trial and error basis. Thus the time we spend can be utilized creatively at times and sometimes it will be just an imitation.

It can be with the usage of physicality or mentality

Most of the times we consider a person to be working, only when we see them physically working out something but it’s not the case always. Every physical action is out of the invisible mental action. And when a person is sitting without any physical action, (s) he is considered to be idle mostly, without analyzing what (s) he actually does. The time we spend necessarily needn’t involve physical actions alone but also in preparing our mind and heart towards it.

It can be entertaining or tiring

Generally, we just spend our time. When we spend our time, we prefer to be entertained, though there isn’t much constructiveness that could be derived out of it. When we use our time in study or work, it is very tiring though there are positive outcomes out of it. Sometimes the time we spend maybe both entertaining and tiring which are useful to build our relationships and make us efficient.

It can be materialistic or immaterialistic

People prefer many things around them and they want to build, discover, and make something out of something by involving in a lot of experiments using all the materials around them. And in the process of utilizing the time on materials, people succeed at times and fail at times. When people realize that all that has been utilized by them in materials is just an illusion and People are the real wealth, they start spending time with their beloved ones to gratify their emotional needs. The time we spend can be materialistic or immaterialistic to meet our physical, intellectual or emotional needs. 

It can be conscious or unconscious

We always remember the times in which we are conscious and alert by having some focus. But there were also times which we spend our time without identity and role clarity. As human beings, we are all surrounded by much mystery, and we are just like machines which function and need rest; if not, we get distorted when overrun. The time we spend in sleep is always unconscious and also there are some times consciousness is captivated by certain factors. Overall, all human beings have time spent in consciousness and unconsciousness.

It can be willing or unwilling

Every time we spend on our interest and taste or even the things not on our interest and taste is either willingly or unwillingly; whether it is constructive or destructive, whether it is useful or not useful, whether it is materialistic or immaterialistic, whether it is entertaining or tiring, whether it is creative or uncreative, whether it is physical or mental. There are many things in our lives that we do unwillingly though it has a positive outcome and there are some things in our lives that we do willingly though it has a negative outcome.

We alone are the proprietors and deciders of our own time, though the situations can influence it to some extent.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS OF OUR TIME

Mostly we spend our time in some of these things

Studies/Analysis

Most of the time we utilize in the age group within 21 years is for Studies or analysis, in which we learn new things and relearn what we had already learned. At the same time, Studies/Analysis doesn’t just end in these age group but it is continued throughout our life.

Work

Most of the time we spend in the age group above 21 years and below 60 years is for Work. Work is also indispensable in some person’s earlier or later part of life, but it is somewhat mild and distinguishable.

Exercise

Some people spend a limited time in Exercise and a few others who had chosen their profession in it, spend a lot of time in it. Exercise can be any physical activity that is meant for relaxation and tuning our physique.

Entertainment

Many people love to spend their time in Entertainment due to its attachment emotionally, though there isn’t much positive outcome intellectually. Entertainment had become a part of our life by means of movies, videos, audios, sports, games, etc. Some people live their life by means of entertainment alone which will make them regret while looking back, from some point in life.

Loneliness

Some people love to spend their time in solitude due to their own nature, for self-reflection or to avoid people around them. Always there needs some time of Loneliness to recall/ reflect, and at the same time too much of loneliness is also much unexciting and It is not Good.

Hobbies/interests

Every one of us is unique in all the things we do and interests we have, according to the exposure we have and our own attachment towards it. We usually spend our time on our Hobbies when we aren’t occupied with any other thing, to relax and leisure. Also, some of us try our best to give time to our interests in the midst of our busy schedules.

Hangouts

As human beings, we always have a want to explore new things or want a change, and we easily get bored with the things that we normally and regularly do. We prefer Hangouts occasionally and move to a favorite or new place for a day/days/weeks/even months and spend time on it.

Along with People

It is always true whether we agree or not, People are the valuable resources and greatest of all. People only create or destroy something for themselves and their environment. All the immaterial and material values are mostly based on the people around one another. The emotions and the intellect we share with one another can be only by spending time with each other.

Religion/God

A lot of people who are very religious will spend a lot of their time in those activities by participating in the Meetings, visiting sacred places and even their day-to-day activities will be more based on their religious views. Also, there are people who are genuine God-seekers, who spend time and try to rationalize the scriptures. God is very indispensable for all those who believe in Him rationally/ irrationally.

Travel

In the 21^st Century, Travel had become much easier and faster. There are people in the western countries who travel even 300km every day via rails and roads. And the people fly all over the world in very few days. Though the time to travel had decreased a lot, we travel so often and spend time in it.

Rest & Refreshment

Obviously as human beings we become very tired and need some time to spend for Rest and Refreshment. Even a machine needs to be turned off for some time for effective and longtime functioning. So do humans, do spend time to sleep or relax and intake food to energize themselves.

Addictions etc.

There are some habits that are acquired and some of us might be following it irrationally by having a strong dependence on it. Also, some people intake certain substances out of compulsion or its presence is needed to be felt by them because of obsession. Those things are addictions which may vary from mild to an extreme; few people spend a lot of time on it. Everything is good when used aright and anything can become an addiction if it starts controlling us, instead of having control over it.

SCHEDULE OF DAILY ACTIVITIES

The basis of Time Management is to have an idea about how we utilize our own time. A schedule is an essential tool for realizing, recalling and knowing how we use our time. Most of the activities are regular and those vary in its level of its productivity. The Schedule of the past days will be helpful to plan the Schedule of future days, for effective time management.

Every one of us is interested to do something that is usually or occasionally followed, which is more beneficial. We spend or use our time in whatever we do, from simply sitting without doing anything, to busily doing something. So everyone has some schedule of events that we follow, though some don’t schedule. Most of us don’t have an overall standard schedule, we only follow few things like attending school/Work, etc. in a standard way out of necessity or compulsion but don’t have a standardized schedule for the rest of the activities. Most of the times we randomly follow something that is thought/needed at a point of time.

Everyone has some schedule of activities whether it is planned or unplanned. For effective management of time, we need to think and analyze the activities we do, for its effectiveness and usefulness with clear preparation and planning.

ANALYZE YOUR SCHEDULE FOR ATLEAST THREE DAYS

Before we accept to do new things, it is necessary to analyze and find where we stand in the present and where we stood in the past. Though it is not much influential for future plans, it will be helpful to be much practical in planning and implementation of things. So reflecting and analyzing the Schedule of at least the past three days will be more helpful for effective time management.

QUESTIONS TO BE REFLECTED AFTER RECOLLECTING THE USAGE OF TIME FOR PAST FEW DAYS 

Identify and Analyze the Activities with timing for any three days of recent past and reflect yourself by using the Questions below.

Which activities you do are very interesting/ likely to you? Why?

Which activities are very useful to learn? Why?

Which activities are very practical towards application? Why?

Which of your activities is very disturbing/ unlikely? Why?

Which activities are addicting/ killing your time? Why?

SUGGESTIONS FOR EFFECTIVE TIME MANAGEMENT

1. Be Organized

Use time-saving tools: appointment calendars, "to do" lists, e-mail, answering machines, files, folders, etc.

Have an organized workplace (don't waste time constantly looking for your work or needed materials).

Use appointment calendar for everything, including the listing of study or work time.

Use "to do" lists for long-term as well as for each day/week.

2. Plan Ahead (Schedule it and it will happen!)

Determine how long your tasks will take (do this before agreeing to take on a task!)

Consider whether any activities can be combined.

Determine if big tasks can be broken down into smaller tasks that may be easier to schedule (such as studying for exams/Doing Work and visiting the library as part of an assignment to write a term paper).

3. Prioritize Your Tasks

Use an A-B-C rating system for items on your "to-do" lists with A items being the highest priority. Priority needs to be set based on importance and urgency.

Set goals for both short term and long term to what you want to accomplish.

Look at all of your "to do's” to calculate the time requirement and whether additional resources will be needed to accomplish them (if yes, schedule time to obtain those resources). Don't postpone the small tasks (a sense of accomplishment is good and overlooked small tasks can become larger tasks.)

4. Avoid Overload

Include time for rest, relaxation, sleep, eating, exercise, and socializing in your schedule.

Take short breaks during study or work periods.

Don't put everything off until the last minute (for example, don't cram for exams).

Learn to say "no" at appropriate times. Learn to negotiate better deadlines when appropriate.

5. Practice Effective Study/Work Techniques

Have an appropriate study/Work environment.

Split large tasks into more manageable tasks.

Read/Understand for comprehension, rather than just to get to the end of the chapter.

Be prepared to ask questions as they come up during study/Work, rather than waiting until just before an exam/Goal to accomplish.

Do the most difficult work first.

Don't wait until the last minute to complete your projects.

Read the syllabus/ policies/ procedures as soon as you get it and note all due dates (or "milestones") on your calendar.

Be a model! (Be attentive, participative, punctual, prepared, and eager to learn something every day)

6. Be Able to be Flexible

The unexpected things happen sometimes (sickness, accidents, vehicle troubles, etc.); you need to be able to fit it into your schedule, when it happens.

Know how to rearrange your schedule when necessary.

Know who to ask for help when needed.

7. Have a Vision (Be Clear about what you are doing)

Don't forget the "big picture" and analyze why you are doing a task and find whether it is important to your long-term personal goals.

Have a mission (personally and career-oriented). Check whether your activities ultimately help you in the process of achieving your goals)

Know what is important to you.

Invest your time in developing your skills and Talents that helps to attain your Goals

Have a positive attitude.

Conclusion

“Being successful doesn’t make you manage your time well.

Managing your time well makes you successful.”