EFFECTIVE TIME MANAGEMENT

You may be skilled at the art of planning but without effective time management skills your plans will fall to the ground like a two dollar suit case. So what is time and why must we manage it efficiently?

Time is defined as a point or period at which things occur.

Now listen, to this Time is an equal opportunity employer. Meaning that we all have the same amount given to us on a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly basis. But what you make of it determines where you stand at the end of your sojourn here on earth. There are certain things that are inequitably distributed for example some people were born into rich homes while others into poor homes. Some people go to Ivy League schools while others studied in the village. Some people earn millions every year while others struggle to make ends meet. Some countries have more sunlight than others. Some places are colder or hotter than others. But one thing is common to all men on planet earth irrespective of their time zones, they all use the same currency called Time which once spent can never be regained. So we need to spend it wisely. We have to begin treating time like money as the old saying goes, “Time is money.” Well, that is half true. The mere passage of time doesn’t make anyone rich but rather the effective use of time brings about a sense of fulfillment, joy, laughter, confidence and rest. We all have 24 hours in a day, 7 days in a week, and 365 days in a year. So why is it that some people achieve a lot given the same time while others go around wishing they had more time? It is because they are poor time managers. Now answer the following questions;

·        Are you usually punctual or late?

·        Do you finish things within the time you stipulate?

·        Do you hand in your reports/work on time?

·        Are you able to accomplish what you want to do before deadlines?

·        Are you a good time manager?

If your answer to these questions was “No” then it implies that you are poor at time management and I am here to help you become good at it. Even if you can say with absolute certainty right away that you are a good time manager, I know that there is always room for improvement.

Effective time management tips.

•  Create a daily plan

• Make up your mind to be early no matter what

• Peg a time limit unto each task

• Prioritize tasks (Do the A tasks before the Bs and Cs)

• Always have a jotter with you.

• Track your time spent

• Eliminate time wasters

• Learn to say “No”

• Focus

• Don’t sweat the small stuff

Things to Remember

• He who fails to plan; plans to fail. Your life wouldn’t run on autopilot. You have to make a conscious effort to take the reins and direct it in the way you want it to go.

• If you don’t manage your time wisely, someone else will use your time, skills and abilities to help them achieve their own desires.

• Learn to delay gratification. Pay now and play later not the other way round. If you will invest your time wisely now that you are young, the time will come when you will have more time for leisure and to enjoy the finer things of life.

• There is more time than you think you have. Stop complaining about the fact that you need more time. What you need rather is better management of it.