Time Management is a myth. You
can't manage time any more than
you can manage the rising and
setting sun or the pull of the
ocean's tides. Attempting to
manage time is like attempting to
manage the weather. Time marches
on, with utter disregard for the
comings and goings of mere
humans. Time can not be managed,
period.
You can only manage what you
can control. While it's true that
time cannot be managed, it is
possible to manage yourself
within the confines of time. With
discipline and diligence, any
person can effectively manage
him/herself within time's
boundaries.
Where Does It All Go?
The simplest way to begin to
manage oneself within time is to
evaluate how your time is
currently spent. Keep a journal
for one to two weeks, and mark
down each activity (or lack
thereof) to discover where your
time goes. Group like activities
into categories, and evaluate
whether too much time is spent in
a certain area. Consider which
activities are productive and
lead you closer to your goals, or
further away from your goals.
By evaluating how time is
spent, you will be able to see
what activities can be trimmed or
streamlined in order to create
the illusion of more time. It's
impossible to create more
time-each of us has only 60
seconds in each minute, 60
minutes in each hour and 24 hours
in each day. By improving the way
in which you spend your time, you
are able to feel as though you
have more time during the day.
This simple shift in thinking can
create a remarkably empowering
experience.
To decrease your frustration
about time (or lack thereof),
watch your language while
referring to time and
time-related matters. Avoid
phrases like "I need more time,"
"I don't have enough time," and
"I'm running out of time." When
you use phrases like these, you
are fooling yourself into
thinking it's Time's fault
instead of taking responsibility
for how you choose to spend your
time. Time is a fixed measurement
and it's not Time's fault if you
don't manage it correctly.
Remember, YOU are in control of
how you spend your time.
How Much Time Have You Got?
Each of us is born with a
finite amount of time on this
earth. Unfortunately, no one
alive can know the exact amount
of time allotted for him or her.
Would you live your life
differently if you knew you were
going to die 27 days from now? If
you answered yes, you've got some
room for improvement in the way
you currently manage yourself
within time. Get busy doing what
really matters to you and
remember that you are in control
of how you choose to spend each
minute of each day.
