Time Management

We often find people who complain lack of time to complete their work, their assignments or even reach their goalposts. This is mostly so with the managers at various tiers of the organization. Higher the ladder, more of the complaints. While it is true that in this competitive corporate world, there is more strains and challenges on the managers to remain competitive both within and without, but successful managers seldom complain of lack of time since they know the art and mastering of time. This is time management and unless one has manage one’s time well vis-à-vis one’s goals and workload, one is bound to complain of lack of time.

The solution? – Well the solution will depend how you view your job, your assignments and the capacity of challenges you can face. As said before “time deficit” can only be avoided if one becomes an expert in time management. In order to face the challenges, perhaps no other skill is as important or as rewarding than if one has grasped the essentials of time management. 

The successful managers believe that “Time cannot be saved, it can only be spent.” So it is the spending of time that matters. Spend your time very efficiently and wisely to be truly productive. Those who plan their work logically and methodically or so to say using the 10/90 principal if 10% of the total time is spent on fore planning, one can save 90% of the effort later needed to accomplish the task. So remember the 10/90 principle and apply it while doing anything in your life.

And if we just look around and observe the activities of very efficient and effective colleagues (those who are generally envied by the lethargic and less efficient workers), we will find that they have all the time for themselves for laughing, meeting people, having lunches and dinners – not because they are “wasting time” rather they have “saved time” by efficiently managing their activities vis-à-vis available time to enjoy life as well. The time management not only makes them efficient and high value managers for the organization, it also affords them time to take their families out on picnics and outings. 

Experts say that “Developing time management skills is a journey.” One has to begin making small leaps, learning or perhaps imitating styles of others, then gradually enlarge one’s vision by putting to practice lessons learnt by stumbling down and yet getting up. One must set goals – initially very short term, and even breaking these into various benchmarks based on time. And try to achieve the benchmark by due date or time. Initially it may not be possible, but by and by one learns to achieve the optimum. One should also priorities: what is to be done first and what can be relegated to a later timeframe. Normally people get bogged down in wasting time on non-essentials rather than focusing on the essentials and priority goals.

Even one should use one’s free time wisely rather than just lying idle. And this means reviewing what has been done, analyzing it coolly and working out antidotes for the mistakes. Unless one sets aside time for review and analysis, taking up next assignment by committing earlier mistakes would be of no value. 

Relevant Blog: If I only had time
Take a Test:    How Good is Your Time Management?
 

Posted in: Effectiveness, Efficieny, Strategies, Success, Time Management