During my seminars, and at conferences where I am asked to speak, I often teach about Time Management. But that is actually a false term because what I really teach about is Activity Management. There are many books and articles written about Time Management but when you think about it there is nothing we can do to manage time. No matter how rich we are, how healthy we are, how industrious we are; there are still only 24 hours in a day. There is absolutely nothing we can do to extend that or to make more time.
Whether you are lazy or productive there are 24 hours in your day. What I teach is Activity Management. Learn to manage what you do and the time will take care of itself. Most of us are dictated to by the clock. We rush to finish a project on-time and sometimes do a sloppy job but at least we finished. My emphasis is on getting the activity done well and finished in an effective manner.
We need to free ourselves from the shackles of time constraints. Instead, map out your day according to the activities that must be accomplished and prioritize them and rank them from 1 to 10. As you finish each activity you will have a great sense of accomplishment. In actual fact you will get more day in a day if you focus on Activity Management instead of Time Management.
Try and change your focus for a week. Instead of blocking off ten minutes to play with your children just block off an activity such as reading to your children, playing board games, going swimming, catching a movie. As you focus on the activity and not the time it consumes you will enjoy it more, be more productive and have less stress in your life. Your family will appreciate it, you will appreciate it and those you work with will appreciate it as they see you are more relaxed but at the same time are more productive.
No one ever puts on their gravestone that they wished they spent more time at work. Have no regrets about your time. Instead, learn to accomplish tasks and measure them in activities and not time. The reason so many people around the world live longer than we do is because their lives are measured by events and activities and not by time. Fishermen fish until they catch fish. Farmers plow until they are finished. Painters paint until they want to stop. Very few of these people work according to clocks, they work according to projects and enjoy them all the more for it. You can be like them. Live each day and accomplish what you want to accomplish. Try not to live by the clock as much as you do now and you will find your life becomes more meaningful.
