People who accomplish much in life share a common trait - the abilityand time management skills to use their time right. There are only five time management skills you must employ to use your time right:
Time Management Skills #1. Be Organized. There are two parts to this. The first is spatial - having a place for everything and everything in its place. At first blush, it may appear ludicrous to equate putting things in place with time management skills. However, when you put things away in their proper places, you waste less time searching for things. You know where things are supposed to be, and you stand a good chance of finding things where expected. Disorganized people waste large portions of their lives searching for things. The other part to the time management skills of being organized is temporal - a time for everything and everything in its time. Plan your time and stick to your plans.
Time Management Skills #2. Set Realistic Expectations. Most people have poor time management skills because they try to do too much within a given period of time. This can be avoided by having a clear idea as to how much time is really available after considering routine tasks and scheduled activities, estimating how much time each task on a prioritized "To-Do" list will take, and, therefore, having an accurate expectation of how much can actually be achieved in a day.
Time Management Skills #3. Reduce Time Wastage. Wasted time cannot be recovered. Relaxing is good in general, as it helps restore energy and eliminate fatigue. Too much of relaxation is not good. Idling, either deliberately or inadvertently, when there is work to be done is worse. There are many occasions in life where waiting is forced upon us - queues in post offices, banks, shops, or airports; visits to the doctor or the dentist; appointments wherein the other party is late. Unused wait time not only wastes time, it is a major contributor to stress and anxiety. Time wastage can be reduced byemploying the time management skills of limiting relaxation preiods to reasonable amounts and filling wait time with useful work. Many people are victims of the "Time Pendulum". At one extreme of the swing, they are constantly pressed for time management skills to get things done. They juggle several tasks, they lose sleep to make up for lost time, and complete tasks in the nick of time. At the other end, they sometimes have time management skills on their hands while waiting for things to do or for something to be done. They bide their time, take their own sweet time on some tasks, or even kill time. The solution to the "Time Pendulum" is the ability to regulate the flow of time management skills. It is like using a dam to control the flow of a river. Limiting relaxation and filling wait time also leads to regulation of time flow.
Time Management Skills #4. Improve Personal Efficiency. There are two "Laws" which contribute to inefficiency. The first is Parkinson's Law (Work expands to fill the time allotted to it) and the second is Murphy's Law (If something can go wrong, it will - at the most inopportune time, and where it can do most damage). Combating these laws will improve efficiency. Parkinson's Law can be neutralized by a) reducing the timemanagement skills allotment for each and every task, and b) front-end loading of tasks (i.e., doing as much as possible up front). Murphy's Law cannot be totally neutralized, but being prepared for contingencies is the best defense.
Time Management Skills #5. Be Determined. No amount of skill, training and tools can replace the pure grit it takes to stick to your values and reach for your goal. Commitment to your goal is what separates winners from also-rans.
