by Charmaine De Jager

Created on: February 24, 2011

It is becoming increasingly important to manage our time more optimally. In today’s dynamic society, those who are able to manage their time effectively and efficiently are the one’s who get ahead.

The inability to captivate your time could literally result in you missing the mark that you set for yourself. The consequences of time mismanagement could lead to the wasting of valuable time, the loss of potential income or even the missing of significant opportunities. Let us explore some pertinent information regarding the management of time:

Foundational principles

1.  Time is both limiting and limited if you don’t maximise your time you will limit yourself opportunities and others.

2.  Every moment of your day needs to be used to its optimum.

3.  If you do not maximise your time, you will limit your effectiveness and efficiency.

4.  Nothing and no one is going to use your time for you, you need to use your time to your advantage.

5.  If you do not use your time, someone else will.

6.  There is enough time if you actually plan it.

7.  Make maximising your time a priority focus on what is important, even if its not always urgent.

Why people do not maximise their time

1.  They do not know how to.

2.  They do not see time management as important.

3.  They have learnt bad habits from influencers (parents, leaders, teachers, and etcetera)

4.  They do not have a system or strategy to manage their time.

5.  They are so busy helping others maximise their time that they end up wasting their own time.

Barriers

1.  Distorted or unhealthy commitment and loyalty

People often waste time helping other people to the extent that they end up burnt out. Their motive for helping these people is based on either fear, inferiority, manipulations, a false sense of guilt or sentimentality. People take years to break from toxic relationships that waste their time because of these issues. Do not be so sentimental that you let life pass you by.

2.  Inability to prioritize

The inability to identify and then focus on what is important is a challenge to many people. You will find that many people view their lives through other people’s lenses (expectations) deciding to make other people happy, but neglecting themselves. Also be fixed on completing the projects that you started and which are important to you. Set clear priorities, then stick to them.

3.  Fear

People often choose to let time pass them by today, because of something traumatic that happened yesterday. Do not let fear limit you from achieving you goals and getting the most out of your time.

4.  Procrastination

Procrastination can be defined as ‘making promises to yourself that you fail to keep’. Procrastination only results in later disappointment for you and those involved in you life. Do what you must do now without compromise.

Solutions

1.  Develop a strategy to manage your time by setting clear goals.

2.  Use a planner, diary or notepad to document everything you set out to do, or the results that you already have.

3.  Stop doing what is unproductive or unprofitable.

4.  Get professional help if you have to.

5.  Master your peak performance times by knowing at which times you work at your best.

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