Time Flies

Time Flies.......a 4 step way to Time Management.

Time has no beginning or end. It is eternal. But look at the irony , for us practical  humans time is a limited resource.
The moment gone by passes to never return. So we all try to make the most of the available time. But the challenge lies in How ?

To manage something limited means to use it in an optimum way. Which implies getting the maximum done with minimum wastage of time.

The first step to achieving this is Self-discipline. This is to train your mind to follow the plan. Lethargy and procrastination are the biggest obstacles to discipline. Once you have resolved to achieve what you have set out to do you have won half the battle.

The second step is to Plan. Keep a diary or a notepad. Do not aim at memorizing the to-do-list. It never works. Making a list of activities to be done , it helps transfer all the maze from the brain on to a paper. You can work light as the weight of your thoughts is now on that paper. Your brain now processes information faster and you work quicker.

Once the to-do list is ready, you reach the third step of Prioritizing. This means classifying your priorities. The author Stephen Covey in his book “The seven habits of highly effective people” has designed  a Time Management Matrix. One axis has 'important- not important' tasks the other axis has 'urgent- not urgent' tasks. The first priority is the obvious ' important and urgent ' variety which forms the first quadrant in the Matrix.. But the important but not urgent takes up most of our time according to Mr. Covey. These quadrants help you classify your tasks and attack them according to their priority. This leaves the unimportant and non-urgent ones in the fourth quadrant , as options which will not harm , if not done.

The fourth step is to assign timelines to each activity. This makes your activities measurable. Keeps a check on you and also helps you understand the progress of the schedule. When you realize you are over shooting the time assigned for the activity it helps you pull up your socks and find faster ways to do the same job. Else you would end up spending too much time on few activities realizing you haven't achieved much in the day .Time keeping is essential when following day schedules. Every time an activity is completed a check against the activity gives you a sense of achievement prodding you to move forward.

Having said that, it also becomes imperative to make allowance for unexpected situations. There are factors outside your control. You may have been following all the steps correctly , but there is always a chance that you may encounter surprises. When you face situations that were not 'scheduled' , the only way out is to keep yourself under control. Do not let it upset your mindset. Confront the situation however big or trivial with calm. Face the situation with the determination that you will deal with the unscheduled event and get on with your scheduled plan. The trick is in not losing yourself to the unexpected and sticking to the charted course.

'Art is Long and time is fleeting'.- writes the noted poet H W Longfellow in his poem “The Psalm of Life”. It indeed is . All we can do is respect this limited resource , invest a little time in managing it and make our everyday lives moments of achievements.