“Oh my, where did the time go…?”
Do you seem to be time-challenged?
Are you feeling tired of being disorganised, not planning ahead, not getting things done, or living from one crisis to the next?
With exams hot on their heels, for the past month or so, there’s been a flurry of student requests for sessions around time management skills.
According to chief global strategist, George Matyjewicz, a gold watch may be a gift, even a kiss, but no one gives you time.
“Time is life. It is irreversible and irreplaceable. To waste your time is to waste your life, but to master your time, is to master your life and make the most of it.” Alan Lakein
Renowned time management consultant, Alan Lakein, states that effective time use – like driving a car – is a skill that can be acquired. In his book, “How to get control of your time and your life”, he indicates that the purpose of his book is not to turn people into compulsive clock-watchers, but instead to gain control over your time (and your life) that is neither obsessive nor too loose – in other words, the “ideal balance”.
He further describes three characters, which some of us may identify with:
Firstly, the over-organised person is someone who constantly makes lists. When asked to do a task, a great deal of time is spent planning things in minute detail, which inevitably impacts on accomplishing tasks as changes, new opportunities and the needs of others are often overlooked.
Secondly, the over doer is constantly busy and thus hard to approach. Even though efficient, the over doer lacks spontaneity and flexibility as each moment – both at home and at work – is filled with activity.
Lastly, the time nut is preoccupied with time and never wastes a minute, rushing around adhering to an impossible schedule. Detailed record keeping is at the order of the day. These behaviours can cause tension for those around them.
According to Lakein, the above behaviours are as bad as those of someone who is disorganised, since too much organization is as ineffective as too little. He maintains that time use is highly personal, and different techniques work for different people. What may work for one person, may not work for another. Using ideas that would benefit you the most will contribute to a more enjoyable and satisfying life.
Below are some ideas and tips on how one could use your time more effectively (Jason Fitzpatrick, Alan Lakein, George Matyjewicz, John C. Maxwell and Yaro Starak):
- Get to bed early and rise early.
- Try to enjoy whatever you are doing.
- Set your watch a few minutes ahead.
- Spend time planning – use tools such as a calendar, diary or planning book.
- Get organised – have a place for everything so you don’t waste time looking for things.
- Make a schedule where you can plan in advance to ensure variety and balance.
- Give yourself sufficient time to focus on high priority tasks or projects. Set deadlines for yourself.
- Use a daily “to do” list. It helps to break down large tasks into manageable chunks.
- Prioritize and eliminate the urgent. Prioritize the list into A-B-C priorities. “A” priorities are time critical, whereas “B” priorities are not yet time critical, but will soon become “A” priorities. “C” priorities consist of everything else that needs to be done.
- Consider your biological prime time. Schedule important tasks when your energy levels are at its peak. It is well known that we all have energy peaks and lows throughout the day. Feeling sleepy, especially after a heavy lunch, is quite common. Have a light lunch to combat sleepiness in the afternoon. It is crucial to manage your natural highs and lows by ascertaining patterns in your energy levels and productivity. This way, you can schedule tasks when your energy levels are at its peak.
- Try to find a new technique each day to help save time. Examine old habits for possible elimination or streamlining.
- Monitor the time you spend watching television.
- View “waiting time” as a “gift of time” to relax, or do something you otherwise would not have done.
- Carry a note book or index cards to record ideas.
- Regularly review your lifetime goals and identify daily activities that would further them. Put up signs that would remind you of your goals.
- When you tend to procrastinate on a particular task or project, try to ascertain the reason why you are avoiding the task and address it head on.
- Swiss cheese approach – many people put off complex tasks – hoping to have more time for it at some later date – according to Lakein, you can get started at tasks like this right away – chipping away at what needed to be done with small chunks of time. These small chunks of time were compared to holes in Swiss cheese. With enough holes – the cheese either disappears altogether because the job is done or enough of it disappears to make the task seem more manageable.
- Apply the 80/20 rule, i.e. there are certain activities (your 20 percent) that you do in your life that account for the majority (your 80 percent) of your happiness and outputs.
Additional time management tips include: (Jason Fitzpatrick, Alan Lakein, George Matyjewicz, John C. Maxwell and Yaro Starak, New York University):
- Sleep – not excessively, but get as much as you need.
- “Focus on today. “Yesterday is history and tomorrow is the future.” Don’t waste time regretting failures – rather build on successes. Put past failure behind you. The phrase “fail forward” means turning mistakes into stepping stones for success. (Alan Lakein & John C. Maxwell)
- Learn to say “No” to unimportant things.
- Maintain a balance in your life! We are all familiar with the expression, “all work and no play…” Taking a breather from a project or task means you will be refreshed upon returning to work on it.
- Reward yourself – celebrate the achievement of your goals, completing a job or task – no matter how big or small! This will also contribute to balance between work and play. Reward yourself by giving yourself “time off”.
- Avoid being a perfectionist. In Malaysian culture, only the gods are able to produce anything perfect, so whenever something is made, a flaw is purposefully left so the gods would not be offended!
“If we learn to balance excellence in work with excellence in play, fun, and relaxation, our lives become happier, healthier, and a great deal more creative.” Ann McGee-Cooper (New York University)
Sources:
How to get control of your time and your life by Alan Lakein (1973)
Failing Forward: Turning Mistakes into Stepping Stones for Success by John C. Maxwell (2000)
http://www.nyu.edu/students/undergraduates/academic-services/undergraduate-advisement/academic-resource-center/tutoring-and-learning/academic-skills-workshops/time-management.html
http://lifehacker.com/5369774/energy-map-your-work-day-to-find-peak-productivity-windows
http://blog.gailgauthier.com/2012/03/time-management-tuesday-swiss-cheese.html
http://www.etailersdigest.com/resources/Specials/time_management.htm
http://www.entrepreneurs-journey.com/397/80-20-rule-pareto-principle/
http://healmynation.com/2011/04/
http://www.glennhager.com/2014/03/new-ways-to-express-you-faith/
http://www.wisn.com/money/19222592#!21eQ3
http://www.tezu.ernet.in/dmass/Genesis-master%20file/webportal12/exam%20blues.html
The month of winter often seems endless for most of us. 
Spend time outdoors. Ironically, during winter, we tend to spend a great deal of time indoors. Banish boredom by planning events and activities that will give you something to look forward to, such as a night out on the town with family and friends, an evening at the theatre, participating in a sporting challenge, a fun walk or run, or a weekend breakaway somewhere in nature, away from the hustle and bustle of city life.
Embrace the winter season by seeing it in a more positive light; after all, it’s only here for a few months of the year!
