Master Your Time, Master Your Life
“Time = Life. Therefore, waste your time and waste your life, or master your time and master your life.” – Alan Lakein, author of personal time management.
To be successful today, one must understand what time management truly is. According to Psychology Today, time management is the ability to plan and control how you spend the hours in your day to effectively accomplish your goals. Many people feel stressed about the apparent lack of time, but understanding how time works can help relieve this pressure.
Clock Time vs. Real-Time
There are two different forms of time to manage: clock time and real-time. Clock time follows a structured system—60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour, and so on. Real-time, on the other hand, is relative to individuals. Time may feel like it moves faster or slower depending on your level of focus and engagement.
Prioritizing to Avoid Procrastination
To manage time effectively, it is important to set priorities at the start of any planning phase. According to Entrepreneur.com, there are only three ways to spend time: thoughts, conversations, and actions. While it’s impossible to eliminate all interruptions, you can decide how much time to spend on distractions versus the activities that will lead to success.
Essential Time Management Skills
According to Vanderbilt Medical School, the key skills involved in managing time include:
- Planning for the future
- Setting clear goals
- Prioritizing tasks
- Monitoring where your time actually goes
Taking Action: Small Steps for Big Changes
If you struggle with procrastination and self-discipline, the best way to start improving time management is by writing down your daily activities. Once you visually see where your time is spent, you can assess whether your actions align with your priorities and goals.
After identifying wasted time, cut out unnecessary activities. Finding what is meaningful to you and managing your time accordingly will help you become more productive and successful every day.
