While each of us have the same amount of time in our day, doesn't
it seem that some people get far more accomplished in that period than
others? Most of us tend to treat money and possessions as treasured
assets, while neglecting to protect and maintain our most treasured
resource, which is time. Benjamin Franklin said, "Lost time is never
found again," and those words are truer today than ever.
There are numerous steps and ways that we can better use our time. These include:
1. Creating to do lists help us organize ourselves, and give us a way to check off items when completed. One of the great benefits of doing this is that it reduces our chances of forgetting something, while often streamlining our activities procedures. If one creates this list (either on paper or on some digital device such as a P.D.A., etc.), it helps most of us focus at what we wish to, or need to accomplish in a specific period.
2. Most people spend far too much time doing "busy work," and then "panic" at the last minute when a task has not been accomplished. If a task is a multi- step task, it is often a good idea to create a detailed Action Plan, breaking the larger task into a series of necessary or essential sub- tasks. Each of these sub- tasks should be as detailed and organized as possible, and it is necessary to assign a specific time line for each task that is needed to be done. Remember that nothing positive can ever happen until, and unless, you begin!
3. Sometimes, one of the most obvious differences between someone who uses time better and someone who does not, is simply creating a personal routine. One should allocate time each day (and a specific time period, if possible) to each of those personal items that make your routine complete. That includes exercise, reading, entertainment, shopping, etc.
4. These theories and actions should be applied to both one's business life as well as any involvement in organizations, etc. Having worked for over thirty years with both business and organizational leaders, it has become quite clear that different individuals vary in their degree of organization, and time utilization. There is an adage that if you want something done that you should assign it to a busy person, and it is a truism because the busiest people are often the most efficient. Of course, it is important to evaluate if one is simply busy doing "busy work" and accomplishing little, or efficiently handling tasks in a timely manner.
As I have taught and written many Leadership Training programs over these last more than thirty years, I have devoted more and more time and emphasis to the importance of managing time. Often, the person who seems to have the most free time has it because he has more efficiently and capably managed his time. Don't be misled by someone who seems to spend countless hours on a project, because there often is not a direct correlation merely between time spent and quality of the work. It is not how much time one spends, but the quality and efficiency of the labor.
There are numerous steps and ways that we can better use our time. These include:
1. Creating to do lists help us organize ourselves, and give us a way to check off items when completed. One of the great benefits of doing this is that it reduces our chances of forgetting something, while often streamlining our activities procedures. If one creates this list (either on paper or on some digital device such as a P.D.A., etc.), it helps most of us focus at what we wish to, or need to accomplish in a specific period.
2. Most people spend far too much time doing "busy work," and then "panic" at the last minute when a task has not been accomplished. If a task is a multi- step task, it is often a good idea to create a detailed Action Plan, breaking the larger task into a series of necessary or essential sub- tasks. Each of these sub- tasks should be as detailed and organized as possible, and it is necessary to assign a specific time line for each task that is needed to be done. Remember that nothing positive can ever happen until, and unless, you begin!
3. Sometimes, one of the most obvious differences between someone who uses time better and someone who does not, is simply creating a personal routine. One should allocate time each day (and a specific time period, if possible) to each of those personal items that make your routine complete. That includes exercise, reading, entertainment, shopping, etc.
4. These theories and actions should be applied to both one's business life as well as any involvement in organizations, etc. Having worked for over thirty years with both business and organizational leaders, it has become quite clear that different individuals vary in their degree of organization, and time utilization. There is an adage that if you want something done that you should assign it to a busy person, and it is a truism because the busiest people are often the most efficient. Of course, it is important to evaluate if one is simply busy doing "busy work" and accomplishing little, or efficiently handling tasks in a timely manner.
As I have taught and written many Leadership Training programs over these last more than thirty years, I have devoted more and more time and emphasis to the importance of managing time. Often, the person who seems to have the most free time has it because he has more efficiently and capably managed his time. Don't be misled by someone who seems to spend countless hours on a project, because there often is not a direct correlation merely between time spent and quality of the work. It is not how much time one spends, but the quality and efficiency of the labor.
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