Time Managing & self-discipline
Self management or self discipline is the key to making time your friend rather than your enemy. There are only 24 hours in your day, just the same as everybody else’s. So how do you end up frustrated, angry, behind in your work, and dead on your feet? Maybe because you don’t know how to use those 24 hours to your advantage.
If using your time wisely is a problem for you, you probably don’t have a very good idea of where it all goes. It just seems to go! A good place to start the task of managing your time, then, is to keep track of how you use your time. Get a Weekly schedule and faithfully keep track of how you use your waking hours for one week. The results will probably surprise you.
The next step is to pick up several more of these Weekly Schedules and do some planning. You’ll discover, among other things, that if you get seven hours sleep a night, you have 119 hours per week to do everything you need to do. That, of course, includes praying, studying, spending time you’re your family, working, eating, getting fit, social activities, personal hygiene, time-in-transit, house keeping, telephone and TV time, etc. Be sure to schedule time for all these in your 119 hours. Then try sticking to your schedule for a week. This should give you a good idea of where your real priorities are!
Procrastination
If you have trouble, chances are there’s a “problem” somewhere, dodging your every move. Chances are this culprit’s name is Procrastination. Procrastination masquerades in a million disguises. Among the more common of these are:
“One more day won’t make any difference; I’ll just put that off until tomorrow.”
“It won’t matter if I’m a few minutes late; no one else will be on time.”
“I can’t start on this paper until I know just how I want the first paragraph to read.”
“I work best under pressure.”
“I’ll watch just 15 more minutes of TV or read one more chapter of this book.”
Interruptions
Learn to say NO once your priorities are set. Turning down an invitation doesn’t mean you’ll never be asked to do something again. Weigh the consequences. Making a decision based on what you know is best for you at the time, leads to greater respect from your others than anything else on earth. .
Stay away from the telephone or internet chats when you’re trying to get work done. Turn off your cell phone or pager and all your instant messaging, limiting how often you check these things. If it’s really important, whoever tried to get in touch with you will call back or send an email.
Schedule / Plan Ahead
Use a monthly calendar to help you allocate your tasks on the Weekly Schedule. At the beginning of each quarter, spend an hour with your calendar to enter all important dates. As you receive new activities, estimate the time needed to have them done and follow your agenda. If you stick to this schedule, you’ll amaze yourself by having your jobs finished before the scheduled time. The rule-of-thumb is “Plan ahead by working backwards.”
By counting backwards like this, you’ll be surprised how well you’re using your time and how much better your goals are achieved when you’re not under pressure. And, by being really honest with yourself and taking account of all your priorities, you’ll be able to go to have some leisure and do enjoyable things like reading your new novels and not feel guilty or make others annoyed.
At the start of each week, transfer important items from your calendar to your Weekly Schedule. This helps you to avoid things that might otherwise sneak up on you.
An alternative to a paper calendar is to use an electronic calendar. You could use the one on your desktop computer (e.g., Microsoft Outlook), or better yet, on a PDA (e.g., Palm Pilot). Set alarms to remind you when to do things.
Be sure to schedule time for your fitness routine, for study breaks and for your daily readings and news. Your brain works best when it has sufficient oxygen. Your concentration is enhanced when you go hard at a task until you feel yourself fading. Then Break! A good rule-of-thumb is to work for 45 minutes and then break for 15. But watch yourself! More than 15 minutes is more than a break!
Conclusion
Suggestions such as these don’t lead to enslavement by a calendar. It may sound awful, especially if you’re a skilled time mis-user. But it actually leads to a greater sense of freedom and accomplishment because you’re in control. That’s all self-management is–managing your life more effectively. By following these suggestions, you’ll be happier, more satisfied, and more productive.
One last thing: WEAR A WATCH!