Time Management and
Your Life
We have not only invented time and its various
measurements (seconds/milliseconds, days, centuries, millenniums)
- but were also able to give meaning in the usage of time when
an experience was felt or when a task was done.
The highly organized structure of human society
gives us the ability to limit our physical and mental space. Our
environment is composed of objects and things that we have
invented, and associated with these are the labels and concepts
that define their existence.
For example, medicines have expiration dates, which
give us the time period to use them within their period of potency.
We have birthdays, wedding dates, anniversaries, and other special
dates to recognize as important events, as they signal significant
changes or developments in our lives.
We have also created the working periods in which
human efficiency and environmental conditions are considered to
maintain balance.
Just
imagine the importance of rest and sleep and the rhythm/cycle that
is followed in the creation of our work, play, and learning
schedules. Thus, we are able to measure and define things
according to their proper space in what we measure as time.
However, things are not always perfect, or should we say that time
may not be perfect, all the time.
There are stumbling blocks along the path towards
success. One of these is the lack of time to reach your aims. The
improper use of time, the wrong utilization of resources, or the
undertaking of unnecessary tasks within a given period might cause
these delays or time wastage. Most people also commit mistakes
because theyre not able to accurately perceive the proper time to
do a given work, or because of unforeseen circumstances and delays.
In these cases, we must consider the best ways to utilize our time.
We must expect the limits of time in defining our tasks and
goals.
Time Management is
one human organizational aspect that we should give utmost
consideration to.
This form of management (either as part of
self-improvement or within the level of professional work) is the
process of perceiving the measured changes/developments and closely
monitoring how we utilize our skills and labor capacity within a
limited period. By analyzing our work styles, along with the
development of other processes (machine works, transportation,
communication), we can lay down basic foundation in which we can
assess our development as individuals.
Part of this development is our ability to make
plans and revise/improve our working conditions. The fluidity of
time - its restriction or leeway should be considered in making
plans, in organizing, and in bringing out the efficiency of each
individual to create a smooth work flow.
However, Time
Management is also a part of an individual learning experience in
getting along with other people and with changes in the
environment.
Practically
speaking, time is constant: 60 seconds per minute, 60 minutes per
hour, 24 hours per day, 7 days a week (24/7). However, the usage of
time differs among each individual. Some might give time the
capacity to control their lives, and others may find themselves a
slave of time. Some might have no time at all to relax and create a
stress-free lifestyle. But the bottom-line is not to make time an
enemy. One must have time to think of things in order, to plan ways
to minimize waste of time, energy, and valuable resources.
Effective time management involves patience and
practical thinking. Time and the natural changes in the environment
may be modified but in the end, we should follow the natural order
of things. Remember that Haste makes waste.
Yet you must also think about the saying There's no
day but today. On the other hand, we can use tools and ideas that
could improve our efficiency in using time. There are things, like
energy (fuel), that are not renewable; and there are moments that
are irreplaceable. Actually, we can say that a thing done or a past
experience cannot be recreated.
However, we can expect these changes and prepare
ourselves for better or worse scenarios. We cannot control time but
we can make adjustments based on a given moment. Learning or
studying something to achieve mastery is one good example where we
can minimize errors or develop ourselves amidst the ever-changing
times. During this period of learning, we must maximize the given
resources (including time) to fully develop a skill or to acquire
knowledge so that by the time we need such skill, we won't be
wasting hours just by learning the necessary human adaptation to
solve a problem.
One who is able to prepare for a number of
possibilities upon entering a situation may have more time to think
of the moves and decision to take to minimize the possibilities of
errors.
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