A year ago, I was requested to conduct a brief session for young high school students about Time Management. Before I jumped to the core subject matter, I had asked the following questions to the participants-
-What is the Time Management for you?
-How are you utilizing your time?
-What are you currently doing in order to manage your time?
-What are your biggest time wasters?
The participants were highly responsive and the session proceeded on. I was defining time as emotion, feeling etc. I told them Time once spent never be recovered, showed them some videos, principles related to time and so on. Today, I wish I could have done it differently.
Myths about Time Management
Myth One: Is there anything called Time Management? I think no. It’s all about Self-Management. Once we manage self, the time is automatically managed. Whenever we waste time; we are wasting our valuable lives. Time Management is only a name given to Life Management.
Myth Two: Time comes and goes. I think it is not true. Time is eternal and it will always be there. We come and go; but time remains the same.
Opportunity Cost
Every time you choose to do something in life; you are choosing not to do something else. This is known as opportunity cost. For example- if you choose to spend 3 hours a day on social media, you are choosing not to work on your skills enhancement, personal development, your work project etc.
It’s all about Priority
A wise man once told me -“Do you know what is the precious gift everyone has?”. I paused for a moment and replied-“that precious gift is the precious lives that we are experiencing and living.” He disagreed and said- it is Time. He further added we all have 24 hours a day. It depends entirely upon us how we are using it. We can mold it or ruin it upon our own interest.
There is an interesting fact, if we lived for 80 years. We would spend time in the following ways;
- 26 years sleeping. (8 hours a day*8)
- 10 years socializing with friends and family (3 hours a day *80)
- 3 and a half years of eating. (1 hour a day * 80)
- 6 months of waiting, at traffic signals (15 minutes a day * 80)
- 10 years of watching TV and looking at technological gadgets. (3 hours a day*80)
- 9 years of phone calls (2.75 hours a day * 80)
- 4 years waiting in line or looking for misplaced objects. (1.2 hours a day * 80)
- 4 years of miscellaneous activities that covers sickness, vacations, etc. (12 hours a day * 80)
- 9 years left of working time. (2.8 hours a day *80)
The above statement might get us thinking about re-evaluating our priorities in life. Imagine we passed the age, there was not much time left and we lamented by thinking that I wish I could have done that. Those are the words of regret. The flowing river never goes back to its original place. In other words, life does not come with a rewind button either.
Choose your time wisely, because it is a precious gift we all have!!!!
I genuinely do understand when clients say they’re looking for a change, but don’t know what it is yet or how to achieve it. Because I have been there, done that and thankfully was lucky enough to walk away to now be doing a job where I never have to think “Thank God it’s Friday (TGIF).”
