Manage Your Time Wisely
February 18, 2020
I love watching YouTube videos while I’m doing my indoor exercise, or listening to podcast while I’m getting ready for work. In one of those moments, I came across a channel where the caller asked the host: “what really is the best way to manage time”?
Apparently, the host is a proponent of creating schedules and sticking to them as the best way to manage time wisely. This lady has been following her, and was surprised to find out that there is a book that talks about getting rid of schedules as the best way to manage time.
This was a light bulb moment for me, and the reason why I’m writing this blog.
I used to conduct Time Management workshops, and didn’t realize that my methods and approaches didn’t work for everyone. That conversation between the lady and host reminded me of how clueless most people are of the need to know and understand our own uniqueness in being successful in anything, including Time Management.
This blog will present to you a new and different way of looking at managing time.
Friend or Enemy?
Most of the time, we are fighting with time. We try to control it, only to be disappointed in the end. Where does our complaint that “time is not enough” or “it’s taking forever” come from? Don’t these complaints come from being frustrated with time? Any negative feeling towards it makes it our enemy, and not our friend.
Managing time wisely begins by befriending time.
How do you do that?
Well, how do you make friends with someone? Don’t you first try to get to know the person? This is the same with time. To befriend time is to be familiar with it, including its nature and characteristics.
Apparently, the host is a proponent of creating schedules and sticking to them as the best way to manage time wisely. This lady has been following her, and was surprised to find out that there is a book that talks about getting rid of schedules as the best way to manage time.
This was a light bulb moment for me, and the reason why I’m writing this blog.
I used to conduct Time Management workshops, and didn’t realize that my methods and approaches didn’t work for everyone. That conversation between the lady and host reminded me of how clueless most people are of the need to know and understand our own uniqueness in being successful in anything, including Time Management.
This blog will present to you a new and different way of looking at managing time.
Friend or Enemy?
Most of the time, we are fighting with time. We try to control it, only to be disappointed in the end. Where does our complaint that “time is not enough” or “it’s taking forever” come from? Don’t these complaints come from being frustrated with time? Any negative feeling towards it makes it our enemy, and not our friend.
Managing time wisely begins by befriending time.
How do you do that?
Well, how do you make friends with someone? Don’t you first try to get to know the person? This is the same with time. To befriend time is to be familiar with it, including its nature and characteristics.
THE NATURE OF TIME
Time is seasonal.
There are different seasons in our lives. Time is there for each season, to be of help to you. When you’re having fun, time seems to be too short. Yet, the reason why time is short is because it wants you to enjoy the moments, which brings me to the next characteristic of time.
Time is a series of moments.
Time is a series of “nows”. It is there for the present. When you understand this, you will embrace every pause and detour. There will be no interruption or delay.
In my book, Simplify to Intensify, I talked about the importance of seizing the moment in being more effective in your personal and professional life.
Time is a teacher.
Time is there to teach you. And the biggest lesson time will teach you, is balance. When you are always rushing, time will teach you how to rest. When you are lazy, time will teach you to hurry up.
Once you get to know time better, you will learn to embrace it, and therefore time will be your friend. When time is your friend, it will adapt to your own uniqueness because you will learn to flow with it.
As I’ve mentioned earlier, each person is different, and therefore, managing time wisely will depend on your individuality or uniqueness.
What type of time manager are you?
Since there are different personality and temperament types, and you may be a combination of different types, I will keep it easy and simple.
Let me present two major types of people, in terms of managing time. You may fall in both categories, but I still want to explain the distinct difference of each one, and how each type can manage time more effectively.
Speedy
A person who falls in this category is: highly motivated, assertive, a go-getter, and always on time.
Though these characteristics look very positive, the downside is that this person can get burnt-out fast.
Since time is a teacher, what you need to learn is to take breaks, the kind of break that takes you away from your busy schedule. Go for walks and take that time to simply relax and enjoy.
Enjoy the moments. Look at every interruption as time’s way of helping you pull back from a hectic day. Do something spontaneous such as eating lunch somewhere different.
It will also help if you surround yourself with people who are the opposite of you, to help balance you out.
Slowy
A person who falls in this category is: easily de-motivated, passive, a procrastinator, and always late or running late.
This type of person needs a schedule, and I recommend setting your alarm earlier. Another tip I can give you is to seize those creative moments, since they don’t happen all the time. When you feel motivated and creative, go for it immediately. Strike the iron while it’s hot.
It’s also good to surround yourself with people who are the opposite of you.
You can continue to expound on these tips I gave you by understanding your uniqueness better. This includes knowing your strengths and weaknesses, and allowing time to balance you out.
The main key is to be intentional about it.
Check out my YouTube video on this same topic where I expounded more on the characteristic of time.
Time is seasonal.
There are different seasons in our lives. Time is there for each season, to be of help to you. When you’re having fun, time seems to be too short. Yet, the reason why time is short is because it wants you to enjoy the moments, which brings me to the next characteristic of time.
Time is a series of moments.
Time is a series of “nows”. It is there for the present. When you understand this, you will embrace every pause and detour. There will be no interruption or delay.
In my book, Simplify to Intensify, I talked about the importance of seizing the moment in being more effective in your personal and professional life.
Time is a teacher.
Time is there to teach you. And the biggest lesson time will teach you, is balance. When you are always rushing, time will teach you how to rest. When you are lazy, time will teach you to hurry up.
Once you get to know time better, you will learn to embrace it, and therefore time will be your friend. When time is your friend, it will adapt to your own uniqueness because you will learn to flow with it.
As I’ve mentioned earlier, each person is different, and therefore, managing time wisely will depend on your individuality or uniqueness.
What type of time manager are you?
Since there are different personality and temperament types, and you may be a combination of different types, I will keep it easy and simple.
Let me present two major types of people, in terms of managing time. You may fall in both categories, but I still want to explain the distinct difference of each one, and how each type can manage time more effectively.
Speedy
A person who falls in this category is: highly motivated, assertive, a go-getter, and always on time.
Though these characteristics look very positive, the downside is that this person can get burnt-out fast.
Since time is a teacher, what you need to learn is to take breaks, the kind of break that takes you away from your busy schedule. Go for walks and take that time to simply relax and enjoy.
Enjoy the moments. Look at every interruption as time’s way of helping you pull back from a hectic day. Do something spontaneous such as eating lunch somewhere different.
It will also help if you surround yourself with people who are the opposite of you, to help balance you out.
Slowy
A person who falls in this category is: easily de-motivated, passive, a procrastinator, and always late or running late.
This type of person needs a schedule, and I recommend setting your alarm earlier. Another tip I can give you is to seize those creative moments, since they don’t happen all the time. When you feel motivated and creative, go for it immediately. Strike the iron while it’s hot.
It’s also good to surround yourself with people who are the opposite of you.
You can continue to expound on these tips I gave you by understanding your uniqueness better. This includes knowing your strengths and weaknesses, and allowing time to balance you out.
The main key is to be intentional about it.
Check out my YouTube video on this same topic where I expounded more on the characteristic of time.
If you know someone who needs to read this ...
Click any or all of the social media shares below.
|
LISA MAKI
Simplify to Intensify (c) 2019 |