TIME MANAGEMENT

Time Management

Time Management

Introduction

We have heard this statement throughout our lives. We all know that in the new fast paced society that we live within, this statement is not always true. Time keeps ticking away and those who manage their time, whether in their personal life or in professional life, will prove to be more successful.

Discussion

We all would be better served if we could learn to prioritize. Every one of us needs to have priorities in our lives. Without them, our lives would turn into a chaotic and dysfunctional state of confusion. The common thread of falling short on our priorities, we believe, is the mismanagement of time.

Herein lies what has been created from our priorities - the goal. From the time we awake, we must establish our daily goals. It could be as simple as getting to work or spending time with our families. The daily goals become our foundation for structuring our mid-range goals. How many times throughout the day do we assess what needs to be done to accomplish our midrange goals? Whatever we choose or decide, we must have the goal in mind.

Timing is everything. Planning is crucial. We need to know the basics of who, what, where, when and why (Couch and Thiebaud 2002). For example, for whom are we planning? Are we formulating a game plan to beat the competition or are we attempting to satisfy the customer? What product or service do we concentrate on? All of these issues must be answered, because in the long run, the bottom line comes down to money.

Our mission in our personal life or our professional life is to strategize our time and to lay a foundation for priorities so that we can attain our goals. Within our planning process, we must include a game plan for the unexpected. A team member may quit or be reassigned. Life has constant change and we should not underestimate the unknown. A well thought out plan will leave more time for unforeseen circumstances.

I think the larger and more difficult tasks or projects cause us to procrastinate. "Putting off today what can be done tomorrow" seems to be a procrastinator's motto. Just thinking about all the preparation required, organizing and gathering facts, and considering the time it will take to complete projects, can make one hesitate to get started (Kain; et.al 2002). In addition to self-discipline and perseverance, to get the ...