Time management has earned a reputation for itself. You can hear whispers about in the darkest corners of coffee houses and offices. Everyone has quite a lot to say about it, but few have actually managed to put its principles into practice. Those who succeed in time management are regarded as deviants who dabble in the dark arts and if the Inquisition had been a thing right now, we would sign them for an afternoon burning (the screaming bonfires look most romantic during sunset). What awakens our wrath against time management and its practitioners?
The answer in short – our own incapability to properly understand its dogmas and intricate rules. What does this mean? Well, quite frankly it means mankind has been fed filthy lies about time management and I have taken it upon myself to explain the core principles most people will get wrong. Let’s debunk some myths now, shall we.
Writing Down Won’t Work Without Determination
I’ll begin with the list. Lists have been popular since the creation of time itself. Most notable examples are The Ten Commandments, which is the first ever top 10 list in creation, therefore one of its purest forms, and Schindler’s List, which brought all the Oscars to the yard. As you can see, lists have benefited mankind for decades, but contrary to popular belief, writing down things on a list doesn’t mean they will magically come true. That works only for yakuza officials (see KILL BILL vol. 1 for easy reference) and spoiled rich girls. The reality is that the list only works only if you give your best to achieve your goals. The list is a guidelines for you to follow and utilize your time all the better. This makes the time gods happy.
Keep Track of Time
Time as it turns out is a wild animal (we would like to imagine it as an ADHD squirrel on too many espressos), so you have to keep watchful eye and never let it pass without getting something out of it. What I’m trying to say with this metaphor is that you need to know where your time goes and how you can change it for your benefit. You don’t really want a rabid squirrel to bite your behind, now do you? Remember to monitor your days, log them in a journal and then analyse why you have wasted so much time.
Prioritise!
Your faithful accomplice in this challenge are priorities. You’ve certainly heard this word used as a weapon by any number of Julia Roberts’ characters in a love drama about impossible love, when everyone knows is that the only impossible thing is Julia’s mouth to face proportions. That has to be CGI, right? Anyway, the real reason you need priorities is progress. Winning at life means doing the important things on time. Things like hiring cleaners in Bristol, preparing for an exam and making a presentation for work purposes count as important things, because you can see big benefits as a reward and big repercussions as a punishment. In case you’re still in the dark, things that can hurt you should you fail to do them on time (like the ones above) need to be done first.
Still, it’s good to learn how to eliminate distractions, so that you can focus on your work and have an increased productivity.
I hope you have learned your lessons. Carry on, now.
