Time is Now! Manage it Differently

Time. Everyone gets the same amount of time each day, every day, 24 hours, nothing more, nothing less. Yet we all spend and manage it differently. We all have days where we never have enough time or run short on it. So if we all get the same amount of time each day, why is it some get more out of it than others? Time is not the problem. How we manage it is.

It is what we do with the time we have and how we manage it that determines the value of its worth. It seems, if we could just learn the skill of managing and spending our time more wisely, then our lives would carry much less stress and we would have more spare time to do the things we enjoy.

When we are bored or when we are drudging through the day with uninteresting or boring tasks, time drags. Yet, when we are doing something we enjoy or we need more of it, time flies right by us. But how can this be? The clock moves at precisely the same speed relentlessly, second after second, day after day? Could it be that it is our perspective on how we are spending and managing our time contributes to its value, and not the task? I say yes. We as individuals always find the time to do that which we want to do. Think about it, we always find time to do the things we enjoy, maybe not as often as we would like, but we do seem to always find the time. We do, want we want to do.

Circumstances play a big part in our daily lives. We must learn to manage the ones we can control and adjust to the ones we cannot. Fretting, complaining or just trying to change them can be costly. Time can be wasted along with energy. This can be critical to keeping a good handle on your time budget. If one continues to dwell on the circumstances, then frustration, depression and a host of other problems could set in. This can indeed invite more problems than just a shortage of time. Accepting and dealing with circumstances that arise early is vital. The payoff is simple. The better we can manage our time, the more spare time we can create.

Prioritize tasks and duties each day. Make a "To Do" list. This can be a good tool. This does not work for everyone, but one must find something that does. Even if it is just prioritizing in your head (not recommended) instead of writing them down, do it. Prioritizing is crucial and is the first step in organizing. You will feel a sense of accomplishment when checking them off your list.

Being organized is valuable in managing time. Imagine how much time unorganized people spend each day searching and looking for items. Moving papers and relocating objects. Not to mention the energy and stress that it brings. A simple way to see how organized or unorganized you are, simply ask yourself, "How often do I touch a piece of paper, a report or a pen before it gets put in its final or proper place? "

Try to see things through, from start to finish. When a project or task is started and not finished in the shortest amount of time, the' handle' one has on time, can get slippery if not managed properly. Sometimes circumstances do overtake situations, but more times than not, we bring more negative circumstances on ourselves than those that are brought upon us. The negative circumstances can be minimized by staying focused and committed to a task, chore or project and seeing it through in shortest amount of time possible.

As a child, cleaning our room or doing homework was dreadful for most of us and it could linger. Drudgingly, it would finally get done. But, if we were eating an ice cream cone or a big piece of cake, we would stay focused and indulge ourselves in it until it was gone. As adults, we sell ourselves short on time when we don't stay committed and see the deed, project or chore through, to the bottom of the cone. Discipline is an element that must be exercised.

Being good mental and physical condition is also key. This simply helps maintain your energy; helps you stay focused and can be beneficial in your overall outlook on life. Do not sell this short of its value. However, just being in good physical shape won't help much in managing your time without good habits, the right attitude and desire.

While each person is given the same 24 hours each day, some will find a way to mange time, minimize circumstances and produce successful, less stressful productive lives. Others will continue to blame time. Circumstances and their lives will be depressed and stressed. Each day brings new challenges for each of us. What worked yesterday, might not work today or tomorrow. Managing time is a skill and can come easier for some, than for others; however, it can be learned. The amount of applied discipline and the desire to improve ourselves to change will determine how well we manage our time.