If you have read one of our previous posts ‘Importance of Time Management: Get Your Basics Right’, then probably you are better prepared to challenge the ticking clock. There is deluge of literature related to time management and almost every other person seems to be equipped with ‘techniques’ to get more out of your twenty four hours.

However, when it comes to actual application and utilisation of these theories and techniques, no one is sailing smooth. This is so basically because they have their basics wrong and approach confused. It is this need lays the importance of using the effective approach for learning time management skills.

Those who corrected their basics by reading our last post will certainly benefit from this one as it tries to clear your approach. Get rid of all confusing theories from your mind.  Do not dread about time management. It comes easily to everyone if we seek resort to our common sense. How? Here it is.

1. Keep your Mind Clear: This is the first and foremost of all requirements. There is so much of hullaballoo raised over time management that we tend to get confused and not guided by it. 

So, first of all, clear the clutter. Keep the blackboard of your mind blank as far as possible, so that whenever you decide to pick up some task, it can be clearly ‘written’ on it. Once the task is clearly defined, it can be easily understood and that creates the scope for thinking over it. It will become easy for you to allocate available time accordingly.

2. Keep your Goals in Mind: If you are spending time on anything that is not taking you towards your goals, then you are wandering and wasting your time. Of course, do have your share of fun. But just a bout is sufficient and this recreational activity itself should not become time consuming.

You shall never lose sight of your goals. Your energy and time shall be always directed towards the goal. This will help you in deciding your priorities. Goals present an important step in understanding the effective approach for learning time management skills.

3. Decide your Priorities: Our life is a clamour of unending demands of all dimensions coming from all directions. We must be able to distinguish sound from the noise. It must be clear to us as to what we must pay attention and what to neglect.

Family, health, finance, career, society, business… your priority could be anything. But once you know your priority, it becomes clear as to what needs to be catered to first. This clarity and priority will tell you which job is important and for which needs more of your time.  

4. Delegate or Seek Help:  It is absolutely non-sense to try doing all of your jobs by yourself and end up short of time. You can sort out many tasks from your routine, which can be delegated to someone. There may be many of your own people who do it as a favour, and there may be other who does it for money. But if the resultant is saving your valuable time, you shall not mind paying for it.

Do tie up with people and friends for this. There are certain jobs that everybody needs to do. Share those together and delegate one kind of job to one person. This shall save plenty of time for everyone. It is important to expand out than relying on yourself alone to make learning time management skills effective.

5. Use Technology: In our fast paced world, technology is certainly a boon. Do not feel overpowered, but rather get empowered by it. Thanks to technology, especially in the field of communication, most of our jobs can be done over a telephone or internet. Payment of bills, booking tickets, buying items, seeking information, applications, grievances… everything can be done through internet or telephone. These activities, though important, often consume much of our valuable time.

Identify the areas of your life where technology can share and salt away your burden. This will provide you with extra hours in hand to cater for other important tasks.

Learning time management skills becomes more effective once you follow the approach listed above. So, put all complicated theories to rest. Put your common sense or ‘instincts’ to use. Do not get bogged down by the number of tasks. Your inner voice and common sense will help you segregate the trivial from the vital. Take simple decisions guided by common sense to untangle your life and clear channel for better time management.

Do look out at the same space for more tips and tools of time management coming your way.

Post By Sanjeev Raspaile

Photo Credit- ~I don't have a DSLR, but…

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