Control your time

Glenford Smith, Career Writer

One of the most well-known aphorisms in the business world is 'time is money'.

And it's no mystery why either: most work relationships involve the exchange of time for money. The fact, however, is that time is more than money.

Benjamin Franklin, one of the founding fathers of the United States said, "Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that's the stuff life is made of."

If this is true, then controlling your life means controlling your time, and controlling your time means controlling the events and activities in your life, at work and everywhere else.

One of the greatest 'secrets' of the world's richest, happiest, and most fulfilled people is that they've developed the habit of mastering the use of their time. Achieve greater productivity and balance and a less stressful life by modelling these habits of thinking and practice.

Saving and managing time is a myth.

We have all the time there is. We all are given a 'time-check' every 24 hours valuing 86,400 seconds — no more, no less.

We can't save any to spend at a later date; we have to spend it all every day. So it's never true that we don't have time. You and I have as much time as anyone else; it's what we choose to spend it on that makes the difference.

Respected business authorities such as Dr Stephen R. Covey, author of First Things First and David Allen, author of Getting Things Done have demonstrated that we become effective by managing our daily activities and events rather than time itself.

EFFECTIVENESS TRUMPS EFFICIENCY

Efficiency means doing things right; effectiveness means doing the right things right. It is by doing the right things - what is most important - that you make the greatest impact.

Many people become experts at doing things that don't really matter, that don't really make a difference.

As Dr Covey asserts: "A meaningful life is not a matter of speed or efficiency. It's much more a matter of what you do and why you do it than how fast you get it done."

The first action therefore to take charge of your time and your life is to decide what are the most important job tasks you must get done daily and weekly. This way, you'll escape what Charles Hummel calls "the tyranny of the urgent" in his classic booklet by that name. On a daily basis, you'll get done what is most important rather than only reacting to what's urgently demanding your attention and energy.

"If you fail to plan, you plan to fail," says the popular maxim. One critical distinction, however, is that you must plan and schedule your priorities rather than merely prioritising your schedule. Only schedule work activities that you've decided are important rather than what is on a 'to do' list.

Develop the discipline to plan your work and work your plan. Stay focused on your most important priority, then move on to the next.

Glenford Smith is a motivational speaker and personal achievement strategist.

glenfordsmith@yahoo.com