Mastering Time Management

We tend to spend more time reflecting at the end and beginning of the year. One question that I have been asked repetitively last year was ‘How do you have the time for everything?’ This is what I would like to share with you today. Over the years, I have been close to mastering time management to help me thrive personally and professionally. And you can do it too. There is always something new to learn so if you have any more tips, please share them in the comments section. Here has been my journey:

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In 2017, I read a book that changed my life. It impacted my perspective on how to optimise every second of your time. After all, every minute passed cannot return. The book is called How to Live on Twenty-Four Hours a Day by Arnold Bennett. I received the recommendation from another book by Dale Carnegie. Bennett’s book is a short article, broken down into 12 small easy-to-digest chapters that are at an average of two pages long. But let me tell you, every word on these 27 pages is powerfully written to fully engage the reader to not put the book down until the very end – except to pause and think WOW, what magic did I just read?! – that happened to me a lot! And the funny thing is, the concepts and methods presented in the article seem quite common sense. Why is it that we humans make it more complicated than it needs to be? So here are some personal tips on how to make the most of your 24-hour days:

1)???PRIORITISE

There is no way to do everything. With all the information, options, and possibilities out there, you must choose what matters to you most. For me, it is work-life balance, lifelong learning, and peace of mind. Once you have pin-pointed your priorities (keep it simple with no more than 5 on the list), it is much easier to say no to things that don’t align with the path that you are choosing to lead. This opens up more time for what you really need to do, and most importantly, what you want to do.

2)???WRITE IT ALL DOWN

It felt strange at first when I started writing everything down. From shopping lists to my daily to-dos, and even quotes from books that I want to remember. No matter how much we want to rely on our brains, we can’t. We can’t possibly remember everything. Luckily a good pen and paper is reliable, or nowadays, your trusty screen would be able to ease the memorisation process. This helps with time management, because if you think about it, how many times have you spent searching for something, or racking your thoughts to find the answer? This can be prevented by having it readily available to you when needed. Time doesn’t have to be lost when preparation precedes.

3)???USE YOUR CALENDAR

This is the whole point of your calendar, right? To organise your time. I use it diligently every day. As most, I block time frames for meetings, phone calls, and appointments. But I also carve out time in my calendar for lunch and coffee breaks, time for no screen time, and hobbies (I do love to read books #bookaweekchallenge). It is a good practice to put your activities all in one place, so that you can analyse it better. This can give you a nice visual of what you could increase or decrease in your days. Are there meetings that can be moved to another day that isn’t so full, for example? These little tricks make a big difference. When your days are organised, and not overwhelming, it makes time spent more wisely.

4)???BE PRESENT

It is so easy to be stuck on your phones like zombies. Don’t follow the crowd. Every moment that is presented to you, be present. This means to focus on what is in front of you. Whether it be a person, a presentation, or the premise. Give your full attention. Maybe you have heard of the old adage, time is the most precious gift you can give someone because you can never get it back. Try to remember a time when you last felt fully heard and seen. Make it a goal to give this to others. Because when you give wholeheartedly, you also receive joy. And that would not be time wasted.

5)???IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS

To connect it all together, managing time is not just about organisation, it is also about enjoying the time that you’re spending. When you’re taking that coffee break, take the time to breathe in the cosiness of the moment. When you’re giving that presentation, take the time to appreciate your audience showing up. When you’re having dinner with family, take the time to immerse in conversation and connection. It took some time for me to master enjoying the little things. But now, my every day is an adventure because I see life through new lenses. Lenses that focus away from the noise, and onto what I value most. Be grateful. It’s the littlest things that make the biggest differences.

I hope that these tips and tricks will help you. We all have different priorities, goals, and paths, so your management style may differ than your neighbor’s. The idea is to find what works best for you, what aligns with your values and how to make time optimal for you. I’d be happy to learn more of how you manage your time. Send me a message or share in comments so that we can all learn from each other.

I wish you a year full of adventures and opportunities.