Time is the most powerful force in the universe and our most valuable resource. We cannot make more time, but we seem to have all the time in the world. For as long as humans have existed we have kept track of time. We get paid for our time and we receive college credits based on how much time we spend in class. We live in an incredible time where people can get rich off of playing video games online and Donald Trump is actually running for president. Pretty soon there will be millions of people living and working in space!
Our language is full of idioms about time. Pretty much everything we say has some kind of time reference, or cliché, that we use every day without even thinking about it. We tell ourselves to make some time for the important things, but sometimes we don’t save enough time for ourselves. Unfortunately, lots of time is wasted every day. Why does time fly by when we’re having fun, but go so slow when we’re bored? Where does time go when it flies by? How are we supposed to make better use of our time?
When our timing is off we feel anxious and it affects our daily routines. When we are running around trying to make it to class on time while still eating healthy, working out, getting rest, and making time for friends and family, we can start to get exhausted. If we could only manage our time better, then we could control the world.
This all begs the question: If we have all the time in the world, why do we feel like we’re always running out? Lots of people feel exhausted from trying to meet due dates and cramming for tests, but it doesn’t always have to be so stressful. Time management is simply the concept that time is meant to be used as productively and efficiently as possible. Time management is vital to working effectively. This idea stresses the importance of being productive with your time when it is time to work. Time never rests, but we do and it’s important to make the best use of it.
There are five things you need to do every day in order to make the best use of your time, and it’s really not that hard.
Have a To-Do List
It seems like an obvious solution because it is. Everybody has a different schedule with different priorities and it’s impossible to remember everything all the time. Buying a little planner is easy and inexpensive. The first step to having a “To-Do List” is to remember to write everything down. It takes some time getting used to writing things down in your planner, but once you get in the habit of it, it’s a breeze. The second step is to remember to check your planner. This step is a little harder because sometimes we get busy and forget things, but once you get into the habit of doing it, it will be easier.
Minimize Distractions
Social media is a huge distraction when there is work to be done. It’s so easy to spend 30 minutes absentmindedly scrolling through Twitter, but that’s just the nature of the beast. The average person spends 2 hours a day online, and I think even that is generous. It takes self-control and patience to put the phone away and focus on the task at hand. It’s totally in your control to look at Snapchats, or to open the book and read.
Set Personal Goals for Yourself (and stick to them)
This is why you have the planner. It forces you to get up and go do that thing you said you were going to do and keeps you from procrastinating. Set lots of goals. Go crazy with goals. It’s important to have little goals that you can accomplish every day, like putting on pants or holding the door for a stranger. Also, have some big goals because that gives you something to work towards and it gives you a reason to keep going, even if you think you’re done. Give yourself plenty of time to complete the goals because there is no rush. You should feel like you have plenty of time and you’re putting it to good use.
Prioritize
This means that on your to-do list there will be some things that are more important than others and it is your responsibility to make the distinction. Make sure you know what is really important and do that on time. If something urgent comes up and conflicts with something less important you are going to have to sacrifice something. It will help in avoiding a stressful situation later.
Take breaks!
What some relief! After a long day of hard work, you need to reward yourself with some personal time. You can scroll through the endless world of the internet or just take a nap. Put it on your to-do list. Carve some time out of your busy day for yourself. Make sure it’s a high priority goal because you are worth it. It will help you keep your sanity when you have to go back to work. Be patient with yourself and understand that these things take time. After all, time’s all you’ve got.
Being a productive person is definitely worth the time it takes to become one. With repetition, it is easy to apply these principles to your own life through creating habits. It’s important to remember that we are only here for a little while, and we should appreciate the time that we have by making the most of it.
How do you make the best use of your time?
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