The first big secret to reveal about time management is that time management is impossible. To manage something, by definition, means to control, organise or manipulate it to your benefit. And since time is an absolute, unchangeable and perpetual force of science and nature, it follows that it is far beyond the management ability of any mere mortal.

What you, and indeed every ordinary human being, can manage, however, is to choose how you use your time. And the most critical elements of that sentence are the words ‘you’ and ‘your’ in relation to time. You see, the reason most people consistently feel that time gets away from them, there are never enough hours in the day, or life is just too busy, is because they let others dictate what they do with their time.

It is criminal, really – if you think about it – to let other people rob you of your most valuable asset.

If you take a few moments (please note my 100% deliberate use of words there) to consider the true value of your time, you might decide to guard it more vigilantly.

You can get more money, find more friends, see more places in the world and, with a good plan and some effort, achieve more of pretty much anything in life. But you cannot get more time. Once it is spent, it is gone forever, and each second that passes will eternally exist only in your past – your time is an incredibly precious and limited resource.

How to Take Back the Management of Your Time

The first step to securing control of your time is to take personal responsibility for what you do with it. Once you recognise it as the most valuable asset in your life and become stubbornly possessive in how you use it or who you give it to, you will be well on your way to a more fulfilled life.

The irony is that success in the things we can get more of in life is directly influenced by the one thing you can’t add to – your time. I sincerely hope you are starting to see the profound and life-enhancing wisdom in this idea. So, I will stop taking up any more of your time in making my point and get to the practical point instead.

Here are three foundational steps you can implement ‘right now’ to take control of today, tomorrow and the rest of your time on this earth:

1. Set aside one hour today (or tomorrow morning at the latest) and choose two things that you would really like to achieve. One in your personal life and one related to work, study or a social setting. They must be meaningful to you, or it will limit the effectiveness of what comes next. Then write down a series of short steps or small actions you can do to take you closer to those goals. And finally, block out recurring time in your diary to take action in line with those specific steps.
   
   
2. Create a daily plan – broken up into half-hour slots – and start each day like this: Add in any appointments you have (allowing time on either side for travel). Next, box off some time for important things that you want to or need to do (for you), like the steps towards the goals identified above. Then allocate some time to any other important things that life, work, family, or circumstances might be asking you to attend to during the day. The critical thing to remember when doing this is that you only have limited time on any given day! So make sure your high-priority items are cemented in the diary first and fit in what you can around it – do not over-commit.
   
   
3. Finally. Learn this simple truth. The word ‘no’ can be a complete sentence. You do not need to apologise or justify making the things that matter to you the priority in your life. But you can only make those decisions and confidently say ‘no’ after you have clearly identified what those priorities look like and the steps you need to take to make them happen!

Time Management is physically and chronologically impossible, but Priority Setting and Time Allocation are 100% achievable. The busyness that rules most people’s lives only exists because they have allowed their lives to be run that way. What if you did start saying NO? What if you did decide that the best you (the least busy, unstressed, clear-minded, focused and successful version) is also the best for everyone else in your life? Please re-read that sentence – it is important!

You cannot slow down, speed up or win back lost time. And you certainly cannot manage what other people or situations will try and do around you. But you can decide what you are going to do with your time from this day forward.

Now you have two choices: (1) Carry on as you were or (2) Take personal responsibility and ownership of your precious time and never give it away cheaply again.

And if you would like some help with the latter – that is what the LMI team are here for. Please get in touch!

#ProcessMakesProgress

Author: Martin Gladdish

You can find out more about Martin at https://www.martingladdish.com/ and connect with him on LinkedIn