Time or money, which of the two is important? Obviously it’s time, because money wasted can be made again in one way or another. Yet time that is lost is gone forever. With spending time, one can earn more money, but one cannot buy time with all the money that is there in the world, because time is invaluable, period.
I know this may be a debatable topic, where some may say that money is important up to a certain point, and then time takes over. Yet, truth be told, money is depending on time, and not vice versa. For me personally, I would trade time (if possible) to be able to make more money. For those who know me personally, time has been one of the biggest challenges in my life, for there are many things I wish to achieve and work on, yet there is literally very little to no time to do so. I am not complaining; it’s just a practical fact that I continue to live and manage with.
Last week, my article revolved around New Year’s Eve resolutions that many people around the world make without success. You probably did; I had tried in some phase of my life, and many others continue to make, yet the result is mostly the same—baseless wishes or aims that are mostly short-lived. We concluded the article on suggestions to improve by making the year a journey of intentional action and reflection. Please refer to my last week’s article for winning tips that one can adopt to achieve good progress/success. This week, I would like to focus on time being an important yet scarce resource that one needs to manage efficiently in order to be productive.
It is reported that over 32% of adults feel overwhelmed by time-related stress—sounds familiar? You’re not alone. Many people complain about the same thing, and thus, the sheer number of books, seminars, workshops, and training that are available on the same topic, i.e., time management.
The good news is that managing time is not difficult; one needs to only be disciplined. With practice, I can confidently state that you will notice some positive changes in terms of your productivity at the end of the tunnel. You may sway every now and then, but that’s normal, and it's okay. It happens to me personally and to many other “time management gurus” you may know of. There’s too much distraction that keeps creeping into our lives, and one cannot simply avoid the same.
Though sharing time management techniques may require more than one article to achieve, I would like to share a few basic steps that one could utilize to help kick-start time management.
First, have clear priorities, i.e., the important things you need to work on. Second, put the priorities in a day plan, i.e., create a to-do list for the things you wish to do. Third, ensure you allocate time for each of these activities.
Fourth, celebrate every now and then, even on the little wins you achieve from the to-do list. Lastly, set a time at the end of the day to reflect and adjust accordingly. This may be basic, but this will help you achieve some progress, and trust me, with every little progress, one can get closer to bigger achievements.
2025 is just a few weeks away. Making New Year's resolutions is something many people await, plan, and celebrate. Though I continue to advise not to depend on and wait until New Year’s Eve for making the necessary changes for life improvement, yet I would recommend you start from now (as a positive excuse) and make it a continual habit to achieve profound success with the positive changes. Manage your time efficiently, so you can make space for the great things that you wish to work on. Until we catch again next week, stay positive and continue winning.
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