There are many time stealers. Demands and interruptions from bosses, peers, or customers can prevent you from achieving your goals, and these must be dealt with appropriately. Not all time thieves are external. Most of us are prone to some degree of seemingly harmless procrastination, but this can be the most insidious and dangerous time waster of all.
"Procrastination is the thief of time," goes the old saying. It's true. And just remember, when you delay actions or a decision that you should be taking, it's your time that's being stolen.
The philosopher, William James, observed, "Nothing is as fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of the uncompleted task." But it is not only fatiguing, it is literally a waste of time.
An effective use of time also involves managing your environment, managing your use of technology, and managing the time-wasting activities of people around you.
Today we are often overwhelmed by the amount of paperwork that crosses our desks or the number of e-mails that appear on our screens. There is a real danger that we end up being reactive rather than creative, and spend all our time responding to what we have been sent, rather than initiating new ideas. To avoid this, you need to develop techniques for handling paperwork, telephone calls, and e-mails to maximize their value, and minimize their disruptive potential.
Technology makes it possible for us to be more efficient--get more done--in many different ways. But you need to make sure that you are really controlling the technology so that it also helps you to be more effective--getting the right things done, rather than allowing it to control you.
Would you like to learn more ways to improve your time management habits? Check out the online course Developing Excellent Time Management Habits found in the MyPath Knowledge Center library. This library of self-paced, online courses is available to all MyPath members for 30 days- with no additional commitment.
Are you ready find more time in your day? Visit the MyPath Knowledge Center and start your free trial today!
The key thing to remember is that you really can't manage time. You can manage yourself and you can manage your tasks. In doing so, you better master your use of time and accomplish more of what's important to you. Procrastination is a key thief of time and so is Perfectionism. Watch your time thieves! Be sure to read my blog about the top ten time wasters so that you can avoid them!