The Key to How to Live a Better Life
June 12, 2008 – 1:28 pmTime management is mainly about being focused. The Pareto Principle also known as the ‘80:20 Rule’ states that 80% of efforts that are not time managed or not centered generates only 20% of the desired outcome. Nonetheless, 80% of the preferred outcome can be accomplished using only 20% of a well time managed effort. Although the ratio ‘80:20′ is only subjective, it is used to show the importance of how much is lost or how much can be gained with time management.
Some people look at time management as a list of laws that involves scheduling of appointments, goal setting, scrupulous planning, creating things to do lists and prioritizing. These are the core basics of time management that should be comprehended in order to develop a proficient personal time management skill. These basic skills can be further adjusted to include the finer points of each skill that can give you that added reserve to achieve the outcome you desire.
But there is more skills involved in time management than the simple fundamentals. Skills such as decision making, inherent abilities such as emotional intelligence and vital thinking are also necessary to your personal growth.
Personal time management has to do with everything you do. No matter how huge or small, it all counts. Each new fact you acquire, each new suggestion you consider, each new ability you develop should be taken into consideration.
Having a balanced life-style should be the key outcome in utilizing proper personal time management. This is the key aspect that many practitioners of personal time management fail to see.
Time management is about achieving results, not about being busy.
The six areas that personal time management aims to improve in anyone’s life are physical, intellectual, social, career, emotional and spiritual.
The physical aspect involves having a healthy body, less stress and fatigue.
The intellectual aspect involves learning and other mental advancement activities.
The social aspect involves developing personal or intimate dealings and being an active member of society.
The career aspect involves education and work.
The emotional aspect involves appropriate feelings and wants and projecting them.
The spiritual aspect involves a personal pursuit of meaning.
Meticulously planning and having a set of things to do list for every one of the key areas may not be very practical, but deciding which areas in your life are not being given enough attention is part of time management. Each aspect combined creates the whole you, if you are overlooking one area then you are overlooking an important part of yourself.
Personal time management should not be so overwhelming of a task. It is a very smart and logical approach in solving problems big or small.
A great way of learning time management and improving your personal life is to follow several basic activities.
One of them is to review your goals whether it is immediate or long-term goals often.
A way to do this is to keep a list that is always accessible to you.
Always identify which task is mandatory or those not necessary in achieving your goals and which activities are helping you maintain a balanced life style.
Each and every one of us has a peak time and a time when we slow down, these are our natural cycles. We should be able to determine when to do the more troublesome tasks when we are at our best.
Learning to say “No”. You actually see this advice often. Pay attention to it even if it involves saying the word to family or friends.
Pat yourself on the back or just reward yourself in any manner for a beneficial time management result.
Try and get the support from people around you who are actually benefiting from your efforts of time management.
Don’t put things off. Tend to the most important things immediately.
Have a positive out look and set yourself up for success. But be realistic in your approach in attaining your goals.
Have a record or journal of all your activities. This will assist you in putting things in their proper perspective.
These are the fundamental steps you take toward becoming a well rounded individual.
As they say, proper time management is the art and science of building a better life.
From the time you incorporate, into your life, time management skills; you have opened several doors that can provide a broad spectrum of solutions to your personal growth. It also provides more available opportunities.
Tags: Personal Development
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