We all have the same time: 24 hours a day, 168 per week – an equal opportunity resource. Time is nonrenewable, it cannot be saved. A second or a minute is unlike money that you can earn a little extra to save in a bank – when a second or a minute is gone, it is literally gone!
The expression “saving time” actually means managing one’s behavior with time, to become more productive. To manage one’s behavior with time needs to be sincerely practiced and repeated when one wants to develop it into a good habit. There are many ways one can behave to efficiently use time; let me mention a few:
Do it now. Do a task immediately; procrastinating will stress you out. Use waiting time productively.
Ask for help. This can free up extra hours you need for other more pressing tasks. Delegating or outsourcing others to do things you are not good at, will work wonders, too.
Say NO. It is not rude to graciously and courteously tell the truth that you cannot commit. Setting an “away” notification in messengers, and eliminating activities that offer less to your goals are other ways of saying no.
Calendar your commitments. Schedule important events or deadlines indicating the start and end time for each task, event or deadline, but leave some “open” time in your schedule for unexpected things that would need immediate attention. Your “to-do-list” may also be incorporated in your calendar electronically or on sheets of paper.
Follow your biorhythm. If you are a “morning-person” then do difficult tasks in the mornings when you are more productive.
Plan for the long-term. Include upcoming regular monthly, quarterly and/or yearly life events.
When you regularly practice any or all of the above and just get things done, the expression “lack of time” will eventually be erased from your list of excuses. So, can you manage your time?
Call us, we may be able to help you free up some extra hours. Ahead Tutorial and Review – Baguio is located at 4F Porta Vaga Mall, Session Road, Baguio City. The tutorial center opens Mondays to Saturdays from 9am to 8pm with contact numbers 074-4236133, 09064490020 or 09175060347. ThinkingOutLoud2019-3, Deb Pulido