Managing time is one of the main challenges of our era. Now more than ever, it feels like there is never enough time for the increasing number of items on our to-do lists. Prioritizing is a good strategy, but it doesn\u2019t help create more time within our day! If you find yourself constantly racing against the clock, you may want to check out these three tricks to time management below. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s start with the basics. The definition of time management will vary depending on who you ask. The concern about time started with the Greeks. They wondered about what made life meaningful, so they valued time and the purposeful, worthy ways to spend it. . Modern philosophers have used radical arguments such as \u201cwe\u2019re all going to die\u201d to encourage a worthy use of time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But when you read the title of this article, what was the first idea that came to your mind? It likely wasn\u2019t the Greeks or the fact that we are all going to die. That\u2019s because nowadays, our idea of time is more related to effectiveness and productivity. In fact, Wikipedia says time management is \u201cthe process of planning and exercising conscious control of time spent on specific activities, especially to increase effectiveness\u2026\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cConscious control\u201d can be thought of as prioritization. Simply put, it involves deciding how urgent or important a specific task is, and then placing it on your to-do list in order of importance.This sounds fairly easy, right? It is very logical. But is logic the only mechanism behind our time-management decisions? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Author and trainer Rory Vaden, gave a viral Ted Talk on the topic of time management, where he explained that the way we manage time is not just logical but also emotional. As an example, he tells the story of a father who needs to leave her daughter at home, as he goes to work in the morning. The decision to choose work over spending time with his daughter is hard and emotional. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As Vaden goes on to explain, the problem, emotionally speaking, is that we struggle with the guilt of having to say ‘no’ to some tasks, because we feel like we should be saying ‘yes’. And so, the process of prioritizing needs to include a new variable: significance. Thinking in terms of urgency and importance is not enough, we need to consider if a specific task is worth our time, and for how long. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This will keep us from saying’yes'” to too many things and overloading our schedules with tasks that are not significant to us. Or, as the Greeks would say, it will help us spend our time in a way that is meaningful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
By now, you may be wondering about the tricks you were promised in the title of this article. Where is the recipe to success when it comes to time management? The bad news: there are no recipes! The good news: there are no recipes. Sorry to have tricked you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is, however, one piece of advice from philosopher Brad Adeon that can be helpful, who suggests,\u201cAsk yourself questions instead of looking for tricks and tips.\u201d We believe there are three main questions that can help when it comes to making decisions about how to use your time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Is it because time is money? Or is it because you can’t live forever? We need to think about how we value our time. What is it that makes our time worth managing? If you believe your time has meaning, you will want to make decisions about how you use it. The answers will be complex, but interesting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As Vaden explains, because we cannot create more time in our days, using our time wisely has more to do with learning to say ‘no’. This involves an emotional cost\u2014 guilt and the realization that we cannot do it all. So, we need to make choices. The more things we can remove from our to-do list, the better. Can you delegate this task? Can you automate it, so it can save you time in the future? Go for it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The difference between us and the Greeks is that we have a lot of options. Because we do not have to wash our clothes by hand or take a trip on horseback anymore, we have more freedom than ever to use our time as we please. So, the key lies in our choice. How do I choose to use my time? What is truly significant to me? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Asking ourselves these questions, Adeon claims, will make time management meaningful again. \u201cBut I don\u2019t have time for these questions!\u201d you may be thinking. Good point! Vaden affirms, \u201cGiving ourselves the emotional permission to spend time today, on things that will give me more time tomorrow,\u201d is the start to any good time management. <\/p>\n\n\n\n