Strategy 1: Be Organized
Prioritize. Prepare a to-do list of things that are important or urgent or both, keeping in mind that what is important
Think ahead. Sharpen your
ax, as it were, by planning ahead so that you can make the most
effective use of your time. Set aside or eliminate nonessential tasks,
which do little more than consume time and energy. If you find that you
have time on your hands because you have caught up on your work, why not
move on to a job that is scheduled for later? By thinking ahead, you
increase your productivity, like a wise workman who sharpens his ax.
Simplify your life. Learn
to say no to things that are unimportant or that do little more than
consume time. Too many activities and appointments can add needless
stress and can rob you of joy.
Strategy 2: Avoid Time Stealers
Procrastination and indecision. Procrastination is a thief of both time and productivity. A
farmer who waits until conditions are perfect may never sow seed or
reap his harvest. Similarly, we could allow life’s uncertainties to make
us indecisive. Or we may feel that we have to wait until we have every
scrap of relevant information before making a decision. To be sure,
important decisions warrant research and deliberation.
Perfectionism. Of course, high standards are commendable! Sometimes, though, we might
set standards so high that we invite disappointment and even failure. A
person learning another language, for example, must be prepared to make
mistakes, aware that he will learn from these. A perfectionist, however,
would likely shudder at the thought of saying something incorrectly
“You don’t really pay for things with money. You pay for them with time.”
Strategy 3: Be Balanced and Realistic
Balance work and recreation. Workaholics often deprive themselves of the fruitage of their two
handfuls of hard work. They simply have no time or energy left. The
lazy, on the other hand, opt for two handfuls of rest and squander
precious time.
Do not scrimp on sleep.
Most adults need about eight hours of sleep a night to gain the full
physical, emotional, and cognitive benefits. Concerning the latter,
sleep is a sound investment of time because it aids in concentration and
consolidates memories, thus fostering learning. Sleep deprivation,
however, impedes learning and contributes to accidents, errors, and
irritability.
Set realistic goals. A wise person does not let mere desires take the reins of
his life, especially desires that may be unrealistic or impossible to
satisfy. Hence, he is not seduced by clever advertising or easy credit.
Instead, he learns to be content with what he can actually attain