Why You Should Manage Your Time - Time Management (Part 1)

"Until we manage time, we can manage nothing else." ~Peter Drucker Do you often have issues with meeting deadlines? Are you always stressed about finishing work/studies? Are you a victim of poor productivity? Do you spend a lot of time on urgent activities and have no time for important work? Do you often complain that you don’t have enough time? Do you feel overwhelmed with your workload and studies? If you answered yes to even one of the questions above, then this article is for you. We all know what time management is but we don’t stress enough on why it is so important. Time is the most important resource which everyone has been given equally. However, how we utilise time is not same at all. How many times have we wished that we had more time? More time to study, more time to finish our work and more time with our friends and family? But how is it that some people find time to achieve everything it is that they want to achieve? The answer lies in how one manages time. Effective time management is the key to success not only at workplace but also at schools and colleges. It is one of the differences between successful people and unsuccessful people. So do you require time management? The short answer is, yes. No matter what you are doing currently, time management is the most important skill one should possess. Why? It is because:

1. It Reduces Stress

When you manage your time effectively, you don’t feel overwhelmed with the amount of work you have. When you know you can finish a task in the stipulated amount of time it reduces the anxiety and stress related to it. This in turn also benefits your health as stress is a known cause of most of the health issues. When you have no power over how you spend your time, it is natural to feel overwhelmed, anxious and stressed.

2. It Inculcates Discipline

Once you have a control over your time, there is a sense of discipline which is developed. This has an advantage over even other areas of your life in which you were previously struggling with. The more effective you are with managing your time, the more disciplined you get.

3. There are 24 hours in a Day

No matter what you’re doing or where you are located, this remains the same! Time as a resource is limited and to use it wisely is recommended. Many of us think of time as an inexhaustible resource but truly it is not. We tend to just leave everything for tomorrow but what we fail to understand is that tomorrow is just a mystical land where our excuses for not working today lies.

4. Accomplish More with Less Effort

Time management helps not only in achieving more number of goals but also in establishing the quality standards of those goals. Also all your goals can be accomplished with less efforts with no hassles and in a stress free way

5. You learn to Prioritize

Once you start managing your time, you learn to prioritize your tasks, commitments, activities, work, studies, etc. You learn the difference between what is important and what is not important and what is urgent and what is not urgent which will never make you miss a deadline ever again. (More about this in the next post)

6. You can Develop New Skills

You’d be surprised with how much free time you’ll have once you start managing your time. You can use this free time to develop new skills, hobbies, habits or hone skills that you already possess. You can be that all-rounder person who takes part not only in work related or academic activities but also in co-curricular activities which adds to your personal growth and development. I cannot stress enough on how important time management is. It is a management skill that stays with you and helps you for life. Largely it is primary skill required for students preparing for their MBA entrances in scheduling their study time, managing time while giving the exams as well as for students who are currently pursuing MBA. It is also essential for working professionals and entrepreneurs. Adopting this single skill can change many areas of your life!  “The bad news is that time flies, the good news is you’re the pilot”  ~Michael Altshuler   ------ About the Author:  Nidhi Malkan has studied psychology for 7 years with a specialisation in Industrial Psychology. She has conducted various training programs on Soft Skills andGrooming for students across all streams. She is currently working as a Product Manager - Content Strategist at InsideIIM.com.  When she's not working she is reading.   You can read How To Avoid Procrastination - Time Management (Part 2) here. You can read How To Manage Your Time Effectively - Time Management (Part 3) here.