I am sure everybody contends with time. If you are a mum, the race against time is even more exhilarating. You are never not busy. There is always something to do and there is never enough time to do it. This is why we talk about time management. We work hard to see how better to race against time. And have we really succeeded? Or the task of managing time is just another thing on our calendar? Can we truly manage time?
I read a piece recently that brought this into perspective. We’ve all got just 24 hours. Me, you, Bill Gates, Okonjo Iweala. All of us have just 24 hours in a day. I suppose what makes a difference is how we all make use of the hours that we have in a day. It is not really about the time, but I am beginning to realise that it is what we fill the hours with that culminates into our greatest achievements or our biggest regrets.
So, it is not time that needs to be managed. But the activities of the day and our focus to get through them.
Like me, so many of you are beginning to audit 2023 and prepare for 2024. And more people have begun to set goals and potential achievements for the new year. How noble of us.
Goals are good. Visions are incredible. But what good is vision and goals without a practical plan on how to accomplish them?
Endeavour to set realistic visions.
Break them into quarterly goals.
And further into monthly expectations.
Now write out how you want to work towards your expectations in your daily routines and activities.
Write down the assumptions behind each goal so you have something to review by December 2024.
Your vision for the new year need not be gigantic. It just needs to matter to you. It needs to give you the satisfaction that you seek.
And there is no need for you to be deceptive in your plans. It’s your life after all. Let your goals be as practical as possible. So that it is easy to measure. And so that you can track the progress.
Endeavour to fill the days with activities that are meaningful to your goal and vision. For instance, you can set out to do five (5) things daily. And be determined to do them.
And if you are not able to do it all daily, it’s okay. Tomorrow is another day for another 5 things. Or maybe 3 activities. Whatever you think you can handle.
Just remember, it is the activities of the day and our focus that can be managed. Not time.
No one can manage time. No one can hold time down enough to manage it.
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