As our lifestyles get more demanding and yet more rewarding, there is one constant that we all have to work around and that is the ticking of the clock which provides us with the time honoured 24 hours a day!

However, it is interesting to note that some of us are able to achieve so much within the same duration whilst others complaint about the lack of time to achieve even 10% of these same tasks, even with the same resources at hand. Then, there is the situation where two people achieve a similar volume of tasks and yet one of them seem to be tired and exhausted whilst the other seems to have excess capacity and comes out smiling.

So, what is it that makes the difference?
It is the effective management of the ones time that makes the difference.
Time management is a skill that must be mastered by anyone if he or she wants to succeed in pursuing a goal. It may be a student trying to balance his time with academic and extra curricular activities, a housewife managing her domestic chores or a busy executive in project management who needs this same skill.

A basic success factor is to first identify the goal you are in pursuit. One should also be clear about the resources available and other limitations.

It is also important that one identifies the current gaps that exist in achieving this goal. It could be in obtaining further knowledge or locating a partner who could handle a particular aspect of the project.
Another common trap that we all fall in to is the lack of prioritising our tasks.

Whilst we pursue a key project for delivery, we cannot ignore the other routine tasks that we also have to deliver or even delegate. The result is that your core project can be neglected whilst some other insignificant items are achieved. Stress and burnout are often the results of such an approach and it can harm not just your health but also the motivation to go forward.

Invest your time to learn the art of effective time management. It will make you work smarter and lead a healthy and happy lifestyle. Importantly, you could become a source of inspiration to your friends and colleagues as they make you a role model in their own lives.
Priyanga Hapugalle FCIM, MCAM, MIDM, Chartered Marketer