Everything you are and that you will become is determined by the way you think, your perception of time and how you use it, so says Brian Tracy, and I concur. So many people squander time without even giving it a second thought, paying it no attention whatsoever. But, of course, people say that they never have enough time. Newsflash: You aren’t going to get any more time! Truth be told, there is always enough time, it’s your perception of it and how you use it that makes the difference when it comes to getting things done.
When it comes to time management, there is no “one size fits all” or boxed solution. The key to your productivity is inside of you. When you look within for solutions and become aware of the laws that govern time, it helps you make a massive shift in how you relate to time and you get the results that you’re looking for when it comes to productivity.
Stop and think about how you view time. How do you see it? Do you have your own perception of it, or is your perception a reflection of what you learned as a child? Something that you accepted at face value instead of questioning what you were taught? If you’re like most people, you’ve accepted what you’ve been taught and never questioned anything about time. If you find yourself challenged when it comes to productivity, it might be time for you to take a look at this whole time thing and see what’s really there.
As you look at how you view time, consider that there are laws that govern time. There are a number of such laws, but I’m going to share three primary ones with you here. If you’ve been around for a while here on my blog or if you’ve been a client, you’ve probably heard me say that you must have clarity. Without clarity, there is no vision and without vision you can’t get where you expect to get. The only thing you can expect is to spin your wheels. The clearer you are about your goals, the more efficient and effective you can be in achieving them and you’ll get there much faster than someone who doesn’t have that clarity.
The law of priorities says that your ability to set priorities when it comes to your time determines the quality of your life. When you’re clear about your priorities you never have to guess at what comes next or about what goes onto your agenda, because you already know whether something fits or not. If you look at your agenda right now, can you say that the items you see are all priority items? Now, they don’t all have to be top priority, but what you see should be one of your priorities.
Finally, there’s the law of planning. Over the years I’ve heard people say that planning is a waste of time, and I’m here to tell you that it’s simply not true. Planning is an investment of your time and actually saves you time when it comes to execution. Every minute that you invest in your plan gives you ten on the other end when it comes to execution. In addition to saving yourself that time, you also get the return on the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual capital that you invest. Not to mention the fact that with planning you get to contemplate the obstacles that may come up and decipher solutions for managing them should they arise.
These are just three of the laws that govern time, but they should get you off to a good start as you begin to look at how your view time. If you take that closer look and see that your perception of time is one that was handed down to you, take a deeper look to see what’s truly there when it comes to time. Question what you’ve learned and start looking at the concept in depth. Perception is everything. Your future and everything that you become is impacted by how you view time and how you use it.