The Time Management Crisis Today - Part 1

                                                                 

 

The Time Management Crisis Today -Part 1

Writen By, Nafije Prishtina 

Edited By, Kathy Shabatynskyj

Art created by, Rreze Prishtina

(Author’s note: Over the next two blogs. I will share the truth about time management. It’s not what you think it is. Read on.)

 

“Time equals life; therefore, waste your time and waste your life, or master your time and master your life. Learn to manage yourself, and enjoy a fuller, more productive life”

                                                                                                                                                -Alan Lakein

 

There are so many Time Management products available, for sale and for free. And Time Management information is everywhere. But, there is evidence that we have a crisis on our hands, a crisis for the “truth” about time management. If you are one of those people who has trouble managing yourself, it may be because you are trying to manage time instead.

The concept of time is a challenging construct to comprehend. We all must recognize that no one can actually control or manage time. The best description of Time comes from Eckhart Tolle, who said that “time is a structure of the mind that makes it possible for us to function in this world and it’s only accessible in the present moment.”

The concept of time-management had me stymied. To solve my time-management dilemma, I have researched the world’s leading experts in personal development and followed their advice. And I still fell short in managing my own time.  When I was in my twenty’s, life became super busy and my stress level was way too high. It was then that I switched gears, realizing that what I was trying to manage wasn’t time, but myself in relation to my time. Let me stress this point because it is essential; you cannot manage time; you can only manage yourself in regard to time. From that realization forward, time and I, have enjoyed a good relationship. 

This breakthrough led to a total restructure of my life. I started living with the end in mind, accepted the truth of time, identified my life goals in all areas, and got busy accomplishing my goals one moment at a time. I continue researching topics on productivity and about Time Self-Management from cognitive sciences and I’m happy to share that our productivity depends on our personal leadership abilities to self-manage our thoughts and our emotions with the time we have.

Not only are we in a “truth” crisis to understand our relationship to time, but when it comes to managing time most people have a scarcity mentality about time and find excuses NOT to do things because of the lack of time they have. You hear people complaining how they don’t have time to eat properly, exercise, get another job, go back to school etc. Researching and finding the truth about the concept of time is key to overcoming our crisis of time management. We have to stop lying to ourselves and others about the truth of time management and instead focus on self-managing skills that promote personal leadership and a healthy lifestyle. 

Truth about Time Management vs. Self-Management

Eckhart Tolle in his best-selling book, A New Earth, says that “Time is the horizontal dimension of life, the surface layer of reality. Then there is the vertical dimension of depth, accessible to you only through the portal of the present moment” (pg. 206). He teaches us HOW to access the present moment (the power of now), and reminds us to USE well our (clock time), AND to let go of psychological time. In his book The Power of Now (pg. 56), he said that we need to “learn to use time in the practical aspects of life “clock time” but immediately return to present moment awareness when those practical matters have been dealt with. In this way, there will be no buildup of “psychological time.” Psychological time is when your focus is on identification with the past and a continuous compulsive projection into the future.”

I believe Eckhart Tolle’s cry to encourage us to use our “clock time” well and not dwell into “psychological time” fits well within Self-management methodologies. According to David Allen, inventor of the “Getting Things Done” methodology, “Self-management is about knowing what to do at any given moment. It’s dealing effectively with the things we have to do to achieve our goals and fulfill our purpose. It’s also about deciding the importance of the varied and constant information coming at us”  He advices us that self-management doesn’t mean that we do everything on the list, it means that we strive to do our best in the things we choose to do, one moment at a time and limit time wasting activities and other distractions.

Next In The Time Management Crisis Today, Part II, my blog will feature my father, the 4S System and God; the critical thinking components that will end your time management crisis.