What Does Time Management Mean for You?

Time management.

Those two words often strike fear in the hearts of Americans.

Yet the holidays are right around the corner, with travel, parties, Christmas/Hanukah lights and decorations to put up, work to do, clients to serve, friends to spend time with, gifts to buy, blah, blah, blah. The list is seemingly endless.
The common thread here is that all of these take one thing. Time.

What does the phrase time management mean for you?

Ever since I was 21-years-old, fresh out of college, I have built multiple businesses from scratch, moved across country or into a new city and state where I knew no one, starting all over in both professional and personal life and was able to find immediate balance. No grass grew under my feet. I immediately built systems, built dream networks, created physical fitness routines, joined churches, discovered new friends and relationships within mere weeks of each move. I discovered something else years later – that what I was able to create and do and have in my life as a result of these abilities I possessed were seemingly born in me and abilities that not everyone tapped into or seemed to possess or have an awareness of. I discovered these abilities are rarely utilized by people and every time I shared with people what I was able to have completed in my life, they were baffled, amazed and astounded. They would all ask me the same questions.

How did I do this? What made my being a business owner, an Ironman Triathlete, a Success Coach, an author, volunteer, friend, coach – what made all that possible?

Simple answer for me was as easy as two words. Time management.

Some would argue, well, there is no such thing as time, therefore there is no such thing as time management. In a way, they are right. Let’s look at this first before we continue. Let’s get on the same page. What is time, really? What is time management?

In 5th century BC Greece, in a written work by Antiphon the Sophis, he states that “Time is not a reality, but a concept or a measure.” Modern day philosophers have carried that belief on in stating that time is unreal or an illusion of our lives. Interesting thought!

In Religion and Biblical times, scripture states that there is a “time for everything under Heaven” Time appears to be an appointed benchmark or turning point of sorts to measure the past, present and future. Another interesting view.

In the science arena, according to the online reference encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Einstein said that "The only reason for time is so that everything does not happen at once". In this regard, Einstein said that time was basically what a clock reads; the clock can be any action or change, like the movement of the sun. Einstein showed that people traveling at different speeds will measure different times for events and different distances between objects, though these differences are minute unless one is traveling at a speed close to that of light. Again, another point toward measurement.

I discovered that time use research is actually a field of study. Time use research is all about the allocation of time spent on different activities in our daily lives, such as time at home, at work, shopping, etc. Time use is variable dependent on access to technology as well (with Internet, television and radio being in that department) which allows us to appear to do things quicker and be limitless in the effective communication of time, people, places and/or things and yet I believe is still all based upon one thing. That is the aspect of how we use our time, or manage to budget our time, in our 24-hour days – also a measurement that as humans we agreed to use thousands of years ago. Just as it is necessary to budget our spending of money, it is also necessary to budget our time and how we spend it. Unlike money, we are all given equal amounts of time as measured in seconds, minutes, hours in a given day, month and year of our lifetime.

With all this research, my preferred definition of time management that I use today is this.
Time management is a self-disciplined, self-discovered tool by which is a standard of measure that we are all given to quantify our priorities in any given day. It is simply how we manage our time, manage our disciplines and ultimately, manage our selves in our mindsets in a balanced mental, physical and Spiritual manner of delegation of that time. How we utilize that time will determine our fate of happiness, success and personal growth. Period.

I also believe that regardless of our access to technology and awareness of communication systems out there, time management is still based upon ourselves and how we use our time effectively and efficiently, whatever that looks like for you. It is your choice. There is no right or wrong, yet your choice on how to utilize your time does affect the world on a daily basis. Your use of time now, will indeed affect your future.
I work with my coaching clients on this all the time.

If you choose to use your time to lead generate in your business today or choose to stare out the window, which action will cause you to be able to have a business revenue or cash flow in a few months from now? If you chose to use your time to eat that piece of cake today instead of that piece of fruit, will it get you to your ideal goal weight faster? If you choose to use your time to meditate or pray instead of sleep in or go to bed early, will you feel more at peace and connected to your Spiritual self? These are pretty basic examples for myself and what I have helped many clients weigh in on when considering how to spend their time. Yours may look very different and that is great. Whatever works for you is perfect.

Here’s a thought for you to ponder. You just learned that within time itself you possess the power of choice. Time management is how you manage your choices with the time you are given. Does time play favorites? I think not. Time does not hold favorites because you are not given more time than anybody else since we all have 24 hours in any given day. Even if someone dies at a younger age than you - you are still accountable for the time you have been given. No one is cheated in time. Have you ever heard of Father Time? Father Time is the personification of time and along with Mother Nature, has been used as a human picture of our own mortality. The hourglass you are given keeps going, no matter what you choose to do with your time. Once that last hour is gone, it is gone forever.

How do you manage your time? Do you use it as though you will live forever? Or do you manage it as though you are going to die tomorrow? Are you purpose-driven with your time? Or lack purpose and clarity in utilizing your time to its highest and best use in any single moment?

Give it some thought. You are the author of your own time and time management. I have given you my own definition. I am merely one teacher that has appeared to you now. I want you to apply your own definition for your own life.

Happy holidays! Enjoy your time with friends/family/clients this season and year end. I trust you will use your time wisely.