SECRETS OF TIME MANAGEMENT
MAXIMISE YOUR TIME
Time is the stuff of which life is made. appreciate the value of time, recognising it as a gift from God that should not be
spent carelessly. The author shares ten pivotal pillars of good time management, which include: • Do one thing at a time • Delegate • Set deadlines
SECRETS OF TIME MANAGEMENT
I
n this book Daniel Chuunga, motivational speaker and pastor, encourages us to
• Rest You might not be a top executive but you are still a manager of your own time. Following these constructive principles will help you to maximise your time and maximise your potential!
MAXIMISE YOUR POTENTIAL
PUBLISHING CO. 9 780987 019509
DANIEL CHUUNGA
Africa
ISBN 978-0-9870195-0-9
DANIEL CHUUNGA
SECRETS OF TIME MANAGEMENT Maximise your time, maximise your potential DANIEL CHUUNGA
Africa
PUBLISHING CO.
SECRETS OF TIME MANAGEMENT – Maximise your time, maximise your potential Daniel Chuunga Copyright © 2012 Africa Publishing Company ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Africa Publishing Company PO Box 111, Somerset Mall, 7137, South Africa Tel: +27 (0)21 8527656 Cell: +27 (0)83 5704585 Fax: +27 (0)86 5022980 Email: info@africacopublishing.com Unless otherwise marked, Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission. Full or partial reproduction by any form or by any means whatsoever is prohibited. The violation of copyright is a crime. ISBN: 978-0-9870195-0-9 Publisher: Marcos Cruz Editor: Cindy Hurlow Published in South Africa Notice: The publisher offers this book to the public in the hope that it will provide information and guidance to the benefit of the reader. However, the reader should keep in mind the role of professional advisors who are authorized to analyse clients’ individual circumstances and are qualified to provide the best possible advice in each case. The publisher declines all responsibility should a problem occur from the reader’s use of this book.
CONTENTS Introduction
3
Link tasks
21
Plan
5
Do not procrastinate
25
Do one thing at a time
7
Rest
29
Concentrate
9
Determine your future
33
Delegate
13
Conclusion
37
Set deadlines
17
References
38
Allocate time for daily activities
19
2
INTRODUCTION S
uccessful people in life value time management. To be one of these successful people, you need to manage your time effectively. Time, in itself, is not money but life. Dennis E. Hensley wrote, “Well, you have… a bank, and its name is ‘time’. Every morning it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it rules off, as lost, whatever of this you have failed to invest for a good purpose.”1 Time is an asset that God has given to humankind. You might not be a top executive but you are still a manager of your own time. Knowledge alone may not suffice – what you need to do is change your attitude towards time and put your principles into practice. In this book, Secrets of Time Management, you will discover ten pivotal pillars of good time management.
3
PLAN P
lanning is vital when it comes to time management. You need to make time to plan your activities to succeed in managing your time. Time is always ticking by and it is up to you to know how to use it. It is a good idea to sit down and make a list of what it is that you want to accomplish each day, each week, each month and each year. Without a plan, you will almost certainly drift from task to task without actually completing any of them. Set aside time to plan. As Henry Ford, the prominent American industrialist, once said, “Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs.” When you plan, list your activities according to importance. The most pressing tasks need to be first on your list. Prioritising is one way to attain success. Do not rush into activities without a plan. Prepare before you attempt to execute any of your plans. Once you have completed your list of things to do, practise selfdiscipline and stick to your schedule. Ellen G. White wrote: “It is the duty of every Christian to acquire habits of order, thoroughness, and dispatch… By tact and method, some will accomplish as much in five hours as others do in ten. Some who are engaged in domestic labour are always at work not because they have so much to do but because they do not plan so as to save time.”2 Planning is vital to time management. A few minutes of careful planning can save you a lot of time spent pondering over what to do.
5
DO ONE THING AT A TIME Y
ou will not accomplish much by getting entangled in numerous activities. Once you have compiled your plan of action, make sure you limit yourself to undertaking one thing at a time. Sometimes you will be tempted to start one task and leave it unfinished to begin another. Avoid making this mistake, and only undertake an activity you know you will finish. If you are a student studying Biology, dwell on that subject and do not stray to Business Economics. Focus on one thing at a time and make sure you see it through. When you do two things at once, you are bound to make errors, which will mean you will have to redo your work. There is wisdom in handling tasks one at a time. As the saying goes, “A man with one clock always knows the time; a man with several clocks is never sure.� Doing one thing at a time allows you to avoid repetition. It helps you to be thorough in whatever you do, and allows you to move swiftly on to the next task. Attending to two issues at once wastes time and promotes repetition. Despite the many and important things you may need to tackle, realise that you can only do one thing at a time.
7
CONCENTRATE S
uccessful time management involves concentration. Planning, without the selfdiscipline to concentrate on a given task, is futile. Put all your energy and focus into the task at hand. Do not succumb to pressure to do other things but simply concentrate on the work before you. Even the apostle Paul, in Philippians 3:13, says, “… one thing I do…” Strive to focus on the issue at hand until it has been dealt with. Concentration involves saying no to interruptions and unplanned events. A Native American saying goes, “When you chase two rabbits, you are likely to lose both.” Focus your attention on the issue at hand. If you are a farmer and you are weeding your field, do not get distracted with putting down fertilizer or digging up potatoes. Simply concentrate on weeding. If you are an accountant, concentrate on preparing the balance sheet instead of worrying about the payroll. Attending to one thing at a time, and concentrating on the task at hand, is what will bring success. Ignore all distractions as you concentrate on your work. Sometimes even telephone calls can be a disturbance. If you have a secretary, ask her to not allow any interference when you need to concentrate fully in the office. Schedule appointments only at a time when you are available to honour them. However, if you know you need quality time for a particular task, then avoid making appointments during that time.
9
You need to make time for what you need to achieve or else you will simply spend your time fulfilling other people’s expectations. Thomas Carlyle, the Scottish satirical writer, once said, “The weakest creature, by concentrating his powers on a single subject, can accomplish something, whereas the strongest, by dispersing his over many, may fail to accomplish anything.” Edwin C. Bliss advises, “Whatever you do, though, don’t get sidetracked. Finish the task you’ve selected before moving on to a second one. Get the good feeling that comes with success, even in some small matter.”3
11
SECRETS OF TIME MANAGEMENT
MAXIMISE YOUR TIME
Time is the stuff of which life is made. appreciate the value of time, recognising it as a gift from God that should not be
spent carelessly. The author shares ten pivotal pillars of good time management, which include: • Do one thing at a time • Delegate • Set deadlines
SECRETS OF TIME MANAGEMENT
I
n this book Daniel Chuunga, motivational speaker and pastor, encourages us to
• Rest You might not be a top executive but you are still a manager of your own time. Following these constructive principles will help you to maximise your time and maximise your potential!
MAXIMISE YOUR POTENTIAL
PUBLISHING CO. 9 780987 019509
DANIEL CHUUNGA
Africa
ISBN 978-0-9870195-0-9
DANIEL CHUUNGA