Ahmed Shaami
Time is the most important non-renewable resource in this life. It is always possible to make more money but you can never make more time. You might be surprised that wastage of time has less to do with others and more to do with you. Other people value your time exactly as you value it. But the main reason your time isn’t valued is because you don’t value it much yourself. All the people who want to become leaders must be struggling to learn this first lesson of leadership. They waste a lot of time in casual conversation when they can move the ball down the field. They might not know the importance of being disciplined when it comes to finishing projects on time.
But in order to teach others to respect your time, you have to adopt the following strategies:
Develop the art of saying “NO”:
You have to start by picking one habit and start practicing it. You have to devote you attention towards time management. For that purpose, you have to start saying “no” to the projects that you cannot manage in your routine. If you will not develop the habit of saying no, your time will be consumed much more than you can imagine. Once you start valuing your own time, the more streamline all your work will become. People will understand that your time is not an open buffet for all and no matter if some of them get offended, you have to get your own things right.
Decide in advance:
According to therapists, the easiest way to get out of a time consuming situation or a situation is to get hold of a catch phrase. Memorize a polite line and keep it handy in the back of your mind. With a proper phrase you will be able to challenge the interpreter to postpone the conversation to a later time. It will help you to keep on doing what you were doing, train your mind to politely reject distraction, and stay focus on what you are doing.
Surround yourself with like-minded people:
In order to learn more about time management, surround yourself with those who have already mastered the art. Don’t waste any minute when you get to spend time with such people. Become in control of what you do and live intentionally. A sign above your office door such as “if you do not have something to do, please don’t do it here” can make a deep and lasting impression on the mind of other people to value your time.
