How well you manage your time and your life is determined by the choices you make. Everyone makes daily choices. You say 'yes' or 'no' to starting a project now or later, to interrupting yourself to get a coffee or to keep working, to write things down or make mental notes, to do something or to leave it undone, to get upset under stress or to remain calm.
You choose the type of planner you use, the paperwork you keep, the books you read, the courses you take, the foods you eat, the associations you join, and the friends you make. You decide how to spend your weekends, your work time, your lunch time, your spare time and your family time.
Many of us seem to go though life placing the responsibility for our time problems on others. "We had to work late." It was a bad day." "It was impossible to get anything done." Statements like these indicate we had no choice in the matter. Things happened to us that were beyond our control.
Of course we could argue that indeed we have no choice. For instance, if we had refused to work overtime we would have been fired. But isn't that a choice? Conceivably there could be a situation where choosing to be fired rather than do something could be the best choice to make. It is simply a matter of recognizing we do have choices, and accepting the responsibility for the choices we make.
Managing our time is more than simply planning and scheduling and working as efficiently as possible. It is a process of making the right choices. What is right for one person may not be right for another. But once you are conscious of your values, your personal goals have been determined, and you know what it is you want to do with your life -- both on and off the job -- you will be able to make the choices that lead you in that direction.
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