Introduction to Time Management and Control

Until you value yourself, you will not value your time. Until you value your time you will not do anything with it.

Morgan Scott Peck (22 May 1936 – 25 September 2005) was an psychiatrist American and best-selling author. He earned his bachelor's degree from , Harvard University He did premedical studies at Columbia University in New York City, and received his medical
degree from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.

Mr. Peck seems to have hit it right on the head, how do you value yourself? If your value of yourself is not much, then chances are you will not be getting much done with your life.
If your goal in life is just to punch a time clock and go home, then this blog is not for you.

Have you ever heard the saying “If you want something done, find someone that is busy”.
This is reserved for the elite. The ones that truly get things done in a day. They are the ones that are in control. Add one or two things to their list in a day and ZIP, it is done. These people for the most part have control of their time. They are not at all like I am going to address in the next paragraph.

I promised in my last blog to talk further about not using the word “busy”. This word alone will keep you from success faster than anything you can do.” Busy” sets you up for failure before you even get started. Everyone out there, when you ask them how they are doing will tell you they are “busy”. Are you in that group of folks that use that phrase? Then get out of it!! You will be surprised at the response of people when you start answering,”Fine Just Fine”. Don't be surprised if folks don't start coming to you to get things done!!

The person that truly wants to move up or to advance will never tell anyone they are “busy”. Why? Because they are in control, not just of what they do, but of their TIME. And that is what we are going to talk about over the next seven to ten blogs.in this series I hope to share with you a simple time management program and some of my own experiences. Please give your feed back!

Jim Zabloski said it best in his book “25 most Common Problems In Business”'and How Jesus solved Them:

He slept beneath the moon; he basked beneath the sun; he lived a life of going-to-do; and died with nothing done.”

I recommend this book, it is full of wisdom if you are running a business.
Jim Zabloski, “25 most Common Problems In Business”'and How Jesus solved Them”. Published by Broadman & Holman Publisher, Nashville Tennessee.

Rule number one
in working on a plan for time management is to pray. Pray daily, that your direction and your decisions will be in God’s will. In your planning and daily activities you should look not only to your own interests, but to the interests and well being of others: (Philippians 2:4)

As I stated in my last blog :

“No one has enough time, yet everyone has all there is. What we do with our time determines what we do with our lives”.

As simple as that…what we do with our lives….
Wow, blog is over, we just become more careful on how we manage our lives and our time management skills will fall into order!

Whoa, wait just a minute, there are hundreds of folks that have written books, pamphlets, and given seminars to the tune of millions of dollars per year that say different. If only you will use their system on “Time Management” you will solve all your problems and become millionaires overnight Seems there a lot of folks looking for answers to meet the challenge of getting more done with the time they have.

Statistics say that between 50% and 75%of our time is taken from us by the people we are associated with. These people come disguised as wives, children, friends, business associates, and customers. I know that as I came up through the ranks I developed solid relationships with a lot of people. As my responsibilities grew (and pressure on my time) these same people thought they could just call me up at anytime and 'shoot the bull' as they had for years. I had to put a stop to it or I would never get anything done. In the beginning I felt there were some hurt feelings, but when I got these people one one one and explained what was going on they pretty much understood. It was still difficult however.

Rule number two
in working on a plan for time management, I found in a cute little saying, but oh so true:

”The executive who works from 8:00a.m. to 8:00p.m. every day will be both very successful and fondly remembered by his widow’s next husband”.

Are you going to work for the family, or does the family make you work? No, really, what type of executive are you going to be? I can tell by experience your family must come first. In all that you do, there will be good times and bad times, but in the end Family must come first, Right behind God in all your business dealings. Regretfully I did not find this out until late in my career. But trust me, behind your relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ, You must put your family second. And make it stick. There is no way to go back and catch those years. The business will thrive even better if all things are good at home, from your Parents, inlaws, children, and your wife. A good manager of time will make sure the real reasons they are working(Family) is scheduled and filled daily and weekly and monthly and yearly.

I remember hearing Managers brag about the amount of vacation they had accrued. I always thought to myself, “What an idiot”.You must take time off for yourself and family.

Personal time management skills are essential skills for effective people. People who use these techniques routinely are the highest achievers in all walks of life, from business, to sport, to public service, to your personal life. If you use these skills well, then you will be able to function exceptionally well, even under intense pressure.

In my next blog we will be stepping off into that world of time management and control. I look forward to talking to you then.