It's time to take control

Everyone has the same amount of time each day. How you manage your time is very different from how others manage theirs. If you feel that you're spending most of your time doing crisis management instead of time management, it's probably because you don't plan ahead. The secret lies in planning, prioritizing, and the ability to say "No!". How can you go about doing this? Well, here are a few steps to consider:

1. Purchase a diary and plan your actions for each day. Write down everything that needs to be done. Focus on everything that is a priority for that specific day. Everything else can be put on a scheduled plan for the next day or later in the week.
2. When you wake up, follow the plan. Do what is written down. Unless it's an emergency, don't add anything to the daily plan. Rather say "No!" and add whatever is new to the schedule for another day.
3. A lot of people procrastinate. Make it a habit to start early and on time, and end everything on time.
4. Multi-tasking is a mistake. If you give something your undivided attention and do it to the best of your ability, you will be saving more time than trying to kill two birds with one stone. The proverb has potential, but in many circumstances, it is not effective. When you spend time doing something, do it properly the first time.
5. If you don't say "No!" and you add unnecessary tasks to your daily plan, you will be changing time management back into crisis management.
6. It's important to realize that time management not only affects you but other people too. So, learn to respect other people's time. You have your opinion of what is important and they have their opinion of what is a priority. Communicate and make effective arrangements so that things get done.

Time management is possible. Plan, prioritize and learn to say "No!". When this doesn't seem to work in your life, you need to ask yourself a very important question: Who is in control of your life? 

You have to be in control of your life. If your spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend, parents, children, friends, pets, boss, job, or other people or "stuff" control your life, you are a slave of the system in which you live. You will always be out of control, negative and unhappy. Making sacrifices continually for other people and compromising your time every day robs you of your inner peace.

Take control of your life. After all, it's your life. Spend your time wisely. If you're not happy, you need to find out what it is that's causing you to feel unhappy. Communicate, negotiate, suggest, and always show respect, but find a way to make things better.

Life is hard and it doesn't get easier with age. To lead a quality life, you have to make responsible choices. Make the right choices to make a positive difference, not only in your life but in the life of those around you.