Time management is life management. Those who do not care about time—life does not care about them. Life favors those who are serious about time. We have breath, and every single breath is like a second on a clock. When you take a breath, you use time; you cannot reuse your last breath, just as you cannot reuse lost time.
How to Improve Time Management
Mind management is time management. You must think about the value of time. Wearing a watch is not enough—you need to truly understand time’s worth. If you have scattered thoughts or lack interest in life, you waste time on useless activities. Control your mind, use a timetable, and select a clear direction. Many people lack direction in life. To gain clarity, create a self-assessment chart:
- Where I am now, and where I want to be in the next five years.
- Where my studies are now, and where I want them to be next year.
- Where my job or business is now, and where I want it to be in the next five years.
- Where my relationships are now, and where I want them to be in the next five years.
Don’t overthink. People waste time overthinking. Instead, make two lists:
- What is important to think about.
- What is not important to think about.
Focus only on the important items.
Practical Time Division Strategies
We all have 24 hours in a day. One simple way to manage it is to divide it into four equal parts of 6 hours each (since 6 × 4 = 24). Here’s a basic example:
- 6 hours at night for sleep.
- 6 hours for work or study.
- 6 hours for playing games and eating.
- 6 hours for reading books and meeting friends.
Adjust based on your needs. Another effective approach is the 8-8-8 rule:
- 8 hours for sleeping.
- 8 hours for your job.
- 8 hours for doing business or learning new skills to improve your financial condition.
You can vary this on weekends and incorporate visits to different places throughout the year. Include activities like playing music and reading books—create a yearly chart or timetable to plan it all.
You can also divide time by longer periods for bigger goals. For example, by years: This year, I will:
- Get a new job or promotion.
- Start or expand a business.
- Make new relationships or friends, or strengthen existing ones.
- Visit different places on specific days.
- Attend parties.
- Read books and play music.
By months: Assign goals to each month for the same categories (e.g., new job, business expansion, relationships, travel, parties, reading, and music). Here’s a table for monthly planning:
Month | Focus Areas |
January | New job/promotion; Start/expand business |
February | Build relationships/new friends |
March | Visit places; Attend parties |
April | Read books; Play music |
May | New job/promotion; Strengthen relationships |
June | Start/expand business; Visit places |
July | Attend parties; Read books |
August | Play music; Build new friends |
September | New job/promotion; Visit places |
October | Start/expand business; Attend parties |
November | Read books; Strengthen relationships |
December | Play music; Reflect on the year |
You can further divide by weeks or days. These divisions create balance, ensuring time for rest, work, enjoyment, and growth. Start with one strategy for a week and tweak it to fit your lifestyle.
Time Management for Students
Students don’t face a time management problem—they face a mind management problem. In today’s world of distractions, mobile phones and computers can easily pull focus. Use your mobile only when needed—don’t use it all the time. Keep it away during study sessions and treat it as a helping tool, not a constant companion. Finish your work on time and avoid thinking about useless things.
To stay focused:
- Make a list of what you need to think about during this time.
- Make a list of what you do not need to think about.
- Make a list of urgent work.
- Make a list of non-urgent work.
Divide your work into months, weeks, days, and hourly segments.
Sample Daily Routine for Students
Here’s a structured daily routine to build good habits:
Time Slot | Activity | Details |
6:00 AM | Wake up time | Hydrate and prepare for the day. |
6:30 AM – 7:30 AM | Exercise time | Jog, yoga, or workout for physical health. |
7:30 AM – 8:00 AM | Meditation time | Practice mindfulness to improve focus. |
8:00 AM – 8:30 AM | Breakfast time | Nutritious meal to start strong. |
9:00 AM – 3:00 PM | Go to school, college, or university time | Attend classes with short breaks. |
12:00 PM – 12:30 PM | Lunch time | Balanced meal during break. |
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Reading time | Study materials or books for growth. |
7:00 PM – 7:30 PM | Dinner time | Light, healthy evening meal. |
Importance of Time Management in the Workplace
If you have a job or run a business, time management plays a vital role in achieving success and reaching your goals. Without time management, you cannot win.
Being Late Means a Warning Alarm
If you arrive late to your job, you will receive a warning letter. If you do it regularly, you may get fired.
Lateness Affects Everything
If you go late to your job, everything will be delayed. You cannot complete your tasks on time. Then, you can’t go home as scheduled, leading to more trouble. Everything is linked to each other.
Mental Health Issues
When you do not follow a timetable, you will encounter problems like procrastination. Your mindset will not work well, and you will feel that everything is going the wrong way