Why We Must Manage Our Time?!

Let’s put it in this way: This issue of the Gazette is an absolute example of why we need to learn how to manage our time! This issue was supposed to be published much sooner, but since some members of the group failed to hand in their writings on time it was postponed and postponed and postponed!

When you ask people like our members who cannot do their tasks in the given time, they usually say a similar reason; and guess what it is: “I’m busy!”

Quite familiar, isn’t it?! Many people are overwhelmed by tasks that are behind the schedule. The reason is that they collect the duties without thinking of the time each consumes and the power they take. Moreover, instead of dedicating the time to these to-do things, they waste a lot of extra time for extra things. So the duties go behind the schedule more and more.

Speaking of wasting time, I shall say that it is not just for those who have things to catch up with. We are almost all wasting a considerable part of our lives for nothing; if you cannot believe it, let’s review some examples. Think of times you are in the bus, taxi or your own car; think of times in front of TV when commercials are on TV; think of oversleeping in the mornings; think of those times that your eyes are moving on pages of your lesson books, but your mind is wandering about; and a lot of more examples. As you see, there are a lot of small parts of tie that if collected together, would make a valuable time to do great things. Yes, I know you cannot add the times of commuting to TV commercials or other things; but you can do things that can be distributed to these times; let’s say… reading books. You can always have a small book, magazine, paper or something with yourself and have a look at them in these spare times. I remember reading a memoir of the Leader of Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Khamenei, talking about reading several novels, some of which have had several volumes, on the bus going places. That happens when you believe you must read and more than that, you must use your time.

So, I have a suggestion. Take a paper and a pen. Take your time and write down all different things you do and you spend time for in your life; you can consider a single day, a week or general time. Write down for what you are consuming and spending your time.

Now, read them for 2 times and put it aside for 10 minutes. After ten minutes tae the list and think carefully which are necessary and which are not. Just cross unnecessary things over and promise yourself not to waste time for them. Be careful, it doesn’t mean you should not have fun, watch TV or rest; the point is that you shouldn’t spend more than enough for them.

Now, it’s time to decide for the spare times scattered in your daily life. Try to attach them to each other to make a good time, but if you couldn’t do that, don’t worry. Just find small things that you can do in short time. It can be a book, a paper, some vocabulary to review and learn. As I said, you can also do things, like reading, that can be resumed whenever you are free.

Do not forget to read the other writings of this issue to learn more techniques for saving, managing and benefiting your time.

By the way, what did you do during those 10 minutes I told you to put your list aside?!