Take some time out to ponder on this; we have a lot of resources, human, economic, material, etc that are tangible. Which we can hold, feel and measure; so most times we evaluate our progress based on how effectively we have utilized these resources and the results or achievements gotten.
How you started a business with 500 dollars and now it is worth 1000 dollars or how you had two (2) employees and now there are ten (10) of them on your monthly payroll. How you planted a bag of soya beans and harvested 10 bags, we can go on and on. We hardly ever put into serious consideration the TIME it took to achieve these as a resource.
You might have had 5 activities on your To-Do list and at 4pm you are still struggling with the third item on your list, whereas coincidentally, someone else has same list as yours and at 2pm he or she has accomplished all of it and is looking out to bring in some of the next day’s work.
The truth is that we have equal amount of time yet some achieve more than others even when all other resources are equal or constant for all. The difference is not really the amount of time or resources available, it is majorly how each individual effectively uses the time.
This article is not focused on time management or sharing tips on how to use your time effectively; rather it is targeted at getting us to understand and value this resource called TIME. Until you value and understand something, you might never care about how you use it; same goes for time.
If you do not value time as a resource learning or going through trainings on time management might not be useful. There is a wide variety of articles and books that provide counsel on the use of time, so you can search them out, but right now I need you to begin a process of self evaluation.
How have you used your time in the past? Have you just lived your life and watched the clock tick seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years? Evaluate your achievements or present status; are you satisfied and feel you are at your best point? Sometimes I tend to believe that some of our parents lived more fulfilled lives than we might because they understood the value of time and used it effectively.
For instance, how old are you now? I am guessing if you look at your life now at this age and that of your Dad or Mum, they might have achieved some more when they were your age. Yes, they had to trek long distances for an education or work long hours under the sun, but when your Dad was 30 or 35 he already was effectively managing his personal resources and in most cases had his family.
Someone is giving excuses; that the economy was better in their days. My friend the truth remains that they used their 24hours judiciously and consciously laying hay while the sun shines. Today most young people have a certain belief that somehow by chance things will just work out.
They make statements like “I will gain admission into the university, let me keep writing the entrance exams, I will make my papers”, “I will have my own house at 40”, “I will buy my car by the end of the year”, etc. They forget that the way in which you spend your seconds will amount to the way you have spent your hours and days.
Time is of the essence. It is a great resource we must consciously learn to value and manage. Learn to respect time; attend events at the time stated, start your program when you said you will start. No room for ‘African Time’.
The value of time cannot be over emphasized and we must learn to cherish it. Sometimes you might not have the money to start a business, but you have the time to create and sell marketable ideas. How have you used your TIME?
