Time Management vs. Self Management

Fact: We all have the same amount of hours each day (24), and each week (168).

When someone says they don’t have time, what I feel they are really saying is that they haven’t managed themselves well and haven’t chosen to allot the time needed for the activity, meeting, task, etc. Often we don’t manage ourselves because we don’t realize that our time, choices, and how we use them is up to us.

Typically when I encounter someone who feels overwhelmed with their schedule, it is because they feel their schedule is out of their control. They feel the appointments, activities, and tasks are added for them by others and they don’t want to take responsibility themselves. The reality is that people have control over themselves, their priorities, what they say yes or no to, and the boundaries they set for themselves (even when you work for someone else).

It is not a question of managing our time, but managing ourselves. Or as I like to call it, self-management.

You have some control over how long a task, project, or appointment takes.
You have control over what you commit yourself to by saying yes or no.
Most of us have some control over how much time we sleep each night or when we wake up.

No single “Time Management” system works for everyone but there are basic principles that anyone can adopt for their own self-management. To get the most out of life and truly design your dream lifestyle you need to identify your priorities that support your dream life.

Take a different look at time management and instead, look at it as self-management. This allows you to start taking some responsibility to start planning and living your life by your design.