Energize your time

STRATEGIES FOR MAXIMIZING PRODUCTIVITY AND WELL-BEING

DR. MANISH KULKARNI is a busy man! So he has created an approach to time management that allows him to focus on what’s important and disregard what’s not.

Time is an infinite space and can create miracles. Twenty-four hours of time is always a stretchable period. We can accomplish much more in less time and practically nothing in maximum time.

Time management is the process of planning and exercising conscious control of time—what time we spend on specific activities, especially to increase effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity. When we see good time management, it requires an important shift in focus, from activities to results. Being busy is not the same as being effective or productive. Good time management allows you to work smarter, not harder, so you can get more done in less time.

Why is it difficult to manage time?

The main reasons for poor time management are:

• Lack of prioritization
• Absence of optimal organization 
• Procrastination
• Distraction

When we start managing our time and benefit from it, 
we feel more in control of our day. 
We become more aware of the time we spend on unproductive activities 
and realize we want to spend more time on productive activities.

Benefits of proper time management

When we start managing our time and benefit from it, we feel more in control of our day. We become more aware of the time we spend on unproductive activities and realize we want to spend more time on productive activities. So we naturally become more productive in our work, and in our daily activities. We are able to focus longer on what we are doing and, more importantly, we make time for meaningful activities.

Five helpful pointers for time management

1. Start your day early by arriving early at work.
2. Plan your day the night before.
3. Prioritize tasks.
4. Take care of yourself right from the start till the end of the day.
5. Take small breaks in between daily activities, which energizes your time.

Using the Eisenhower Matrix

Dwight David Eisenhower was a former US President who developed a matrix to divide your daily activities according to important and not important, urgent and not urgent. Based on these divisions, a daily chart can be divided into four quadrants to highlight:

1. The most important and urgent work that needs to be done right now.
2. Non-urgent but important work which can be scheduled at some later time.
3. Urgent work that is not important, which can be delegated to someone else, and
4. Non-urgent work that is not important, which can be removed.

But in our day to day activities, we often spend more time doing non-urgent, unimportant tasks, and when we decide to focus on the urgent and important tasks the day is nearly over and we are tired. So the Eisenhower matrix is a great tool.

Ways to energize yourself

Leo Tolstoy once said, “The two most powerful warriors in life are patience and time.” How can we positively jump start our day? One way is with a simple gratitude list. This list can also be done prior to going to sleep. A second way is exercise, which stimulates endorphins, enhances cognitive performance, and kickstarts the day with a feeling of accomplishment. And a third way is to recite positive affirmations or intentions, which will help you affirm yourself and the work you are going to do.

They also help improve personal relationships, enhance decision-making capabilities, and prevent missed opportunities in the haste of the day. You can accomplish much more.

Create an achievable and realistic list of goals for a day, knowing your limitations. Share appreciation for others, and also appreciate your own deeds. It helps you to live an optimal life.

For all this to work out, adjust your mindset. Train your mind to try new things, to adapt to changes, and to face new challenges. Take time for growth. And that’s where Heartfulness Meditation comes into play: “The whole exercise of fine-tuning the heart with the mind is through meditation on the heart.” (Daaji)

When we take the time to refine our hearts, we can save so much time, as the heart takes care of the mind.