TIME
MANAGEMENT A MASTERED ART
By Dr.Handel Leslie
Know the true
value of time; snatch, seize and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness, no
laziness, no procrastination: never put off till tomorrow what you can do
today.
Lord
Chesterfield
Time an
essential Commodity
Time is one of the most essential
commodities to a life of greatness. It is the currency of life and an arranger
of one’s tomorrow. The diligent person is not only time conscious but he is
destiny-oriented. He realizes that his tomorrow is connected to the way he
utilizes his time in his today. With this in mind, he is not willing to
compromise his time, knowing that to do so, would impede his progress and
jeopardize his tomorrow. Having in mind that time is his greatest asset, he has
to utilize it well so as to leave a legacy behind.
The value placed on time determines
one’s effectiveness in life endeavors. Millions squander useful moments of
life, leaving them with regrets. Solomon, one of the most outstanding
strategists on time management, catalogues the importance and sequence of time
in Ecclesiastes chapter three, in verse one, he wrote: “… a time to every
purpose under the heaven.” This is one of the wisest counsels ever
given regarding time.
It is said that time waits for no man.
That is to say that time is moving on a rapid pace. Whether you recognize it or
not, it comes and it goes. It is in this manner that the diligent person
becomes a wise and committed worker in his pursuits and assignments. Proverbs
10:4 says, “He becomes poor who works with a slack and idle hand, but the hand of
the diligent makes rich.” (AMP) In a society of non-commitment,
diligence is critical on the path to greatness. The way you handle your
everyday responsibility determines the outcome. Your intentions can only be
rewarded if they are backed by action. Every creative gift must be put into
action in order for you to rise to your level of greatness.
Time wasted is
life wasted
What you do with what you have been
given today determines its pay-off tomorrow. Your assignment is connected to
time. Where time is not appreciated, purpose never comes to fruition. On the
other hand, where time has no purpose, it is always wasted. Your destiny is
always linked to time. The careful alignment of your assignment to time
produces direction to your life.. PAUL W. LITCHFIELD once
said, One realizes the full importance of
time only when there is little of it left. Every man’s greatest capital asset
is his unexpired years of productive life To be a waster of time is to waste your
potential, frustrate your journey and divert you from your destiny. When you
value your time in relation to the assignments you have been given, it
maximizes those assignments. A responsible person is one that knows he is
responsible for what he has been given and it must be fulfilled within a
time-frame. To live as if time is as the air we breathe, is to live a careless
life.
Some think that time is free,
therefore it costs nothing. But there is always a price to pay for time that is
not utilized correctly. It may produce unfulfilled dreams, lack of progress and
ultimately, failure. When we lack wisdom concerning the proper utilization of
time, we are eventually disappointed. Some may even blame circumstances for
where they are today. Others blame the devil; but sadly it is because of how
they used their time yesterday. Yesterday’s mistakes, if they cannot be
rectified, should be considered lessons to learn so that adjustments can be
made tomorrow.
Time and
goals
Diligent people are goal-oriented.
Every day of their lives is spent moving in the direction of their goals. The
former President of Morehouse College, Benjamin Mays says, “The tragedy of life does not lie in not reaching your goal, the tragedy
lies in having no goal to reach. It isn’t a calamity to die with dreams
unfulfilled, but it is a calamity not to dream. It is not a disgrace not reach
the stars, but it is a disgrace to have no stars to reach for. Not failure, but
low aim, is a sin.” When you are diligent, you will work hard implementing
the necessary forces such as: wisdom, purpose, motivation and divine direction.
There must be a target ahead of you in order for you to be diligent.
A person who has no goal to reach will
never be committed to that which he is assigned. Your goals should be beyond
that of a monthly or a weekly salary. There should be the broader picture of
fulfilling that which is bigger than you. Diligence will always reward the
person who pursues it.
