What Do You Believe About Time?

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Many of us have misconceptions about time—not only philosophical and scientific misunderstandings but also practical misunderstandings—which cause inefficient time management.

"What is time? If no one asks me, I know what it is. If I wish to explain it to him who asks me, I do not know."
- St. Augustine (354-430)

Common beliefs about time

1. The busier I am, the more I get done.
2. The harder I work, the more I get done.
3. If I wait to make a decision, my decision will be sounder.
4. The more organised I get, the better I’ll use my time.
5. I'll use my time better if I pay attention to every minute.
6. By doing it myself, I’ll get it done faster.
7. There just isn’t enough time.

What are your beliefs about time?

• How many of these reasons have you used to explain your use of time?

• Which ones do you use the most often?

• Which ones do you believe help you the most?

• Which ones do you believe hinder your effective use of time?

What time management experts say

Usually, the perpetually busy person has no time to assess the true value of what is being done. This person looks efficient but may be busily heading off in the wrong direction. There is limited flexibility and spontaneity.

"Beware the barrenness of a busy life."
- Socrates (c. 469-399 BC)

Like the myth of being busy, this doesn’t necessarily hold true. Sweat doesn't equal results. Instead, the wise time manager should spend extra time planning. It has been estimated that every hour spent in planning (conformance) saves three to four hours of sweat (non-conformance)!

"Don't work harder, work smarter."
- Allen F. Morgenstern

Delays can make a decision more difficult. Delaying a decision may be procrastination, leaving less time for carrying out the plan or for dealing with difficulties.

"You may delay, but time will not."
- Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)

The overorganised person continually makes and revises lists, spending disproportionate time considering every detail. Eventually, getting organised overshadows everything else, and nothing gets done. This person is often blind to changes, new opportunities and others’ needs or ideas.

"Too much organisation can kill creativity and spontaneity."
- Tony Hsieh

These are the people who fume when a meeting is one minute late or when traffic lights don’t change fast enough. Watching the clock just makes them more nervous about trying to meet an impossible schedule—and impossible to live with!

"Punctuality is the virtue of the bored."
- Evelyn Waugh (1903-1966)

The key is to know which tasks are your responsibility and which belong to somebody else. Some people find it hard to say ‘No’, even when it isn’t their responsibility. You might find it easier to do something themselves rather than having to explain it to someone else. The problem with doing this is that nobody else ever learns to do the work, and you end up doing it yourself time after time.

"If you want to do a few small things right, do them yourself. If you want to do great things and make a big impact, learn to delegate."
- John C. Maxwell (1947- )

7. There just isn't enough time

The time we have is all there is. Nobody has any more than anyone else. Time is not the problem; how we use it is. We are really our own worst enemies in this matter, and we need to manage our tasks so that we no longer have too much to do in too little time. When we say that we haven’t got time to do a task, we may be saying that it has a low priority, so just come clean and say that it doesn't need to be done.

"It is not that we have a short space of time, but that we waste much of it."
— Seneca (5 BC-65 AD)