Heyyy, here you are! I was told I would find you here awaiting the post for the week. Guess what, I was rightly informed! You’re such a reliable family member, and it’s my joy to have you on this journey. Thank you for always being present.
It’s the last post in March 2023, and I’m glad we made it to the end of the month together. I hope you continue to keep your spirit, soul, and body together in good condition. I won’t forget to mention being grateful for the beautiful comments that came in after the last post. Thank you so much, fam.
Yeah, I mentioned that this is the last post for the month. The speed with which the month and even the year has been flying is not just from here. Just imagine, the first quarter is over already! Didn’t we all shout “happy new year” just yesterday? Fam, I’m just as surprised as you are o. Anyway, that’s what we will be discussing today.
I’d like to believe that I am not the only one that can remember almost everything that played out on the 1st of January like it was just a few hours ago. It’s 87 days into the year, but it seems to be just a few days.
In the same vein, you just look back sometimes and start to wonder where the time went. The surprise gets worse when you can’t seem to lay a finger on anything serious you spent time doing.
There is a saying in my native language (Yoruba) which I will interpret to mean “time cannot be bound or held down”, and I find the statement to be true. You can’t possibly put a stop to time, although we sometimes wish we can just hold it down a little.
If anything stops at all, it’s your watch or wall clock. But that in no way stops the time from being on the move. You get to realize it when the sun sets and the atmosphere gets dark in a few hours. That’s to tell you that the day is over, and time has gone.
Why do we seem to chase time so much? Why do we wish our desire to hold it down can just be granted for once? I believe you have answers (s) to the questions. Time is of great value, and if we consider it to be so important, then it’s wise that we put it to good use.
When you read the title, the T in SMART goals must have rung a bell. If it didn’t ring then, well, it just rang now. If a task is time-bound, then it must be completed within the specified period. Time-bound tasks lay a sense of discipline on you because there is an expectation at the end of the day.
I’ll give this example that WE ALL can relate to; the almighty examinations we have written at one time or the other. I can imagine someone saying “please, don’t remind me!”. It’s alright, you survived the experience. Thank God we can laugh about it now.
Whenever we write exams, there is a time frame given within which all stated questions must be answered. You see a long list of questions, sometimes with branches as we call it, and you wonder how you’re going to answer all of that within the given period. Time never seems to be friendly with a student under exam conditions.
Based on previous personal experiences or stories we’ve heard from other people, we know not to waste even a second writing irrelevant things or pouring out stuff on just a question at the expense of other weighty questions.
If we approach examinations with a time-bound mindset, we can apply it to a couple of other tasks we are assigned to carry out. Exam conditions put you through a high level of discipline and time management, and this scenario is applicable in the real world.
Here’s what I’m driving at; SET A DEADLINE AND STICK TO IT. Deadlines put you in check and help you stay focused. A deadline equally puts you in the safe zone. You don’t pay attention to diversions because there is a destination you’re headed to.
Have you been paying little or no attention to the use of a to-do list? Hey, it’s high time you started paying more attention to it. Making a mental note of whatever you want to get done is not enough. Please, put it into writing.
Like you would sometimes write an outline in an examination hall, your action list is your reference point. You know what to face, rather than just entertain whatever bumps into you as you go through the day. By the time you have a list, you can filter out the good, the necessary, and the important.
A list helps you plan your time even better, as you get to match the time you have with your plans. That same list is your evaluation guide at the end of the day, and the judge of how effective your time management was.
An accountability system can also ensure that you make the best of your time. It makes the journey worthwhile at the end of the day, even if the road seems a bit rough. If you however desire to get better, you must submit yourself to the corrections and checks that are being given.
Ticking your boxes gives you joy most times, so getting a reward attached is not a bad idea. Be proud of yourself, and celebrate your sense of discipline.
Never forget this; time is so precious. If you haven’t been working well with it, it’s not too late to start putting it to good use. Start from having the desire to make a change and get to work immediately. You will be glad you did.
It was nice having you here today, let’s do this together another time. Till then, be good. Remember to send in your comments as I’ll be waiting to receive them. Thank you for reading.
