Time Management: 

Stop Allowing Other People Taking Your Valuable Time

Effective time management can transform our lives. With a few simple changes we can cut our working hours, boost our leisure time and spend our days doing the things that we really want to do. However, other people can make unwanted and unfair demands on our time from that prevent us from effectively managing our time.  For many people its often to easy to just say ‘yes’ to these extra demands and then resent the extra workload later.



To truly use your time to its full you have to learn to say no to these demands. However, it can be very difficult to identify which demands lead to you wasting your time. To help you spot them you need to consider what actions are most important to you and how you want to spend your time. This makes it easier to see when you are letting other people dictate your use of time.

The classic example is in the workplace. You have your day well planned out with all your tasks for the day scheduled at times to suit you. You are on target to get everything done on time when a colleague encounters some problem they think you can help with, even though it is not your job. If you say yes, you will have more to get done and possibly have to work late yet again to get everything completed.

While it may not be popular, you have to say no in situations like this. Or at the very least tell colleagues that you can help if the time becomes available. As you start asserting yourself in this manner, you are likely to find that some people around you won't like it because its not how they are used to you being.

Colleagues may then say that you are not doing your job well or being professional.  These comments are usually more about them and not necessarily a reflection on you. 

It is essential that you take control of your own time and not let other people dictate it. Ask colleagues that they check with you before committing you to anything, such as extra work or meetings. This will give you control over when the extra work or meeting will take place. Of course, you need to be flexible if you can, but find a time for such tasks that suits you.

Often it is fear that stops us from saying no to people, fear of what other people think. We also tend to focus on the negative comments that people make about us while praise is quickly forgotten.  I appreciate it may not feel easy and you need to face this fear if you are to take control of your time.

Remember that it is your time and you choose how to spend it. Also constantly remind yourself that effective time management will bring you a happier and more productive existence. While people may complain at first about your taking control of your time, they will quickly become accustomed to the new you.