Psychology of Time Management

Islamic Reflections

6 years ago

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

ربي اشرح لي صدري و يسر لي أمري واحلل عقدة من لساني يفقه قولي

ربي زدني علما وارزقني فهما

Time Management
Time management is the ability to utilize one’s time efficiently to maximize productivity and organization. It is a crucial component in the achievement of success. Many people have a passive approach to success; they envision themselves as being successful at some point in their lives, whether academic or professional, but they don’t necessarily have a realistic plan to get there. They go on leading their lives with the same monotony, not realizing the detrimental effect the lack of proper organization has in their life. On the other hand, some people work tirelessly to fulfill their dreams. They forgo all the comforts and luxuries of life, focusing solely on their aim. Yet, they never manage to make much of a difference either, despite spending day and night in the pursuit of their goal.
What makes these two categories of people so alike despite being so different?
Time management. Efficiently done, it helps one accomplish their goals, bringing them one more step closer to realizing their dreams and achieving success. Mismanaged, it makes one squander his resources and sapping him of his abilities, taking him further and further away from victory.
Time Management Strategies- A Reality Check
Every individual has been blessed with a unique set of skills. Techniques that work wonders for one person might not affect another one in nearly the same way.Many people try to use time management techniques that seem to work for others, only to be disappointed. This is because they gear those techniques without first identifying their most important goals. When they inevitably fail, their frustrations and hopelessness ultimately give rise to resentment, which slowly destroys an individual’s self-esteem. They are sucked into this self-destructive loop, all because they didn’t prioritize their goals according to their desire.
It is essential for an individual to recognize his boundaries. Failure to acknowledge this may cause one to become perfectionistic in their expectations. Ironically, perfectionists are particularly prone to procrastination, more so than average individuals.This is because the perfection they demand is virtually impossible to attain. They become preoccupied with fears of failure and disapprovalof others.
The solution to such problems is to engage in a strategy that suits your needs. Successful time management techniques operate on the principle of identifying one’s aims and then devising a suitable plan to achieve those aims. Some tips to keep in mind while doing this;

Renewing Intention– Intentions are the building blocks of actions. The Hadith “Actions are judged by intentions”is a reminder that our aims and actions must be within the guidelinesof Islam.
Prioritization- In order to stay focused on the task at hand and to make sure one makes adequate progress with assignments, set realistic goals for work. Jot down short-term and long-term goals and start working on them in order of significance. This allows you a way to measure your progress and make sure you are getting things done.
Eliminating Distractions- Try to work in a distraction-free area to maximize efficiency. Even if it means going “off the grid” or turning down the occasional request to hang out.
Reflections-Set aside some time to review your work performance on a daily or weekly basis. Note the times you excelled and areas where you can improve. Try to figure out why you were so productive some days and not so productive others.
Divine Assistance-One should never hesitate to implore Allah (SWT) for his help when one is in need because Allah (SWT) Himself says, “Call upon Me; I will respond to you.” [40:60]

Benefits of Time Management
Efficient time management has quite a few advantages. The most notable one is having a clear sight of one’s deadlines. Other benefits include;

Increased productivity- Effective time management enables one to complete more assignments in shorter periods and eliminates last minute panic. You won’t have to panic or rush through your jobs if you know how to manage your time. Not only do you have more time to get important things done, but you also have free time to work on achieving additional goals.
Improved Decision-Making Ability- When you’re staring a deadline in the face, your cognitive capacity tends to be compromised. You rush through your assignments without giving a second thought to relevance and authenticity. In contrast, when you stick to a schedule, you are under no pressure to rush and can examine options and make a decision, taking time to carefully consider each option.
Stress Relief- Stress relief is inarguably one of the most significant boons of effective time management. Stress is an unavoidable part of life and is directly proportional to poor time management. It takes a toll not only on the physical health of an individual but also influences his psychological well-being. Planning the day’s events ahead of time helps a person to be in control of his appointments as opposed to letting them get the best of you.
Improved Health-Good health requires catching at least 8 hours of sleep every night. This is hard to do if you’re working throughout the night, trying to finalize a project that should have been completed ages ago. Proper time management helps keep this issue in check and prevents one from falling victim to any of the multiple disorders caused by sleep deprivation.
Self-discipline-Effective time management leaves no room for procrastination. The better you get at it, the more self-discipline you learn. This is a valuable skill that will begin to influence other areas of your life, especially those wheredisorganization has kept you from achieving a goal.

Conclusion
Time is one of the most valuable blessings, something we can never get back. Subsequently, one of the most essential skills of life is time management. It is what makes success possible. In the words of Benjamin Franklin,
“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”
References

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سبحانك اللهم وبحمدك أشهد أن لا إله إلا أنت استغفرك و أتوب إليك

والسلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Written by: Mariam Kamran

TEAM IR