PLAN : Manage time

From business leaders who run billion-dollar organizations to executives who operate an enormous number of projects, to housewives who are involved in a multitude of daily activities, to students who have lots of studious and recreational goals, for all of them, there is one factor that helps accomplish more and more. That factor is 'managing time'!

Has it ever happened that your day has so many tasks that no matter how many you finish, there are more and more that seem to be looming up? Has it ever happened that you feel like your skills and competency levels are just not up to the mark for you to accomplish this task within the given time? Has it ever happened that you feel like taking a break and coming back to the task and yet not be sure what different ways one can complete it? Has it ever happened that you look around and see so many things you would like to try and like to do, but are unable to find enough time to do them all? Sometimes, to be able to handle all these, all it takes is a little bit of organizing... all it takes is for one to plan... Glimpse PLAN now:

. Prioritize: Nowadays it can be very difficult for working professionals to decide which tasks to focus on and which to keep for later, which to give importance now and which to let go off. Deciding this order, making a choice to put one task above the other is the skill of prioritizing. Some of the tips and techniques one can use in this context include:

a) Daily planning � planning one's day right at the start of the day helps in getting a lot more work done than one who does not plan. This little time given to this activity can help accomplish more. List all tasks for the day.

b) Differentiate the have-tos and the want-tos � be clear whether this task needs to be done or you just want to do it and consciously choose to let go of the tasks that need not be done now even if you want to do them right away

c) Delegate � remember that you don't have to do everything yourself in order to get it right. Coach and delegate to the right people so that more can be accomplished in the given time d) Focus: when you start on one task, stay with the focus on this task and not think of the other tasks which are still pending. Focus your energies on only the task at hand

.Learn: Education, it is said, may stop at some time, but learning is always known to be a continuous process in one's life. Learning has been an important ingredient of anyone's life with one's ability to learn growing every year right from one's childhood. There are thus so many activities available in today's world to enable learning for individuals. Books are full of the new-found techniques as well as traits and characteristics required for one to learn better and better every day.

The quicker an individual can unlearn, learn and relearn effectively, the quicker they are able to work around various tasks and manage their time effectively. When a particular plan or prioritizing does not work, one needs to revisit the process and learn from the results to be able to plan better next time. A Being a good student, discipline, interest in different topics, reading, etc, are often called the qualities of a good learner. The attitude, ability and skill learning help enhance time management skills.

. A Action: There is this age-old story of three cats sitting on a wall all day... doing nothing. After sitting that way for more than three days, two of the cats are frustrated and decide that this is not what they want to do. They decide that they are immediately going to jump of the wall. A When asked how many cats are now on the wall, most people say one which is not the case. The number of cats is still 3 since the 2 which have decided have only decided and not yet actually taken the action of jumping!

Many a time, planning and time management is like this too. An individual may be excellent in planning the whole day and even the whole month. Yet, when it comes to taking action on the plan, the individual falls short. On paper, one's time is managed perfectly; one knows what needs to be done when and where and one is aware of the consequences of completing or not completing an act.

Yet, at the end of the day or the end of the week, when the individual looks back, they do not see the tasks completed. Effective time management is not just about planning and prioritizing well; it is also about taking action on the tasks and plans made

Remember that you don't have to do everything yourself in order to get it right. Coach and delegate to the right people so that more can be accomplished in the given time

. Now: There is no time such as now! Whether it is to upgrade a skill, or learn a core topic, or take a proactive step, or communicate and deliver quality, there is no time such as now.A

Being in the present does not necessarily need to be understood in only a spiritual sense, it also means being aware and taking advantage of every opportunity available today.

While having long-term goals and working towards them are definitely important, an individual also needs to look at what s/he can do today and not let things go only dreaming about what may come up tomorrow. Being fully aware of what needs to be completed right now helps in managing time effectively When you plan, you are in charge of your time...

You have the power!

Revathi Turaga is an international trainer & inspirational speaker. http://www.revathionline.com