It is true that when it comes to improving oneself, you can always initiate it regardless of age, position, or career. However, once you do get started, time will always be of the essence. You cannot expect to attain significant success towards change if you take your own sweet time, doing things only when you feel like it. If you aim for personality development, you need to be able to manage time effectively. You are of course advised against rushing the steps that need to be undertaken, but you also should avoid taking too long to do each one.
Time management refers to the techniques, skills, strategies, and tools that individuals utilize in order to maximize their time in whatever it is they are doing. In this section, you will be provided with various techniques on how you can manage time effectively to help you develop a better personality.
The Time Management Matrix
Stephen Covey, one of the most popular speakers and authors today, created and made mention in his famous book, “First Things First,” the Management Matrix. This is divided into four quadrants in which our tasks, responsibilities, and daily activities belong to, namely: urgent and important (quadrant I), not urgent but important (quadrant II), urgent but not important (quadrant III), and not urgent and not important (quadrant IV). According to Covey, you need to manage those listed under “urgent and important,” focus on those under “not urgent but important,” and simply avoid those under quadrants III and IV.
The Pareto Principle
Better known as the 80-20 rule, the Pareto principle was formulated by Vilfredo Pareto, who created a mathematical formula that helped point out how the wealth of his country (Italy) was unequally distributed; 80% of the wealth owned by 20% of the population. While Pareto created this formula to explain an aspect in economy, this principle can be applied to many things, and in particular, time management.
With the 80-20 rule, we can point out that 80% of the results are derived from only 20% of the efforts. That being said, you need to set your priorities straight. In your aim to develop your personality, you need to know the things you should get started with first, and which ones you can do without. If you juggle between several things at a time, you may lack the much needed focus to help you in improving your personality.
For example, if you want to create a good impression on your boss by dressing well and coming to work on time, you need to know what you should do to make this happen, and cross out the things that will only hinder you from doing these.
Time Management Tips
Apart from following the techniques mentioned above, there are several tips that you can use to help you manage time effectively. Among these are:
• Use a daily planner and make sure you bring it with you all the time. With a daily planner, you can easily manage your day-to-day tasks and assignments, both at home and at work. This will also remind you of any upcoming activities, projects, events, or meetings you may have.
• Do not do many things at the same time. Chances are you will never get anything done. And even if you will be able to, some aspects are bound to be neglected or overlooked such as quality.
• Avoid getting sidetracked. For instance, you are working on your anger management problem by practicing yoga. However, a friend invites you to go shopping with her. In this case, you need to know what your priorities are. Do you want to improve yourself or do you want to accompany your friend? You can always suggest to her to go shopping after your yoga session, or perhaps you can even invite her to join yoga and go shopping afterwards.
The importance of time in personality development needs no further explanation. The point of the matter is that if you spend too much time doing other things instead of keeping an eye on your goal which is to develop a pleasing personality, your chances of success will be considerably lower than if you know how to prioritize.
