Time - Tic Tic Tic......

Time - it is the one thing that we are all running out of. It cannot be replaced. When it is spent, it is spent.

What, then, are you doing to ensure that you are maximizing the use of time?"

Understand that time will pass regardless of whether you spend it wisely or simply waste it.

You can make time your friend or it can be your worst enemy. Most people leave important tasks till the last possible moment then they are forced by self-imposed circumstance to rush everything. This is a lack of planning and responsibility , often borne from that other scourge called procrastination - the inability to begin.

Leaving things until the "eleventh hour" is where that horrible word "URGENT" comes from. Whenever you hear that word you can almost certainly be sure that somebody in the chain is trying to deflect the blame onto somebody else for their own slackness. You don't do that do you?

How many times have you heard people complain that they "haven't had time!"? What they really mean, and what they should be saying, is "I left it too late and ran out of time." Ever hear anybody say that? Uh-uh - that sounds too self-deprecating doesn't it? So they blame time itself.

Time does not care how you spend it. You can use it to create marvelous things in your life or you can waste it. All of us have only 168 hours per week. About a third of that is spent re-charging, that is, sleeping. That leaves 112 hours to use - more than enough to achieve anything you want.

I have a saying about sleep. "You can sleep all you want when you are dead." In the meantime, if you have something really important to do then get up an hour earlier in the morning. Conversely, if you are a "night person" you can stay awake for several hours in the evening to get things done.

The wise use of time is the mark of a successful person.

Plan your actions. Use time wisely - you are never going to get it back. The clock is always ticking. Tick. Tick. Tick...

Avoid getting distracted

To cut yourself off, get a pair of headphones that block out noise. Your colleagues will get the message that you do not wish to be disturbed(Somehow I need more oxygen then others, need more space for myself but people around u are always good lechers; they will suck your blood till death).

Diwali is the time for festivities. There always is a lot to do from planning parties to making time for shopping during lunch hours. Losing focus of work is inevitable. Here are some tips to avoid getting distracted by the Diwali festivities:

Everyone at the office either wants or is expected to contribute in some way or the other towards the festive preparations. At the same time, your boss won’t want your productivity to get affected. It’s best to schedule a time for those brainstorming sessions that involve decisions like theme of decorating the office, lunch menu for Diwali party etc. If everyone agrees to come in early for such meetings, it is easy to get this off your agenda and concentrate on work for the rest of the day.

If you are responsible for scoring any of the requirements for Diwali, don’t waste time going through Yellow Pages and looking for vendors. Use the Internet to find vendors, draft a common e-mail and shoot it off to them asking for quotations to be either emailed or faxed back. This way you can go through the quotations when you are free instead of answering or making phone calls in the midst of an assignment.

The first rule of time management and avoiding distractions – any work that can be handled by someone else should be delegated. Break up the task assigned to you for the Diwali run up into smaller steps. If any of these chores be handled by your secretary or colleagues request them to do so. This makes it easier to keep your work and Diwali schedule on track.

The one time when you aren’t likely to get frowns from the boss for focusing on Diwali preparations is when you use some time of your lunch hour. This could also be perfect for having impromptu, meetings on the subject. In fact, it could just brighten up your lunch hour and then have you in good spirits to focus on work.

There will always be a buzz about Diwali preparations around the office. It may be difficult not to get drawn into a conversation with colleagues in the next cubicle. The best way is to completely cut your self off – get a pair of headphones that block out noise. Your colleagues will get the message that you do not wish to be disturbed and if they don’t, hang a “Do Not Disturb” sign on your chair.

Above all, one needs to have the right mental attitude – festivals are fun, but being a responsible adult means that you know how to draw the line between fun and work.

The above is one conservative thought. Office Diwali celebrations are brief with a Puja and may not require any executive time. There are people like Attendants and contract cleaning staff under the supervision of Administrative department or Union leaders in case of Factories. First of all in an office environment there will not be any noise because holidays for the festival are declared. So such gadgets like headphones may not be required. Even if somebody wears them with a good intention the boss can think that you are listening to Music during working hours.

Effective Time management is required on all working days. Enjoy festival holidays with family and forget the work at that time. Once back to office deliver your tasks. Keep aside the conservative advises and thoughts.

This is an experience i just had and believe me you really need to prioritize your work accordingly. Don' speak for the results let the results speak for you.....