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Why is Time Management Important? ....In a Minute!

Take a minute to ask yourself: why is time management important? Too often we use our time as if we have an almost limitless supply. This article provides a timely reminder that time is scarce and time is valuable. Peter Drucker captured the importance of time management well:

"Time is the scarcest resource; and unless it is managed, nothing else can be managed."

This is one of our Manage in a Minute pages. These contain essential tips on fundamental management topics. No fuss or side-tracks, they get straight to the point. Here, in a series of bullet points which can be read in a minute (ish!), are some essential tips on why time management is important.

Time is Scarce

Think about it for a moment: if you don't manage time nothing gets managed! Yet too often we act as if time is plentiful and not scarce and as a result we don't really pay much attention to managing it. So here are some timely reminders why we need to guard our time that build on Drucker's pertinent observation:

You can't buy it. In the sense that time is distributed equally to all, each of us gets 24 hours a day.

You can't stop it. Time marches on, you can't hold time up to take a bit longer.

You can't save it. Time can't be saved to be used up at another time when you might feel you need it more.

But you can live it. Eleanor Roosevelt is reputed to have once said:

"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift; that's why they call it the present."

Time is Valuable

To live well we should make the most of our time.

This leads directly to our second point in answer to the question "why is time management important" that is: our time is valuable. M. Scott Peck expressed it well:

"Until you value yourself, you will not value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it."

Your time is valuable because you are valuable, your ideas are valuable, and your plans are valuable. When we value time our attention then turns towards freeing time to do more of what we value, time to focus on results and worthwhile work.
Why is time management important? It frees you to do more of what you want to do.

It's therefore worthwhile asking:

What value do you place on your time?

How can you free time up to do more valuable things with it?

How might you use some of that freed up time?

Why Is Time Management Important - 8 Reasons.

Here are 8 wonderfully expressed suggestions to focus your use of time on what you value, from an old Irish text:

"Take the time to work, for it is the price of success.

Take the time to think, it is the source of strength.

Take the time to play, it is the secret of youth.

Take the time to read, it is the seed of wisdom.

Take the time to be friendly, for it brings happiness.

Take the time to dream, for it will carry you to the stars.

Take the time to love, it is the joy of life.

Take the time to be content, it is the music of the soul."

Time is scarce and it is valuable. As you read the 8 ways to spend your time, did you feel there were areas you really wanted to "take the time" to enjoy? We have developed a tool for you to use to think through the 8 areas identified in the poem and to create your own time management activities.

For more information you might find it useful to look at our more detailed article on the Importance of Time Management. Or, if you're still pressed for time, follow this link for the full list of Manage in a Minute pages.

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