Managing your time without setting priorities is like shooting randomly and calling whatever you hit the target.  ~Peter Turla

Finding quotes on time management is easy; there are many!  It could be that’s because time is the ultimate equalizer.  We may have differing financial means, differing talents, differing backgrounds, etc.  But we all have the very same amount of time: 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  So why is it that some people seem to manage their time better than others?

This past week I found the simplest time management explanation that I’ve come across, thus far.  Time management is basically the function of two variables:  1) the ability to prioritize, and 2) the ability to stay focused on the task.

For those of you who are thinking that saying everything is a priority is prioritizing, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that’s not prioritizing.  The definition of prioritize is to determine the order for dealing with a series of items or tasks according to their relative importance.  That means something really does need to be identified as coming before something else.  Everything can’t be the priority.  If you can’t prioritize it’s going to be really hard to stay focused on the task.

The definition of focus is the center of interest or activity, to pay particular attention to.  We may think that multitasking is the key to time management, but that’s not focusing.  According to Dr. Susan Weinschenk, multitasking isn’t even the right word.  She says that what really happens is task-switching, and it takes more time to switch tasks than stick with them until you finish.    In fact, studies have found that multitasking reduces your productivity by 40%!

So, it’s Tuesday.  Have you set your priorities for the week and for today?  In other words, you’ve outlined the series of tasks you need to complete according to their relative importance?  And as you’ve worked your way through those priorities, you’ve stayed focused on the task until it’s completed?  Congratulations!  You’re a time manager.

But it doesn’t stop there!  The very same principles of time management that apply to individuals also apply to organizations.  Have you effectively communicated to your staff your collective organizational priorities?  And, are you helping to keep everyone focused on the task to complete those priorities?

Peter Drucker, father of management theory said, “Until we can manage time, we can manage nothing else.”

Are you managing your time or are you shooting randomly and calling whatever you hit the target?