Why Time-Management doesn't Work?

There are tons of time-management programs / books / trainings in the world. If all of them really solved the problem of time-management, everyone would be an expert in time-management by now. Though the reality is most of the world still struggles with time. Why have all the systems / processes / procedures / structures / theories not solved the problem so far? It is because the underlying reason for time-management issue is that it is in reality an emotional issue and no amount of structuring time better will solve the problem.

Here are some distinctions that you may want to explore because you cannot master life if you don't learn to master time.

1. If you have time management issues, it is your energy that you need to manage not time because time does not exist. It is a created concept. Energy sure does exist. If you have energy, you will finish your task in lightening speed. If you are experiencing loss of energy, you will only end up procrastinating or taking up twice as much time to complete it; or you may start to work on the task and leave it unfinished.

2. Loss of energy is an emotional issue. So stop trying to manage time, learn instead to manage your energy. Dig deeper inside to unearth limiting thoughts and the resultant limiting emotions that are sucking your energy like a leech. Pull the leeches out and throw them out to recover your energy and your life.

3. You are never not able to do something. You are way more powerful than that. The truth is if you are not able to do something, it is because you don't really have an intention of doing it. Yes, yes; you may desperately want the outcome. But desperately wanting the outcome is not the same as having a powerful intention for creating it and putting your commitment behind it to make it happen. Make a list of all the things that you know you want to do but never had the time to do it. It would be an interesting exercise to look at each item on your list and asking yourself few questions:
a. If it is important, why haven't I done it so far?
b. If it isn't important, why is it on the list?
c. Why is there a resistance for completing this task?
d. Why don't I want to complete this task?
e. What are my limiting thoughts about this task based on my past experience?
f. What are my limiting thoughts about this task based on my future expectation?
g. If this task gets completed, how would I feel?
h. Do I want to do this or is it a 'I should or I must or I have to' task?
i. How will I feel if I dropped it from my list altogether?

3. The way to solve procrastination is by doing the very thing you want to procrastinate.

4. The way to get energy is by completing a task. All unfinished tasks drain your energy. You don't need energy to do the difficult tasks that you are resisting. You do the difficult tasks to create the energy to accomplish even more with the time that you have.

5. You can either serve other people in the moment or please other people to win their love, appreciation and approval. Ask yourself before doing anything - Am I serving or pleasing others with the action I am taking? Nothing wastes more time than pleasing others. Use your time productively by serving others. It releases more energy in you; and increases your productivity, performance, creativity and innovation.

6. You are either a Creator or a Reactor. If you want an abundance of time; choose to be a Creator, a Peaceful Warrior, who creates life by choosing to be love, gratitude, reverence, integrity and mastery. A Peaceful Warrior wages battles on the inside rather than waste her energy struggling with the world outside because she knows that the process of creation is from inside out.

7. For mastering time, the only question you need to ask yourself is - What do I need to do right now? and then using laser-sharp focus to do just that. As Bruce Lee said, extraordinary people are ordinary people with laser-sharp focus.

8. Empty your head by writing down all that you need to do and then choose to either do it right now or put it on the calendar or strike it out. Once everything is on the calendar, just focus on what you need to do right now.

9. Write down all your problems and transform each into a project. The very shift in the way you represent it - a project instead of a problem - eases your resistance and fills you up with energy. Brainstorm with your coach on alternatives. Complete all tasks related to the project with a present moment focus. Nothing releases more energy than completing a task and putting it behind you.

10. Use Agility of Mind to shift from an 'OR' thinking to an 'AND' thinking. The default human thinking pattern is either I can do this or that - X or Y. How about challenging yourself and saying - I will do this and that - X and Y. New ideas will emerge to support you to do both within the same time, which you hadn't thought of before.

11. Lack of time is because there is too much thinking and too less doing happening.

12. Masters do one thing at a time with complete focus.

13. If your purpose is clear, you can never get distracted and will always know what needs to be done right now. That is the way to stay ahead of time.

14. Not honouring your promises reduce your language to being descriptive. You no longer have the power to create because your language is no longer generative. Let's assume, you say - I am the world's best football player; if that's the game you are playing. If you don't do what you say you would do (to others and to yourself) by the time you said you would do it, the way you meant to do it; your mind continues to sleep, even when you make a commitment, knowing you anyway never do what you say and your words remain mere rhetoric rather than something that transforms you and the whole world along with that. You miss to unleash the power of the mind that can create anything that you want to be, do and have.

15. If you are not doing because you don't know what to do; stop playing the fool because that's not who you are. It is only in doing that you discover what you need to know.

16. There are two ways to create - 
a. turn anti-clockwise on the Cycle of Life™ and work on your limiting thoughts and beliefs, tearing each one down and throwing them out of your Being.
b. turn clockwise on the Cycle of Life™ and keep taking actions that you know you need to take irrespective of what thoughts and emotions show up to distract you.
c. There is third way too, which is to keep doing both.

Be the Peaceful Warrior and master time because without that you cannot Have It All:

i. Deeply fulfilling successful, profitable business
and
ii. Loving, harmonious, positive, uplifting relationships at work and at home
and
iii. Happy, healthy, responsible, confident kids with their genius joyfully expressed
and
iv. Nourishing and nurturing yourself to the highest level of health, fitness and joyous well-being;
and
v. Making a massive difference by living your Purpose through your work and being at the source of transformation in the world.

Loving you,
j.

Masters from whom I learnt about managing life by managing time and a lot more. Owe deep gratitude to each one of them.

1. Time Warrior by Steve Chandler
2. Eat that Frog by Brian Tracey
3. The 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris
4. Organize Your Mind, Organize Your Life by Dr Paul Hammerness and Margaret Moore
5. My coach Rich Litvin

and many many many more.