9.The Secret of Expanding Time
Parkinson’s Law describes the human tendency of work expanding to fill the time available for its completion. It’s the opposite of and contrary to the art of expanding time. The secret to expanding your time is to organize and control your time which you can do through the discipline of setting priorities.
Don’t start a day until you have it finished! Use the simple 3 step process for managing your time that we discussed:
- 1 Prepare a list of tasks to be completed.
- 2 Prioritize the list in order of importance.
- 3 Take action on the tasks one at a time.
Use a time-log to identify unproductive activities. Keep the log very accurately for at least two weeks and longer if you wish. This is one of the simplest and most powerful techniques for taking control of your time.
Recognize procrastination as a thief of time. Planning in advance and commitment to priorities will help defeat procrastination, but it’s equally important to identify the fear of failure from which procrastination derives. Be aware that you must eagerly accept the risk of failure in order to enjoy the possibility of ultimate success!
Expand time by enlisting others in your cause. Delegate when possible, otherwise lead by the strength of your purpose and by your enthusiasm, and don’t be reluctant to give others credit! Learn when to say “no”, it’s one of the most effective tools for managing time you will ever find. You have all the time you need if you manage it wisely!
