Most of us think having 'more time' will solve the problem of time management..But the real issue is not having more time, but how we relate to it. The core of time management lies in not just looking at what we currently do or even what we have to do, but what we want to do.Just as you can't mend something until you know how it works, solving time management problems require you to know where your time goes.

How Is Time Lost :

Time is lost when we focus on the main part of a task and forget the little things that pilfer our time.For example, if you are to attend a wedding mass that takes an hour,say 9 AM to 10 AM and you allot that time in your mind and say to yourself that you are to spend one hour for the function.But in reality the time for dressing up, the time to travel to the destination, the delay in traffic,exchanging pleasantries with other guests and unforeseen delay in the function place, all contribute in eating the time alloted for other purposes.

Also,those activities that we enjoy takes more time because we fail to notice it.And those things we don't want to do may make us linger on with the previous task as we hate the job-in-waiting.Being perfect in what we do is a good attitude, but being obsessive about it may cost us precious time we may not have factored into our schedule.

What Can Be Done About It :

Writing down the reasons you think is the cause of your problem is the first step.And beside each reason write whether it is personal (related to you) or external (to do with other people).If your list has many items related to yourself, it is a positive beginning because you know the part you play and what you can do about it.If however, your list has more of problems related to other people, you may have to reassess your approach to these problems to find a remedy.Changing yourself can be difficult but changing other people is harder still.

Sharpening time management skills does not mean doing things faster but doing the 'right' things.For this, you have to study all facets of your life and figure out what it is you aim to achieve if you are not to wake up one morning and realize you are too old to write the I.A.S. exam.You may need several attempts to find the right solution.If you are too busy, the reason is that you are investing your time in a large number of activities and it is imperative that you weed out those activities that are unimportant and a drain on your time.

Being specific about what you want in life is paramount.Your goal might be to lead a government organization.Does this mean you want to be an I.A.S officer or get an MBA degree ? The 19th century Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto described what has become known as the 80/20 rule. According to this rule, 20% of what you do achieves 80% of your goals.The secret of time management lies in knowing which 20% of your activity produces 80% of the results.The biggest fallacy about planning your work is that it adds time to what you are going to do,but actually the reverse is true.It helps you shorten your work time as all factors are taken into account and nothing is left to chance.

Time Management is a tool at your disposal to implement your goals in life.But try not to become obsessive about it and lose out on the little pleasures that pops up in life now and then.Because LIFE is much more than just a Swiss watch that works to perfection.