Is it last date* already?

* And here I literally mean a date ;)

Clock is ticking. And suddenly the alarm rings, “Time For College”.

We get up and get ready in a hustle and rush to the college. When we are about to step into the classroom, a reminder occurs with immediate reaction. 

Reminder : Last date of Case Study Submission

Reaction  :   Is it last date already?

Almost 90% of students will suffer from the same stated reaction, except the ones who are really good at time management. Why is it so? **

** Even I don't know thats why the question is not answered!

In the class of Basics of Marketing, Teacher comes and announces an Assignment submission. The first question we ask to her is, “What’s the last date of submission?”

This question has its roots far inside our colossal mind. Whatever task we are given, we always try to do it according to the last date. We are so obsessed with this trend that even the world has shifted its horizon. (A little hyperbole maybe, but its true, isn’t it?)

Everyday we come across many such things, which are in a way, associated to this last-date trend.

Income Tax returns, last date- 31^th March,  Electricity Bill payment for November, last date- 24^th December, and many more such examples, which supports the claim about the world shifting its horizon.

Time Management is a broader concept in theory, but in practicality, the theory seems reasonably small. For starters, we have devices to stay connected with friends and family, to keep a track of time, like mobile phones, but do these devices really help in keeping the track? Instead we easily lose the track because of them. This distraction is reciprocal of the first strategy of time management i.e. Prioritization. We people ought to prioritize things according to their importance and urgency of completion. (Don’t go for Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s winning six instead of studying Marketing Mix)

Have we ever guessed that there are two types of time? 

One is Clock Time and the other is Real Time. (Not Good Time and Bad Time)

In clock time we know that, 60 seconds equals to a minute; sixty minutes equals to an hour and sixty hours equals to ……….(Calculate yourself). Here time passes equally. For example we have two hours of tiresome test; it is exactly going to be of two hours (unless we end up in five minutes)

But in real time, the time is relative i.e. time flies or drags depending upon the thing you are doing.

15 minutes’ talk with your dad seems like an hour but on the contrary an hour with your friends seems to be 15 minutes only, isn’t it?

The world we live in is based on real time because time flies when we are having fun or drags when we are not having fun (Theory of time relativity by me). This real time is what we create it as. So maintaining the real time should be of focus in our mind and this is the second strategy of time management. 

The third strategy goes by the name of Scheduling. We all have heard about it but never implemented it. Scheduling consist of listing the date and time of the allotted tasks, which are to be completed before the last date. (I am a part of this world, so even I am suffering from the last-date trend. But first…do we have a calendar? If not, then get it ASAP!)

Did I just hear a NO for the calendar thing? Very well then, Congratulations!!!

This is the fourth strategy. Yes, it’s a good thing to Say NO, not to the calendar, but for the stuff which you cannot handle.

For instance, we got a date with girlfriend/boyfriend; Say Yes!! (Don’t miss the chance). 

But at the same time we got a call from a friend for some work; Say NO (We cannot handle it)

The work which is in the schedule should be followed first, without the addition of anything extra, which is far beyond our handling capabilities. (Now you got me, right?)

Tired of reading all this stuff?

Then go and sleep. Yes, you read correct!

The fifth strategy of time management is something that we never opt for i.e. Sleeping (Pun intended). One needs to sleep at least 6 hours a day in order to accomplish the chores efficiently and commendably. (At least that’s what Google says). But don’t forget to put an alarm. Bazzinga!!!

“Surprise Surprise…!” on hearing these words, we generally get enthusiastic. But it’s the thing we want to consider in a negative way i.e. Plan for the unexpected. This is the sixth strategy of time management. Coz we never know when to expect the unexpected.

Suppose we have an Economics paper tomorrow and we actually don’t have any idea what demand and supply look like (Hey, I am an Engineer! So don’t laugh please) and then here comes our long lost friend, all of a sudden at our place leaving us no choice for studying. This Unexpected thing can devastate our whole estate within fraction of seconds; so it’s better to be prepared for it.

We have generally experienced the following statements,

“Hey idiot, don’t write Introduction before the Table of Contents” and “Hey bro, do highlight the main points of answer on your answer sheet”. These are called as the Dos and Don’ts. (Now don’t check the order of above statements, they are intentionally flipped) 

This is seventh strategy of time management which states that, we should have a habit of writing the Dos and Don’ts regarding the tasks we are allotted.

Oh God! So much stress after reading all these things. Don’t worry then take a break, relax and have fun and enjoy. Coz all these things will contribute to a single outcome i.e. Relieving Stress

And yes, this is the eighth strategy of time management. The amount of stress is inversely proportional to the amount of work. More the stress less is the work done and vice versa. So for completing the work efficiently we need to relieve the stress, which is already built up in us.

PS: Don’t get too carried away while enjoying.

Ninth and last the strategy of time management is Money. Didn’t get it? 

Let us put our focus on some basic but rational thoughts…

1. Time is Money. So, Save time - Save money
2. Time is limited and so is money.

Suppose Time as a currency. So we would utilize it properly, spend it properly and make the best possible use of it. And all these measures will lead us to a sufficient amount of saved time.

But time is not literally a currency; we can relate it with the same i.e. Money.

Now one would definitely ask a question, “What do we have to do with all these techniques of time management?”  (Hey, I called them strategies)

And the answer is… “SIMPLE” (LOL!!!) 

The only main focus of these strategies of time management is to deal with all the defects and overcome them to properly utilize and manage time.

Remember one thing “There’s no one who’s responsible for how productive we are but us”

We should always emphasize on Smart-Work rather than Hard-Work, because the former saves time when equated with the latter. (Even LKG students know this)

So now when any teacher comes into our class and makes an announcement regarding any submission, the first question we should ask her is, “What’s the first date of submission?”*

We should get so obsessed with this first-date trend that the world should shift its horizon again.

This new era of world should have such an impact that it should force me to write on a new topic i.e. “Is it first date already?” (I hope to write this one day, and on that day people will call me a fool and I would gladly accept it).