5 Secrets to Mastering Time Management

By Iyanu Adeyemo (IG - @the.iyanuadeyemo)

We’ve all had that moment when we stopped for a minute and asked, “Where did all the time go?” Sometimes we even ask; “is twenty-four hours ever enough for me?" There never seems to be enough time. Work, studies, friends, families, listening to podcasts, attending that webinar, talking to God, the list goes on! Are we ever going to have enough time to do all these? The fact is we all have twenty-four hours in a day, and as Seneca, a Roman philosopher who lived in the time of Jesus puts it- ”we actually have plenty of time. We just need to use it well.”

Okay, we’ve identified the problem. It’s not time, but how we use it. Well, if this blog post was to point accusing fingers we may go, “you’re not using your time well. Use it well!” But, how do you use your time well? Exactly what this post is about. You’ll only find out if you read till the end!

Since we’re discussing some secrets to time management, take a minute to look around you. Is anyone watching? Is the coast clear? Can’t believe the secret is about to be revealed. Clear? Let’s go!

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1. Identify the things that matter to you

Okay, this doesn’t seem like a tool for time management. I mean, clarifying your goals and knowing what matters to you will require time, won’t they? Of course, they will! Now, get this. Life passes by every single second of every single day. It's easy to get caught up with the daily activities of the day. Wake up, pray, go to work or school, return home, catch up with the latest news on social media, eat, sleep, wake up…. Are these all that life is about? No.

No matter what your plans and intentions are, you need time to carry them out. What matters to you? Who matters to you? What activities do you consider noble? How do you want others to be impacted by you? What can you give? Once you clarify these, you'll be sure of what you need to spend your time on. Rather than complain that you don’t have time, you’ll be in charge.

Mind you, your mind is going to tell you to skip this part. But if you do, you just might get stuck in the next point.

2. Plan your month/week/day in advance

This point is a game-changer! Believe me when I say so. Since you’ve clarified the things that matter to you, you’ll be able to determine what you want a month to be about. Hold on, you don’t have to be a CEO before taking charge of your time. Remember, if you don’t take charge of your time, it’s going to slip by you.

If you feel you can't plan a month, then try planning your week. Stephen Covey, in his bestselling book, “The 7 Principles of Highly Effective Persons” (you should read that book), lists a holistic category of planning your week. He lists the possible roles every person could have. They could be your plans as an individual, daughter/son, sibling, student, Christian, employee, or a business owner. For example, here’s what my list may look like for a week.

Individual: Call two friends, practice discipline, read 50 pages of a book titled “Think Big”

Daughter: Call Dad and Mum every day

Sibling: Show up for my brother’s stage play in school, contact an event planner for dad’s birthday

Christian: Pray and study for 60 minutes daily, watch replays on Youtube, vigil on Friday

9-5er: Sort projects, complete all pending tasks

This is a mini and hypothetical list. If you have other roles, list them and identify what you wish to achieve for that week. This list is a game-changer because it's not like the regular to-do list where it’s easy to get caught up with work alone. This way, you’re not just working or studying but also spending your time on things that matter to you.

Now that you have everything out, what do you need to do tomorrow? I'll advise you to plan your day. Do not plan your day in the morning of that day, you should plan at night, just before going to bed. Else, you might forget important things and just not plan anymore.

What’s the big deal about planning your day anyway?

Focus: You have a priority and you’ll live each day with a purpose. You don’t want to be that person who asks on a Friday, where did all the week go?

Proactivity over reactiveness: Remember, you’re in charge. You’re in control.

Now that you have everything out, what do you need to do tomorrow? I'll advise you to plan your day. Do not plan your day in the morning of that day, you should plan at night, just before going to bed. Else, you might forget important things and just not plan anymore.

Let’s practice this for the week, we’ll share more tips next week.

Don't forget to leave a comment below on which of the secrets you'll be trying and if you have been doing these, let us know as well below.