How are your New Year’s resolutions going? Swell? Or are you sinking into overwhelm? As someone said:
New Years resolutions are a bit like babies: they are fun to make but difficult to maintain.

This annual event has been practised by many societies for centuries. Babylonians made promises to their gods at the start of each year that they would return borrowed objects and pay their debts. The Romans began each year by making promises to the god Janus, for whom the month of January is named. But only 8% of Americans keep any form of goal keeping or resolution.

-The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.- Anon

However, let’s look at how we manage our time. As we know, one of the keys to our success is how we manage our precious time. We often over estimate what we can do in a day and under estimate what we can do in a year.

I have 5 straightforward points to consider that may assist you.

1. Clear vision is crucial to knowing what you want to achieve. Clarity is something we all need to discover and we can do this by making space for ourselves to think…clearly. -Make your vision so clear that your fears become irrelevant. – Anon

2. Planning means thinking and writing out our clear vision, our goals and then plotting out the route map to get to them…one step at a time. –You can’t plough a field simply by turning it over in your mind. – Gordon B. Hinkley.

3. Discipline, a curious word, often associated with restraint. For me, it is all about the preparation. –There is no design without discipline. There is no discipline without intelligence. – Massimo Vignelli

4. Organisation, now this is the pivotal point. A weekly template that sits in front of your eyes/computer reciting silently your tasks and duties. For some examples try this link: http://www.calendarpedia.com/weekly-schedule-word-templates.html

5. Balance is the interesting member of this quintet. Your personal view of harmony. -Life is a balance of holding on and letting go. – Anon

Of course, we all know from the proverbs about getting up early, but hey, some of us work better at night. We all have just 24 hours, so set your mind and your clock to get down to your business.

And don’t beat yourself up if you don’t get everything done. I am not referring to the clever excuses we conjure up! Oh no! Be honest with yourself. It is the first step to getting your time management under control. Remember at the end of each work session, to look back over those achievements of your focused labour…and smile.

-Either you run the day, or the day runs you. Jim Rohn-

I have to mention deadlines, because for some it is a dirty word, and then others just love them. Some people believe it is better to push limits than deadlines, while others feel it is their greatest inspiration.

My personal viewpoint is perfectly expressed by  Brian Tracey: There are no unrealistic goals, only unrealistic deadlines.
Look forward to your comments!