Time Management

People are always talking about their ambitions, how they work harder than anyone else in the office and how they always take their work home. But when they are turned down for a promotion they can’t understand it. Why?

The answer is they are not organizing their time effectively.

Very often we observe that efforts don’t gain results. Why is this so? In today’s competitive world one has to identify the resources available for achieving something. It is up to each individual how to use these resources, quantitatively and qualitatively. At the same time awareness is also an important criterion.

Time is one of the precious resources available, equally to everybody. Using this resource each of us can become a winner in our own way. While setting priorities one has to take into considerations all the risks involved.

I believe the only people who never fail are the people who never take risks. But these people also never achieve anything. I remember a speaker at a lecture saying ‘Time is capital and not renewable income’. If time is wasted, it is gone forever. Since the capital belongs to us we definitely have the right to waste it, but it is not good to blame someone else when targets are not achieved. People who don’t take responsibilities by giving the excuse that they don’t have time; in a way prove their inability to do a certain job. This leads to ineffectiveness in work.

Basically there is a difference between efficiency and effectiveness. A person who is efficient may not be effective. Efficiency is doing things with minimum loss of resources; effectiveness is being efficient at the right time and the right place. Effective time management needs a certain kind of mind (attitude), followed by the right kind of learning (knowledge). It can lead to:

1. Clarity of thinking
Decisiveness
Good memory
Punctuality
Calmness
Objectivity
Leadership
The following are some techniques that are useful for managing time effectively:

i. Make a list of tasks daily. While noting down a task be clear about the objective of that task so that you can identify what needs to be done.
Set priorities to these tasks and re-write them in order of priority. Discuss these tasks with your subordinates.
Formulate plans necessary for the execution of these tasks. Set specific deadlines for the completion of the tasks.
Concentrate on a manageable number of tasks.
Avoid unnecessary meetings and telephone calls.
Delegate the tasks that can be delegated.
Where paper work is concerned, deal with each paper just once and then pass it on to the person concerned - for necessary action or filing, as the case may be.
Clear your desk every evening before quitting your office.
Have a place for everything, and everything in its place.
Deal with unpleasant tasks first.
Distinguish between urgent work and important work and deal with the former first.
Concentrate on the core of the work, not the peripherals.
Be as brief as possible on the telephone.
Use errors as a learning process for improvement.
Set aside some time for yourself every day.
Set aside time for creative work.
Above all, be realistic in all of the above.

"Success is on the far side of failure."
IBM founder T.J.Watson

It is poor time management to do things badly. If mistakes happen, we must acknowledge them, correct them and learn from them. Decrease, and finally removal, of mistakes leads to perfection. Thus is failure turned into success?

Time management is succinctly expressed in the ‘Pareto Principle’ which explains how, in terms of productivity, 20% of the time you spend on something is likely to produce 80% of the final output while the remaining 80% of time will only achieve 20% of the output. Thus, always be realistic. Be more perceptive about what you are doing. It is not enough to be busy - be clear what you are busy about.

Managing time means managing life itself. The benefits are obvious:

1. Job satisfaction
   Higher productivity
   Higher creativity
   Greater well-being, leading to reduced stress
   Personal fulfillment and self-regard
   Increased effectiveness and efficiency – more time for yourself

Taking all these benefits into consideration, you are potentially your own best friend or your own worst enemy. The choice is yours.

Tips for creating a Good Resume

When an employer looks at your resume, you've got about 30 seconds to make a good impression. That's the average amount of time most employers spend reading a resume. To capture the reader's attention, you need to be clear and to-the-point. And, that's not all. Here are several other things to keep in mind:

Be Concise.
Employers don't want to read a long, drawn-out version of your life's accomplishments. They have stacks of resumes to read, and want to know quickly whether or not you would be a good fit for their company. So, be concise, and exhibit your skills and abilities

Don't Forget Your Objective.
Before diving into writing your resume, plan out your career objective. Make it clear and focused. Remember to keep the message consistent throughout your resume as you summarize your skills and accentuate your strengths. .

Utilize Bullet-Points.
Use bullet points in the body of your resume instead of long paragraphs. Resumes are read rather quickly and anything you can do to draw the reader in will bring you one step closer to landing an interview.

Customize It.
Describe your experience in a way that relates to the skills the employer is seeking. If a company is looking for a candidate who has leadership ability, highlight your experience in training new employees or in managing projects.

Don't Be Long-Winded.
Keep your resume under two pages, unless you are applying for an executive-level position and have substantial experience.

Use Light-Colored Paper and Clear Fonts.
Your resume needs to be clean and simple, and that means printing it on light, neutral paper while choosing easy-to-read fonts. Also, make sure you leave enough space between each section with boldface or capital lettering.

Include Keywords.
Draw attention to your resume with keywords that describe your skills and experience. Inserting descriptive keywords in your resume is becoming more important as an increasing number of companies search for resumes in computer databases that find matches through keywords. These words should relate to the job you are applying for while highlighting your own skill set.

Be Error-Free.
Proofread your resume and then have a friend do it. Make sure your spelling and grammar are perfect. Don't rely entirely on computer spell-check programs, because not all typos are misspellings. Words spelled correctly can still be used improperly.

Use Appropriate Buzzwords.
Demonstrate your ability to communicate the language of your profession and industry by including relevant buzzwords. Warning: Steer clear of overusing abbreviations and acronyms in your text.

Quantify Your Achievements.
Use percentages and dollar amounts to show your success in achieving company goals. If you are in sales, use examples of how much you have grown your accounts over a specific period of time. Remember, if it's not an impressionable amount, stay away from exact numbers.

Use Action Verbs.
Paint a picture of your achievements. Explain your capabilities by using descriptive verbs such as "created," "implemented," or "organized."

Be Professional, Not Personal.
Focus on your work experiences and avoid stating personal information. Do not include vital statistics such as height, weight, age or a photo of yourself, and forget about mentioning the fact that you enjoy sci-fi movies and surfing in your spare time.

Keep a Positive Tone.
Your resume should present you in the best possible light. If you don't possess every skill an employer is seeking, do not emphasize your shortcomings. Focus on what you can offer.

Be Honest.
Lying or exaggerating about your skills and abilities will only come back to haunt you.

Avoid Writing "me" or "I."
Replace personal pronouns such as "I" or "me" with short action statements. Instead of saying, "I wrote several articles for the company newsletter," try, "Researched and wrote several articles for the company newsletter."

Choose your style
Organizing your resume in chronological order is not necessarily the best way to showcase your skills. Many job seekers use this traditional format, and it may be right for you, but if you're changing career paths or re-entering the workforce, a different style may be better. Here are the three most common resume templates and how they can best serve your needs.
Employers find chronological resumes, the old standby, easy to read because it gives them a simple work history and allows them to quickly detect any gaps in employment. Listings appear in reverse chronological order with the most recent job experience first.

Most suitable when:

1. Last few employers and job titles are impressive.
2. Work record is steady.
3. Goals and objectives are clear.
4. Career field is staying the same.
5. Job history shows advancement.

Least suitable when:

1. Emphasizing capabilities not used in recent jobs.
2. Changing careers.
3. Unstable work record.
3. Looking for your first job.
4. Trying to de-emphasize age.
5. Gaps in employment exist.
6. Away from the job market for a period of time

Less common but still effective, functional resumes organize information by skills or job accomplishments instead of chronology. Subheads are often used to emphasize areas of expertise, such as Sales, Technical, or Management Skills.

Most suitable when:

1. Changing career paths.
2. Lack direct experience for job opening.
3. Prefer to focus on accomplishments as opposed to work history.
4. No continuous growth or progression in career.
5. Re-entering the workforce.
6. Held similar positions for a long period of time.
7. Variety of unrelated work experiences.
8. Work has been freelance, consulting or temporary.
9. Playing down employment gaps.
10. Entrepreneur transitioning back into the corporate world.

Least suitable when:

1. Wish to highlight your promotions and career growth.
2. Lack achievements.
3. New to the working world (first job).
4. Specific past employers are prestigious.

These resumes combined chronological and functional approaches, tying work history, career achievements and marketable skills together. Subheadings are used to capture key skills, while work history is mentioned in a separate, usually smaller section. This form is ideal when creating an electronic resume, as you can include a paragraph of keywords or summary of skills.

Most suitable when:

1. Successful work record.
2. Patterns of accomplishments and skills.
3. Changing jobs in a related career field.
4. Worked in the same position for many years.
5. Trying to de-emphasize work history and spotlight transferable skills.

Least suitable when:

1. Lack of established work history.
2. No track record of career achievements.
3. New to the workforce

The Paradox of Our Times

Today we have bigger houses yet smaller families
More convenience, but less time

We have more degrees, but less common sense.
More knowledge, but less judgment.

We have more experts, but more problems
More medicine, but less good health

We spend too recklessly
Laugh too little
Drive too fast
Get too angry too quickly
Stay up too late
Read too little
Watch TV too much
And are less considerate

We have multiplied our possessions, but have reduced our values
We talk too much, love too little and lie too often

We have learned how to make a living, but not a life
We have added years to life, but not life to years

We have taller buildings, but shorter tempers
Wider roads, but narrower viewpoints

We spend more, but have less
We buy more, yet enjoy it less

We have been all the way to the moon and back
But have trouble crossing the road to meet our neighbors.

We’ve conquered our outer space, but not our inner space

We’ve split the atom
But not our prejudice

We write more, learn less
Plan more, but accomplish less
We have learned to rush, but not to wait,
We have higher incomes, but lower morals

We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies
But have less personal communication

We are long on quantity,
But less in quality

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion
Tall men and short character

More leisure but less fun
More kinds of food - but less nutrition
Two incomes - but more divorce
Nicer houses - but broken homes

What to do?

Search for knowledge, read more. Sit and admire the view without paying attention to your needs. Spend more time with your family and friends, eat your favorite food and visit the places you love.

Life is moments of enjoyment and not just about surviving.
Drink from the finest crystal glass. Do not save your best perfume or aftershave but use it every day.

Remove phrases from your vocabulary like:
One of these days
Someday
Not now
Write that letter you thought of writing “one of these days “

Let’s tell our families and friends how much we love them.
Do not delay anything that adds laughter and joy to your life.

Every day, every hour, and every minute is special.
As you do not know if they will be your last.