Before a person can manage his time properly he needs to understand exactly what time is. Most dictionaries will tell you that time is a period or point at which things occur. To put it more simply it just means time is when things happen. There are two different types of time. There is real-time and clock time. Everyone understands clock time because it has 60 seconds in each minute, 60 minutes in each hour, 24 hours in each day, and 365 days in each year.

Real-time however is a bit more difficult to understand because it is relative. A good example of this would be an upcoming vacation. If you have waited all year long for your vacation to arrive you will notice that the final few weeks seem to really drag on. It seems as if time has slowed down. On the other hand, when you are doing something that you really enjoy it appears as if time flies. The reason why this happens in these two examples is because of real-time. Therefore, the first thing that you need to understand before you can manage time properly is which time zone are you living in, clock time or real-time?

The majority of time management systems and gadgets will not work because they are specifically designed to manage clock time and clock time is irrelevant. People do not live in clock time but rather they live in real-time. During the year there will be times when time is flying by while at other times it will seem to be dragging along. To help you manage time you have to realize that real-time is mental. You are the one that creates your own real-time and since you are the creator you can also be the manager.
The first thing that you will need to eliminate is concepts such as “not having enough time” or “I ran out of time” or “this is not the right time.” These type of negative time thoughts will sabotage your goal to manage your time even before you get started. Real-time consists of three things: conversations, thoughts, and actions. Your entire life will revolve around these three things and if you follow the following techniques you will be able to better manage your time.

The first thing that you will need to do is carry a small notebook that contains a schedule. Record all of your conversations, thoughts, and activities for one complete week. At the end of the week analyze how much time you spend doing each one of these activities. This will help you to visually see how much time you are wasting on unproductive conversations, thoughts, and actions as opposed to how much time you are spending being productive.

Some people like to create to-do-lists. However, as the to-do-list grows longer and longer there comes a point where it becomes undoable. This will frustrate you to no end and rather than keeping a to-do-list you should have an appointment book to record schedule appointments. Always make an appointment with yourself and plan to spend at least half of your time engaged in activities, thoughts, and conversations that are productive. Also include a block of time for unplanned interruptions. These simple time management tips can help you to manage your real-time.

Are You Organized Yet

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In our materialist and consumer-oriented society, it is paradoxical that many people say they would love to own fewer things. Our houses are crammed full of all sorts of items that we do not really need. Imagine how much more pleasant it would be to live in a clean, well-organized home that only contained what was really important to you.

Learning how to declutter your home and pare down your possessions is important if you want to avoid becoming overwhelmed. However, this task can seem impossible. Where can you begin? The mere thought of sorting through everything that you own and deciding what to keep can make you feel defeated before you ever get started.

How To Begin To Organize

Fortunately, there are some simple tips that you can use to make this project a lot easier. First of all, it is important to start small. When you look at your home as a whole, it is all too easy to give up in despair. Instead, pick a small section of your home and focus on that.

This can be a single room, or even a single corner of a room. Even clearing off a shelf can be enough to get you started. Organize that drawer in your kitchen that is crammed full of junk, or recycle those old magazines that have been sitting on your coffee table for months.

Start Small

Starting with a small, manageable project gives you an immediate taste of success that provides much-needed motivation. By choosing an area that you can clean up and organize in an hour or two, you will not get overwhelmed as easily. If you feel discouraged later on, you can always go back and look at that area to feel better.

Too often, people throw themselves into this process and feverishly try to work at breakneck speed for a few days. They may get a lot done, but then the motivation fades and they wind up back at square one. If you really want to get your house organized, you need to make sure that you make slow, steady progress.

Just One Step A Day

Rather than trying to get everything done in a long weekend, focus on doing a little bit every day. Even 20 to 30 minutes a day will add up over the long run. You may be amazed at how much you can accomplish in this fashion. In addition, you will be less likely to burn out and give up quickly.

Try to develop a regular schedule for getting rid of clutter, instead of just doing it when you feel like it. Set aside a chunk of time each day when you focus on this task. Once it becomes a regular part of your daily routine, you will start doing it without even thinking about it.

Once you get over the initial hump, learning how to declutter your home is not as difficult as you might fear. You just need to get in the habit of keeping things organized. Before long, you will have pared down your possessions and your home will be a more pleasant place to live.

You can find more help on decluttering and how it can improve your health on this page.