“Until we can manage time, we can manage nothing else” – Peter F. Drucker

The value of time may not be measured by a dollar, but there is no denying the fact that time management is of the essence in all arenas of life. It is one of the most important business skills you can acquire to advance your career. In many ways, “time management really is life management”, and it is important to learn how to make every minute of every day count. In fact, managing time doesn’t just increase your productivity, it also reduces stress, and something every businessperson will agree to. These are a few tricks you can master, to manage time better in the future:

1) Making Lists, and Adhering to Them

There are two steps to effective time management. Plan your day’s schedule by making to-do lists, and most importantly, sticking to the schedule. Find a and regularly use a regimented list making system that works for you, such as Getting Things Done. Some businessmen have even gone on record to say that if you are not making lists, chances are, you are probably not making too much money either.

2) Keep Interruptions in Mind

You cannot ignore interruptions and emergencies. A to-do list is only to give you an idea of your day, but one cannot predict ultimately how your day is going to turn out! You might be required to attend an urgent, unscheduled meeting. And you cannot say no, can you?

3) Set Goals Weekly

Most entrepreneurs know that setting long term goal are pointless, the face of business is changing every day, and it really is a “survival of the fittest” sort of situation out there. That means, you’ll have to adapt; and to adapt, you have to plan your activities at least a week ahead. Make a list of all your meetings and conferences, so that you don’t miss out on anything important.

4) Time Management While Making Calls

Before making a call, take 5 minutes to ponder about its purpose, and what you want the end result to be. Plan what you’re going to say, that not only makes you appear confident, but also saves time. With your go-getter attitude on, you’re likely to make judicious use of the time in hand.

5) Planning and Strategizing

Planning is at least 40% of your productivity. Spend some amount of time daily, simply planning and contemplating different scenarios in your head. That will prepare you for all possible situations that you might have to encounter.

According to the dictionary, time can be defined as a “period or duration when things occur” In other words, time is about making stuff happen. On one hand you have the clock time, where time is measured by the hours in a day.  On the other, you have real time, which is relative and depends on how you utilize it. For entrepreneurs, mastering the art of managing time is imperative, if they want to make their mark in the fast-paced business world.