Managing your time effectively

Frances O. Ponce

On September 12, 2014, our organization conducted a workshop-seminar on different topics ranging from time management, compliance training, health and weight management and the launching of our new website. The seminar was provided free to those who just got promoted in their rankings.

One of the interesting topics discussed was the concept of time management. The President of our company was the guest speaker. Basically, the concepts discussed were the Pareto Principle or the "80/20 rule" which says that 80% of your unfocused efforts generates only 20% of productive results; the highly-acclaimed 4 quadrants introduced by Stephen Covey in his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People which will be discussed later; the "Mayo Jar" principle also introduced by Stephen Covey and the concept of to do list.

The Pareto Principle

The Pareto Principle was introduced by Joseph M. Juran, a management consultant and he named the principle after an Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto. The principle says that out of the 80% we do all the time (i.e., errands, projects, big tasks, etc.) only produces 20% of productive results. If you do not prioritize your tasks from the most important to not important, you will spend 80% of your effort for only 20% of productive results. This principle exemplifies the importance of managing your tasks in order of priority.


The 4 quadrants

The 4 quadrants is basically a task management tool suggested by the best-selling author Stephen Covey. The 4 quadrants is divided into different kinds of tasks: first is urgent and important such as big tasks with urgent deadlines, emergencies, etc.; second is not urgent but important such as planning, relationships and the like; third is urgent but not important such as phone calls, mails and unimportant meetings; and, lastly not urgent and not important tasks such as chain mails and texts.

Stephen Covey suggests that we should focus our efforts to the 1st two quadrants and eliminate as much as possible tasks belonging to the last quadrant. This is one way of managing your time effectively.

The "Mayo Jar" Principle

If you are a big fan of Stephen Covey, I bet you already seen him conducting a demonstration of putting certain stuff inside the mayo jar. The concept of the "Mayo Jar" principle is that we must first put within the jar big stuff such as rocks, then gravel thereafter, then fine sand and lastly water until the jar becomes full. If you put it the other way around putting lastly the big rocks the jar will not be fully utilized.

This is another way of setting priorities. What the principle tells us is that we must first prioritize those tasks or matters that are considered huge. People who puts first important matters such as personality development, spirituality and the like based on his embraced values are able to achieve their highest potential. On the other hand, people who puts first petty and unimportant things such as eating junkfoods and watching television become mediocre.

Time management is truly life management. People who use their time effectively through constant planning and prioritizing are much happier and vibrant compared to those who don't. Remember that time is a scarce resource more valuable than money. You may have lots of money but don't have time for your family. Eventually, everything boils down into one thing-- your values. Having the right values and prioritizing your life based on those values much more rewarding and stress-relieving.