Do you want to manage your time but can’t? Here are some reasons why you lack time management skills.
Have you ever thought about achieving immortality? What will happen? One possibility is that we won’t have a ticking ‘life clock’ anymore! From learning valuable skills to creating new technologies, we will be able to reshape our lives for the better! But most importantly, we would have access to an important resource- time!
Time is a powerful tool if you know how to use it. This resource is the universal gift that can help us rewrite our stories of evolution. However, reality is quite discouraging, as most people don’t understand how to manage time.
If you are a part of the ‘not-so-good-with-time’ crowd, you often try various ways to master it and yet remain empty-handed. But what if you are focusing on the wrong side? Have you ever tried to find out the reasons why you can’t help yourself?
That’s the problem! You were so busy trying to befriend time that you ignored the causes of your poor time management. But that’s going to change from now on! Here, we will help you find out what you’re doing wrong with this resource and how to make it right. So, let’s discuss the reasons why you lack time-management skills.
Why Do You Lack Time Management Skills?
Okay, so let’s start our journey with a famous quote:
“Time and tide waits for no man”
– Geoffrey Chauser
Time is no one’s best friend! That’s why, with every wasted moment, we lose the available tokens of this valuable resource. Still, we can get a good deal out of our efforts if we troubleshoot the hidden problems. And that’s how we plan to help you! So, here are ten reasons why you lack time management skills.
1. You Don’t Set Your Priorities Straight
Let’s say you have recently joined a company that offers a very good salary. Now, you’re excited to work here as you think it’s a platform to plan for your professional growth. But fast forward to three months, and you realize you’ve made a big mistake! The firm doesn’t prioritize the tasks properly and has little to no rules to simplify your work. You wouldn’t want to work in such an environment, do you?
The same analogy applies to your tasks. When you start working on them without making a list or a plan, you invite nothing but trouble! You have to set a priority for each task. A good plan requires working on the time-consuming tasks first and then proceeding to the other ones. Such a hierarchy of tasks works wonders for your time management. Besides, it also improves your productivity and helps you deliver results.
Research suggests that prioritizing tasks can help individuals lower their stress levels and boost work satisfaction. Moreover, this tendency also offers mental relief as their tasks become predictable enough to work on. If you lack time management skills, this tip will surely help you get a good start!
2. You Commit to Too Many Things at Once
Take an example of a new freelancer who can work with various industries. He takes up work daily and sets timelines to maintain his work-life balance. But slowly, he gets occupied with so many tasks and is barely left with any time for himself. As a result, he burns out and quits freelancing!
Our work-life balance is also as fragile as the freelancer’s. That’s why, time-mangement is necessary to avoid fatigue or stress. You can’t commit to too many tasks at the same time. It sounds appealing for a short-term project but is a nightmare for the long-term ones. Besides, you need good concentration and flexibility at all times, which isn’t always possible.
According to research, overcommitment invites higher stress levels and impacts individual performance along with mental and physical health. So, don’t bite off more than you can chew! Work on a limited set of tasks and ensure you have time for other important things. This is one of the best ways to manage time if you lack time management skills.
3. You Are Obsessed With Perfectionism
Have you seen Black Swan? Yes, the movie starring Natalie Portman. If you still haven’t, spoiler alert! So, Natalie plays the role of a ballet dancer who wants to be the best in the ballet company. As a result, she goes to great lengths with her perfectionistic side. She eventually achieves perfection but at the cost of her life!
We don’t plan to harm you with this story. But we can take some cues about the side effects of perfectionism.
Seeking perfection is good, but becoming obsessed with it isn’t. Sometimes, there isn’t a way to improve things any further, yet you try to perfect it anyway. As a result, you spend a lot of time on this one task while others are left behind. This leads to total time mismanagement.
According to a study on perfectionism and productivity, perfectionists are more likely to plan and strategize their tasks. They take their time to make decisions and get anxious when they can’t meet the required standards. As a result, they lose out on productivity. So, stop being ‘too perfect’ and overcome your fear of failure. If you follow this tip, you won’t lack time management skills anymore.
4. You Set Unachievable Goals Without Planning
There’s a story about a team of mountaineers who started an expedition from the base camp all the way to Mt. Everest’s peak. They had ample resources, but their goal was too far-fetched. What’s worse, they didn’t even make a good plan for it. Eventually, the weather turned the tide over them, and they couldn’t sustain themselves any longer. They were disappointed and decided to go back.
Similarly, you waste a lot of time when you set an unachievable goal. Things get worse when you don’t even make a good plan for it. You are left disheartened with little to no results for your efforts. That’s why, you must focus on setting an achievable goal and celebrate the small wins on the way. Also, don’t forget to have a sound strategy, or you’ll mismanage time again.
Studies suggest that it’s better to set clear and specific goals for task completion. The goals should be well-defined and must be executed on time. So, if you lack time management skills, you can use this tip to your benefit and become the best!
5. You Try to Copy Others’ Working Style
Let’s say one of your friends is in a relationship with a wonderful lady. Their mutual love is so inspiring that you decide to date and find a special one. So, you notice how your friend treats his girlfriend. Now, you try to apply the same in your potential dates. But despite dating so many women, you can’t impress anyone. You wonder, “What’s wrong? Why can’t I get a girlfriend?”
The same applies to your tasks. It’s easy to understand what’s wrong with your efforts. You are trying to copy your friends’ methods to get the desired result. But it wouldn’t work no matter what you think! You must understand that people have different preferences and priorities. What works for them may or may not work for you.
Various studies prove that everyone has their strengths and weaknesses when managing time. Hence, copying someone’s methods and trying to apply them to your tasks doesn’t yield the desired outcome. That’s why, it’s better to experiment with your working style and determine personal strengths and weaknesses. This helps improve productivity and efficiency. You can turn the tides with this tip if you lack time management skills.
6. You Lack Consistency and Self Discipline
Let’s understand this with an example!
An aspiring painter used to create pieces of artistic beauty. He was quite talented but worked only three days a week. Also, he wasn’t using his skills to make a fortune for himself. Instead, he overspent and went broke. As a result, he lost his will and fell into depression.
You’ll end up just like the painter if you don’t develop self-discipline. You have to adopt a consistent approach to become more sincere. Self-discipline does the rest of the job to help you fight against temptations and distractions. If you want to ace your game, these two traits are worth every penny.
A psychological study suggests that self-discipline and time management are related. It says that individuals can become more disciplined by setting achievable goals and promoting a growth mindset. This further helps them stick to the timelines and manage their workload efficiently. Hence, consistency and self-discipline are your best friends if you lack time management skills.
7. Your Routine Lacks Proper Time Distribution
You may wonder, “Why would someone make a timetable with an improper time distribution?” Because they are making a ‘life table’, not a ‘timetable’. Here is an example of what we mean.
A student studying for competitive exams doesn’t know how to start his preparation. He makes a timetable as suggested by his professors and includes six important tasks to accomplish each day for about three months.
Seems fair, right? But here’s the problem.
He is only able to complete four tasks, as some of them are time-consuming. Besides, he has little to no room left for a break! He is confused and wonders what’s wrong with his efforts.
Do you realize what’s wrong? The student is trying to keep himself busy. But in this process, he is sacrificing time! You are making the same mistake. You think adding structure to your life will help you manage time. The problem is it isn’t enough!
You must also sort your tasks according to their mode (easy, medium, and difficult), the resources necessary, and their importance. Then, make room for every task with enough interval or break sessions. This will help you focus better and improve your time management.
Research also says that a balanced time distribution can help improve work performance. When individuals properly time their tasks and maintain sufficient interval periods, they are less stressed and better motivated to complete them. So, if you lack time management skills, this is where you can make a big change.
8. You Don’t Adapt to Unpredictable Situations
Life is subject to change! If you want to make the most of your time, flexibility is your best friend. Consistency helps you grow and learn, too, but you can’t expect to hold on to its embrace all the time. Sometimes, situations are unpredictable, and you are forced to carve another path to get things done.
You have seen a chameleon, right? How does it survive in the wild? By changing its color and hiding in plain sight. It’s a fine example of stealth!
You have to learn to be like a chameleon and adapt to unpredictable situations to manage time. Set your priorities in a way so you can accommodate the urgent tasks and complete them first. You can also shift the less important ones to the next day’s routine and balance your workload. If you constantly resist and don’t adapt to the changing times, you’ll lose the race, my friend!
Studies suggest that adaptable people are spontaneous and find solutions in the face of uncertainty. They often improvise and complete their tasks without breaking a sweat. That way, they establish structure amidst chaos. You can do the same if you lack time management skills.
9. You Are Suffering From ‘Analysis Paralysis’
Do you spend a lot of time thinking and rarely complete your tasks? If you do, then you are an overthinker! You think about the situations to the point where you are unable to act on them. By the time you find the best course of action, it’s already too late! You can understand this with an example.
A woman goes to a store to buy something only to find a man following her. Instead of enquiring about him and his motivations, she assumes that he wants to steal something from her. This thought brings a host of other possible scenarios that don’t put the man in a better light. Then, she turns back and threatens him to leave her alone. But she realizes that he has recently shifted to the same neighbourhood as hers and wants to go home.
Similarly, you try to overthink every possible way to complete your tasks, which wastes time. That’s why it’s better to get down to work and track the completion time of each task. Once you get an idea of how things work out, you’ll stop overthinking.
According to research, overthinking can cause issues with decision-making and isn’t beneficial to self-improvement. Besides, overthinkers are more likely to develop stress and paranoia. As a result, they don’t get their tasks done on time. If you lack time management skills, this is one of the reasons why!
10. You Simply Aren’t Taking This Seriously
Wait! So, you tried everything from the above and still can’t manage time!
Hmmm… What’s the reason then? How are we supposed to find out?
Oh.. wait. That’s something you are supposed to find out!
But how?
By understanding that seeking inspiration isn’t the same as building motivation. You must ask yourself, “Do I really want to get into it? And if I do, how committed am I to my goal?”
In other words, if you are trying to develop time management to show off, you’re bound to fail. You must have something that gets you going, that makes you wake up at five o’clock in the morning! It’s a service to those who want to change their lives for the better.
According to a study, active and committed individuals usually follow time-management strategies. As a result, they develop a sense of accomplishment with higher satisfaction levels. Hence, try taking things more seriously so you don’t lack time-management skills.
You can read this web story for a seamless viewing experience.
Time and Tide Waits for No One!
So, here we are at last! We have discussed every possible reason why you lack time management skills.
We started our journey from not setting the priorities to seeking overwhelming work beyond limits. Then, we stopped by to see your obsession with perfectionism and pay a visit to the dream pitch of unachievable goals. Further, we caught you copying others’ methods without consistency and self-discipline.
That’s a bad day, now is it? But we aren’t done yet.
We found the flaws in your time-distribution methods as you failed to adapt to unpredictable situations. Finally, we realized that you get stuck in analysis paralysis when caught and overthink way too seriously. Wait…. not so seriously!
Nevertheless, you can befriend time if you follow our tips and suggestions for each reason. We hope to have helped you through your journey to personal growth and self-improvement. Thank you!