I had been invited to speak at a book launch. During the evening, I asked the new author when he planned to write another book.

“I plan to take three months off, and go to some place quiet, where I am alone, and write!” he said.

“Don’t take three months, take three years off,” said his wife, much to the amusement of all the others listening.

I pondered over the statement and realized that this was something many of us feel; that to do any creative activity, to do a new assignment, to take up a new area of study, we need to get away somewhere.

“Why don’t you put your interesting life story down?” a successful businessman is asked.

“When I retire…” he says, “now there’s no peace and quiet!”

And thus, we all look for that utopian peace and quiet, to find not just the right time to write, but the right time to do anything, and in all probability, that book or that peace and relaxation we look for will remain a dream, and end with a sigh of sadness by a wife or family members as one is lowered into his or her grave.

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Today, it seems that one does not have enough time for all the things one wants to do. Twenty-four hours a day is simply inadequate for school/college, study, sleep, time with family and friends, play and exercise, TV, WhatsApp/Facebook/Instagram — and, of course, one needs to set aside a little time for daydreaming, too. There is only one way out: we must plan ahead, decide our priorities, and make a time schedule in which we include all important activities. We must prioritize the important task over the trivial, and balance immediate fun activities against those that are less interesting but beneficial in the long run.

What Is Time Management?

This is ultimately about making intelligent decisions about what are our most important priorities, and then using our will-power to do those activities first. When we are short of time, we may need to ignore activities that are less important, no matter how interesting and enjoyable they are.

a. Activities that are both Urgent and Important: Activities like preparing for the next day’s exam, should receive first priority.

b. Activities that are Urgent but Not Important: Yes, it’s good fun to spend a lot of time reading humorous forwards on WhatsApp. We get frequent notifications of our friends’ Facebook and Instagram posts. We receive phone calls while we are studying or even sleeping. Though most of these calls, messages and notifications are inconsequential, we feel compelled to read them and respond immediately, due to FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). The truth is that these are major distractions. We should silence notifications, but keep aside a little time every evening for WhatsApp and social media. This is the only way we will find time for the next set of activities.

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A beggar was living on a city footpath for many years. As a stranger passed by, the beggar asked him, “Sir, will you spare some coins for me?” The stranger replied, “I don’t have any change with me. But what is that box on which you are sitting?” “I don’t know. It has been there for so many years.” But the stranger encouraged him to open it, and with some difficulty, they together opened it and were quite taken aback. It was full of gold!

As you have begun the new academic year, it is worth considering the above story taken from the famous book The Power of Now by the British author Eckhart Tolle. In the book, Eckhart exhorts us to be aware, awake, and fully present in the moment we live. The present moment is all we will ever have, so live in the here and now. Yet, people spend a lot of time thinking and planning their future. If you take a break and listen to your mind for 10 minutes, you will notice that your mind repeatedly speaks about the same things.

Your present moment is putting foundation to your future. Unlike animals, human beings are gifted with a higher level of consciousness which is fashioning your life. What you repeatedly think today will be unfolded in your life in the coming days. A rich man’s son thinks in the present moment that he will be rich like his father. A poor man’s son thinks that he will not be able to become like that rich man.

The greatest treasure that everyone owns is one’s consciousness of NOW, by which one can alter one’s destiny. You and your mind are not one but distinct and independent. Your identity is separate from your mind, thoughts, and perceptions. If you watch your mind silently, with eyes closed, you will observe how it loves to escape either to the past regrets or future worries. So, it is challenging to become conscious of the present moment and to observe our thoughts without judgement.

Therefore, silently watch your thoughts. This way, you can have mastery over your thoughts, retaining those that help your happiness, and rejecting what is harmful. You are helpless regarding your past or future, but you can handle the present moment now when you can deliberately insert a great idea or delete negative ones. So, fill your present moment with those thoughts which you wish your mind to dwell in. All the things that you see around were built, discovered or invented by creating the mental images at their present moment and pursuing them moment after moment.

In this issue, we happily present the great story of Kaavya Karthikeyan, who conquered Mt Everest in her mind years before she actually reached there on 20th May 2024. The story of Elon Musk too is the same. So remember, you are sitting on the treasure box of NOW! The same is possible for you in every aspect of your life. Give it a try!

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Author: Jan Yager
Publisher: Better Yourself Books Pvt. Ltd.
Publication year: 2019
Pages: 237; Price: Rs 280

The time management books of the 20th century are outdated in this advanced digital age. That is why Jan Yager, an eminent sociologist, time-management and productivity guru, penned the bestseller Put More Time On Your Side to aid the youth of the AI technology age in using time-management skills to better their prospects of getting more work done on an everyday basis.

This is a concise book that does not skip the important aspects of living in a heightened technological age, especially meant for those who have to read their emails on a daily basis, and for students who are addicted to social networking sites. The book is relevant, well-crafted and presented, and it can be applied to your life immediately, whether you are studying, working or doing both.

“Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time.” — Jim Rohn (American entrepreneur, author, and motivational speaker)

After studying time-management for several years, including books by motivational speakers like Jim Rohn, Jan Yager wants to tell the youth of today to stop smartphones from turning them into slaves for short-term fame or as compulsive work machines. With the ability to have 24/7 online communications, constant compulsive texting and long hours of useless scrolling are the issues facing the young today. Through inspirational quotes, journal entries, personal anecdotes, and time-management charts, Yager helps the young to clarify their priorities in life and avoid any ‘time-wasters’, which are habits that stop them from getting done what they truly want to do.

With the help of this book, young entrepreneurs, high school and college students can apply laser-sharp focus to what they set out to do every day. Yager mentions excellent ways of using technology to aid in time-management rather than it being detrimental to overall productivity. She especially focuses on how to avoid wasting time by mindless multi-tasking and switching back and forth between checking statuses on social media sites and WhatsApp messages. It is also innovative in being one of the first self-help books in the market that discusses the new age ‘internet’ psychological diseases like fragmentation and distractionism and how to overcome them.

A mix of traditional-classic time management skills and a new outlook is what Put More Time On Your Side is all about. It has minimal quotations, but more useful tips to help change your life, along with an excellent bibliography to follow up on. You only need to realize which technology can help you and which one will bring you down completely, especially when you have an urgent deadline or board exam.

Let’s learn how to prioritise, initiate and evaluate our actions for better time-management by reading Jan Yager’s valuable and timely book. Get your copy of this book today and change your time-management skills for productivity, happiness and success.

Available at Better Yourself Books and all St Paul Book Centres in India

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As Marc Levy, a French writer, said, “If you want to know the value of one hour, ask the lovers waiting to meet. If you want to know the value of one minute, ask the person who just missed the train. If you want to know the value of one second, ask the person who just escaped death in a car accident. And if you want to know the value of one-hundredth of a second, ask the athlete who won a silver medal in the Olympics.” The time given to you is like a kite (this being the kite-flying season in India) in the sky. To take the kite to greater heights, the kite-flyer has to take charge of the thread and guide it according to the direction of the wind. Every person is given the same 24 hours every day. But we find that some people manage this time well and become successful, while others fret and sweat, feeling that they don’t have enough time.

Time is the most valuable gift and the key is not spending it somehow, but investing it intelligently. Shiv Khera, in his famous book You Can Win, explains this through the story of two woodcutters who went to the forest to cut trees. The first one cut, day after day, lesser and lesser number of trees, while the second was successful in cutting the same number every day because he spent daily some time to sharpen his axe. Sharpening the axe is synonymous to investing your time to care for your body, mind, heart and soul so that you are prepared to face your future tasks.

Besides your studies, work or daily life chores, invest your time in doing regular meditation, spending time with your family, reading good books, attending seminars or talks and doing physical exercises. This will bring long-term results in your life. Therefore, manage your time well by prioritising your tasks, and writing them down according to their importance. Hack away the non-essentials from your life. Concentrate on one task at a time. Develop the habit of good Time Management. Take care of your time, and time will take care of you! Wish you a joyful and successful New Year!

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H2O powered clock

In Osaka, Japan, there is a water clock that has a very unique way of showing people the time. With 400 nozzles completely controlled by computers, the time is continuously displayed through sprays of water. Since it’s never really enough just to know the time, it also displays a variety of pre-programmed patterns. The water continuously collects in a basin and is recirculated. So, is this really unique clock worth 30 litres of water per minute?

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Time is running like the overflowing waters
So vivacious, so impatient, so frantic.
As if its destiny will change
It doesn’t wait for any.

I sat at the thoroughfare watching the workers
Ready to be hired for someone
Waiting endlessly, timelessly.
They don’t know who’s going to employ them for a day
A day of hard labour or lazy waiting.

Every moment is precious, thoughtful…
Attentive and contemplative
Watching the movements of the day
Weary, humiliated, frustrated and pampered
Sunny moments…
Wintry moments …
Ambiguous and abstract moments.
Beautiful and picturesque ones.
Most unforgettable ones.
Most ridiculous ones.
Written in the unwritten registry of the mind
Exploring day after day.

Beauty and solace within oneself!
Who knows what’s going to be of the time
One thing is sure it doesn’t wait for anyone
Doesn’t wait for approval or a hate talk
It moves in its own rhythm
Tampering the disheartened and powerful under its
Gigantic feet…
Allow me to bid adieu to thee
In the most adorable and respectful way
Utilizing each priceless moment carefully under
Your watchful care, oh mighty one…

Published in the August 2016 issue of The Teenager Today.

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→ No!
→ Not now!
→ It’s too early!
→ I’m not just ready!
→ I haven’t completed it yet!
→ I’m not geared to start as of now!
→ I haven’t made up my mind about this!
→ I’m still thinking and I guess I will decide soon!

When is the right time?

Learning to prioritize, i.e., filtering essential tasks from the trivial ones isn’t easy. It is human nature to second guess, procrastinate, postpone, reschedule and yet again, adjourn. It just seems like it’s never the right time, doesn’t it? Never right enough to follow a healthy diet or exercise, or sort the desk, complete your homework, or spend time with family? And then where is the time to speak the truth, to own up, to apologize and mend broken friendships and relationships? But if not for all this, what do we have the time for right now? There are big things in life and then there are little things. And we need to accomplish everything in this one lifetime. Prioritizing is hence very important.

Sort yourself

Usually the muddle is not in the room or desk or school bag. It’s in the mind. What you see around you is a reflection of what goes on within you. It is very likely that you know what you must do and when you have to do it. You don’t need anyone else to make timetables for you. It is important to go to the craft store to pick collectibles and make a birthday card for a close friend because it’s his birthday tomorrow. This may not be as important two weeks from now. But homework, class assignments, studies, exercise and family are always important. These are the big things that you ideally should always budget for. The little things can always be squeezed in once the big ones are sorted.

The clock won’t stop ticking

You can, of course, remove the battery of the clock and stop its ticking, but time still won’t wait for you. We don’t have to work like robots with every minute of our day timed and dedicated to a specific task; however, the clock does exist to remind us that time is always passing and there are things to be done. And in our life, we are the only ones who can do them. Everyone has their own preferences on how they use or misuse their time.

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It wasn’t a waste of time if you learned something.

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