Let’s Learn Time Management

We all know the phrase “Time and Tide wait for none”. Sometime last year Shantanu Deshpande CEO of Bombay Shaving Company faced severe criticism on social media for a Linkedin post that advised freshers to work 18 hours a day. He went on add eat well and stay fit, put in the 18-hour days for at least 4-5 years with “no random rona-dhona (no whining I suppose).
However, those who agreed or otherwise have not spoken about how well time has to be managed even if someone is putting in 18 more hours of work. Even when India’s first PM Nehru seems to have said “Aaram Haram Hai”. There is no need to know whether it was Nehruji or someone else. Later on, people, in general, have not taken it seriously and still managed to contribute well. My father once told us that late Field Marshal Manekshaw was against staff working overtime and he will make it a point to check before leaving the office whether someone is working after 17:00 hrs and they would get dressed down. His logic was when staff is unable to complete their work within office hours, they may be wasting their time and to earn overtime. In fact, in India like the rest of the world work came to a grinding halt and to compensate for the loss we Indians would put in extra hours, No such thought was even discussed and none of the politicians didn’t even dare to suggest putting in extra hours.
The question that comes to my mind is whether Indians unlike others including the Japanese have any sense of Time or Time Management. I may sound cynical or simply generalizing that none of us understand the value of time. Here are my thoughts Parents: They say everything starts from home and parents need to follow and practice some basic time management so that children can learn from them. In the long run, it would not only help in their growing up years in schools, colleges, and workplaces. If they fail to value time, they are bound to lose their energy when they have to race against time to complete the tas k given to them. Yes, it is true that now parents are also working and it’s impossible to manage time well, But if they draw up a simple plan, it is possible.
School Management and heads: The school management, the heads, and all stakeholders need to take the responsibility of maintaining time in all their daily routines. Just for the sake of seeking some favor, it is not necessary to get a busy VIP to act as Chief Guest in various school events. The schools can invite a retired teacher or staff as Chief Guest. They would not only be able to share their thoughts to motivate not only teachers but even students who have studied under them. Also, the school heads should value the time of teachers who are taking classes and try to schedule the meetings in such a way that neither the classes are disturbed nor they are forced to stay beyond school hours after at the end of the day they will leave with no energy to share their thoughts usefully. If they are constrained to call for a meeting let them get a notice in advance so that they are fully prepared. It is for them to follow simple agenda and maintain time. Under no situation, office work should be given to cover up nonworking office staff.
Captains of Industry and Honchos: In the corporate sector also quite often the seniors and management have no sense of time and value the time of others above or below them. At times needless meetings are suddenly called at short notice without realizing the work and schedules of all others. It’s some unavoidable meetings can’t be avoided and they must be called to find solutions for the unexpected problem that has raised, but such meetings should not become a meeting to fix the date of the next meeting and should any cost. Another source of waste of time is seminars and conferences, thanks to the pandemic many have turned online, but lived one in the past and even are in essence what I used to think of as TSL (Tea, Samosa, and Lunch) seminars or conferences. Many years back, I was one of the participants in a training program organized by our company and conducted by a senior manager of a multinational company, I was the one who reached the venue first and was pleasantly surprised he was already there setting up a projector (non-tech era)and I was able to spend time with him before others turned up. At end of the day, he didn’t even waste a minute and packed up to catch his flight.
Chief Guest and Politicians: If and when these VIPs accept an invite to be the chief guest in an event, please do value the time of the other guest and invitees sitting before them. If the VIP consider his work more important than the event, let them say polite no instead of accepting and turning up late and in particular if the event is for children. If VIPs’ time is important so also restless.
Social Animals: Lastly one more source where people have no sense of time for themselves and respect for others in social gatherings like birthdays, engagements, or even marriages or receptions. On many occasions, I have seen the guests made endlessly as the person whose birthday is being celebrated is not ready or if it happens to marriage the bride and groom have got delayed at the beauty parlor. It is true some times even guests do not come on time and pass on the blame on the now famous “traffic jam” or “heavy traffic” even though everyone knows there is going to be heavy traffic, but still they don’t care to start early to reach the venue on time. Let them think that turning up late is a “fashion” In the end, we all should remember it is not important how many hours we work, what is important that how much of it was productive. We must work and also others to work so that we collectively turn out to be productive. Let’s remember Michael Alshuler’s quote “The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot”. On a lighter note, read this piece after completing your work on time.