The Kellan Group

Project Management Consulting | Keynote Speaker | Training

  • Home
  • About
    • The Kellan Group
    • Meet Sandra Hoskins
  • Working With Kellan
    • Keynote
    • Training & Workshops
    • Project Management Consulting
  • Sandra’s Blog
  • Resources
  • Contact

Drive By Project Management Moment – There Is No Time Management

09.05.2010 by Sandra Hoskins //

You have to manage your time better. You can hear the drum beat in your head. I should have made better use of my time today. I should have… I should have… I should have. Give it up!!!! There is no such activity as time management. There, I have said it. Now, I will be pilloried in the city square or internet universe.


Think about it. In the universe, time is a non-renewable resource. It isn’t like food where we can grow more; it isn’t like money where we can earn more; it isn’t like a spouse where if push comes to shove we can find another one (there is a heavy duty assumption here that you might want to go down that path for a second, third or infinite number of times). Sunday, September 5, 2010 is nearly gone. It isn’t coming back. There is no time travel (Dr. Who to the contrary) that allows us to revisit, rejig and restore the decisions of the past.

Today, I decided that I would read. I read 4, count them 1 – 2 – 3 – 4, books. They were all critical to my mental health. The list that I was going to accomplish today had nothing to do with reading. I was going to shorten pants for my husband and daughter, mark assignments for my students, cut trees into logs (my husband and son-in-law cut down around 15 yesterday), help my husband bleed the brakes on the truck and so on. The reality is … I didn’t do any of those things.

I did read my books, update my IPod, walk on the treadmill, watch the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (CFL teams for my friends outside Canada), walk on the treadmill, review some contracts, share wine with my husband, print material for Tuesday and write my blog. But!!!! I never completed the other items on my list so guess what! These have been added to my list for tomorrow which already has about 10 activities to be completed. Oh! for change requests. We never seem to think about them for personal things.

The golden nugget for today is ‘track your accomplishments. There is no such thing as time management; there is only time conservation.’ You have to make the best use of the time you have today. There is no one who knows if we will awake tomorrow. There is no point in feeling guilty. There is only making the best use of the time you have available to you today.

‘Where time is concerned, there are no do overs. There is only do.’ Just a second, I was channelling Yoda. When you go to bed tonight, give thanks that you got to the end of the day and that you accomplished everything you did. The lesson is ‘procrastination is for the afraid.’ It is critical that each of us leverage every minute as if it is the last. Each day has 24 hours. It can’t be extended or shrunk. It is what it is. Conserve time like you would conserve water. It is the only non-renewable resource that where your choices have a direct impact.  Make every minute count, no matter how small the activity.  In project management, our personal decisions impact a team.  Sometimes, we forget that our personal tendency to defer that which we don’t like to do will directly impact the team.  Get with the  program.  Do the best you can today so that you have no do overs tomorrow.  When all else fails, tell the project manager the truth.  Life got in the way of your plan.

Don’t be the ‘drive by team member’!

Share this:

  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)

Related

Categories // Sandra's Blog Tags // conservation, DIRTFT, Drive by, Drive By Project Management, expectation management, Lessons, management, project, thinking out of the box

More posts from Sandra's Blog

  • Another Left Too Soon .. Why We Must Remember

    November 11, 2022
  • Channeling Top Gear: A Review of The Mitsubishi RVR – AWD

    May 2, 2022
  • The Warrior’s Battle Cry – Ground Rule 8: Know Your World

    March 25, 2022
  • The Warrior’s Battle Cry – Ground Rule 14 Listen, Learn, Speak Out, Be Accountable, and Show Up

    March 25, 2022
  • The Warrior’s Battle Cry – Ground Rule 13:  Savour Your Victories / Live Like There Is No Tomorrow

    March 25, 2022
  • The Warrior’s Battle Cry – Ground Rule 12: Get Back Up / Find Your Spine / Screw It Just Do It

    March 25, 2022
  • The Warrior’s Battle Cry – Ground Rule 11: Use Your Energy Wisely / Pick Your Battles / Own Your Life

    March 25, 2022
  • The Warrior’s Battle Cry – Ground Rule 10: Follow Through / Follow Up / Just Get It Done

    March 25, 2022
  • The Warrior’s Battle Cry – Ground Rule 9: Strengthen Your Shield

    March 25, 2022
  • The Warrior’s Battle Cry – Ground Rule 7: Sharpen Your Sword

    March 25, 2022

Project Management Institute, Inc. ®

As a Charter Registered Education Provider (R.E.P. ®), The Kellan Group Inc. continues to maintain compliance with PMI®-established quality assurance criteria. PMP®, PMBOK® Guide, CAPM®, PgMP®, PMI®, PMI-SP®, PMI-RMP®, PMI-PBA®, PMI-ACP®, and REP® are registered marks of the Project Management Institute, Inc.

The Kellan Group

We make a difference in the lives of others by empowering them to create a thriving environment so that they can change the world, one person at a time.

Contact and Connect

The Kellan Group
Box 2789, Stn. Main
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 4B4

Phone: 204-253-1896
Email: mentors@thekellangroup.com

Read More
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2023 · The Kellan Group · Winnipeg Website Development by A Crazy Chameleon
Privacy Policy · Terms & Conditions

Copyright © 2023 · The Kellan Group on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

MENU
  • Home
  • About
  • Working With Kellan
    • Project Management Consulting
    • Keynote
  • Sandra’s Blog
  • Resources
  • Contact