We tend to slack off when things are going smoothly. 

When I was still a student, I have had a lot of experiences cramming for exams and projects. I am not proud of those moments, but still, I can glean important life lessons from those experiences.

Perhaps one of the most memorable cramming moments I had was our survey for our feasibility study. We were supposed to conduct a market survey and we were given ample time to do it. But instead of taking advantage of the time allotment, we did other unnecessary things, thinking highly of our ability to provide output. But it was a bad move. Not only did we cram our market survey, but we also failed to deliver our best. 

I wish I could say that that was the last time I mismanaged time, but it was not. There were a lot of instances when I wished I could turn back time. 

But growing up means nothing if you do not learn. So here are my realizations on how to make and keep TIME your best buddy.

Do things right away

Procrastination is the primary culprit why some things remain undone. So whenever you can, do things right away! This is also helpful if you forget things easily. As tasks pile up during the day, you might forget the things you should have done. As they say, out of sight, out of mind. So as long as you have the chance, don't delay!

Be proactive

Another helpful hack is being proactive. Anticipate the things you might do later and do it right away. Don't wait for instruction. This will not only help you stay sharp but will also free you up some time for other things. If you're pretty sure that something needs to be done and it is within your means to do so, might as well work it out! 

Respect your season

This might contradict what I've said about being productive, but let me be clear. Respecting your season has something to do with your boundaries. Don't do things that are way beyond your current season.

I know of some young people who rushed into relationships, and instead of focusing on their studies, are now engaged with marital problems and child-rearing. As a result, they missed out a lot on their youth. Also, they work doubly hard than they have to because they have more responsibilities now. That's why we need to respect our season. 

Allot time for yourself

Don't rest too much that you compromise your work. Likewise, don't overwork yourself that you forget to rest. There's a reason why we have daytime and nighttime - a time to work and to rest. We are not like machines programmed to work nonstop. Our bodies cease to function well when we're overfatigued, that's why we need to rest when we're tired and pause when we're overworked. Allot time for yourself. Recharge once in a while.

Learn to say NO

Respect boundaries - including yours. Sometimes not being able to say NO to people's requests causes us to neglect our own needs. We compromise not just our schedule, but we also compromise our mental health by allowing others to invade our boundaries. So next time someone oversteps his/her boundaries, learn to say NO no matter how hard it seems. You'll be thankful you did. 

Final Thoughts

Time could be your best friend or your worst enemy. It is non-renewable, it does not stop, and it remains constant. It will not wait for us to get better before we can maximize its potential to change us. We need to know how to work around it and harness it so we can be a better version of ourselves.