All Work And No Play Results In Low Efficiency
Ever wondered how some people with important and busy jobs manage to stop and ‘smell the roses’? They probably do less work than you right? Wrong! They probably get more work done than you. That’s because they plan for the fun time and actually include it as a part of their effective time management.
Planning fun time is very important, especially because it does not “just” happen. We plan for travel in the morning, we set a time for the meeting at noon, and we schedule our lunch break, yet we do forget to schedule any time for snuggling on the sofa with our little princess, or reading a book to the baby. Stop to think why. The simplest answer clearly is that “fun” time is expected to happen spontaneously, and at rare times this may be the case. Yet, unless some time is set aside for it to happen, it is rather unlikely that it will become a constant part of our daily lives.
What exactly is “fun” time? Some would think of it as a time of relaxation, leisure, or recreation. Others refer to it as a time to step away from the many responsibilities of life and instead allow for some personal time that benefits only themselves. Still others regard hobbies or athletics as “fun” time. Who is right? All of them are! “Fun” time is a time mainly aimed at stress reduction, and everyone experiences this differently. Some find it when in the artist’s studio with a block of clay on a wheel, whereas others find it on a racquet ball court. Some see it in a good book, and some others experience it in the midst of a volunteer activity. No matter where your source of “fun” time lies, unless you schedule it, it won’t come your way.
Effective time management depends on the proper use of allotted time for any activity, but it does not go against what you choose to use the time allotments for. Hence, it is up to you to decide what will fill your day, and if you neglect the “fun” aspect, you will soon find yourself in an overwhelmed, “burned out” and consequently unproductive state that will does allow you to even finish the scheduled tasks before their time’s up. Just how important is “fun” time for effective time management?
First of all, most of us enjoy some activity or hobby. By incorporating this into your busy schedules, you are forced to think about it and plan on spending your time wisely. Organizing your day with “fun” time included will also allow slowly the other things from your daily “to do” list find their spots on the calendar.
Secondly, by incorporating “fun” into a daily schedule, we will be forced to set goals and prioritize our activities in order to make time for “fun”. The goal has to be realistic and measurable. For example, putting “make a million dollars and become famous racecar driver” if you make less than $50,000 a year and are still the proud owner of an old Hugo might not be realistic, and will eventually lead to frustration. “Learn karate and increase earnings to $55,000” is much a more realistic goal and will allow you to really work towards an achievable goal that will stretch you right enough to allow you to reach higher. Obviously, including the “fun” time in the schedule adds a touch of reality to the whole endeavor.
Third, be nice to yourself and reward yourself. By allowing you to reap the benefits of your hard labor and seeing the rewards that working late have brought, you will feel refreshed and be ready to go for the next challenge. You may even wish to go one step ahead and promise yourself a reward after you get the next raise, or are sent to the next seminar, make the quota, or simply get the next contract. This system of achievement and reward will create a system of checks and balances that will keep you happier, healthier, and more productive.