Many people in the entire world have at various occasions misinterpreted the real essence of time Management mankind’s daily activity.

Several questions had been raised in respect of time by different individuals and entities. Most times, people failed to tender the apt answer to the enquiries. That’s the prime reason for this very topic.

The fact is that we cannot possibly shy away from discussions pertaining to time management if we are really determined to excel, or distinguish ourselves, in our various field of endeavour. It would shock, or perhaps surprise, you to note that adequate time management is arguably the secret behind most successes recorded by mankind.

In his words, Baltasar Gracian said “All that really belongs to us is time; even he who has nothing else has that.” This intends to inform us that with time, one can attain to any height in accordance with his or her aspiration. And, the time itself ‘belongs to us’, meaning literally we can make use of it the way and manner we desire.

Frankly, our inability to utilize our time properly has been the prime reason we have failed on various occasions. It’s noteworthy that most of us are still lagging behind when it comes to utilization of time. Those who fall in this bracket can never move ahead, even a bit, until they fully comprehend how best to manage their time.

An associate of mine, years ago, missed a contract worth millions of naira owing to his inability to abide by the time stipulated in the invitation. He was asked via a text message to report to the firm by exactly nine O’clock in the morning. But as a result of the ‘African time’ mentality, he didn’t take the time seriously, thus arriving at some minutes past ten.

He was, however, granted the interview as planned. He reportedly performed very well after all said and done. But surprisingly, the Human Resources Manager (HRM) said to his face “Mister Ken, you are truly qualified for this job but I am afraid of one thing.”

When he tried to ascertain what informed the HRM’s fear, he was rightly told that the company was not ready to engage or contract anyone that believes in African time. That was how they deprived him of the golden opportunity.

William Penn opined “Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.” Most people spend most of, or virtually all, their time catching fun or engaging in frivolities. They do so, forgetting time to wait for no one. Jef  Mallett wisely asserted “If time flies when you are having fun, it hits the afterburners when you don’t think you are having enough.”

It was the famous Nigerian musician, Mike Okiri that sang in vernacular “Time na money.” In the song, he implored people to use their time judiciously, stressing that good things do not fall from heaven but are acquired by hard work.

Little wonder John Kennedy counseled “We must use time as a tool, not as a crutch”. Among all, it is pertinent to acknowledge that “Lost time is never found again” as opined by Benjamin Franklin.

Hence, we are charged to always take into cognizance that time is invariably of the essence when carrying out any task. This signifies that it is an inevitable tool designed for mankind to be managed and used towards actualizing a conceived goal.

So, no matter how much we make an effort to steer clear of time, we can never succeed. Rather, we will only end up hurting ourselves. It suffices to assert that one who plays with his/her time has played with the future.

“If we take care of the moments, the years will take care of themselves.” This was tendered by Maria Edgeworth, and I concur. She was trying to argue that if we properly handle our present situation, the future will certainly have nothing to fear for. It’s crucial to understand it is only adequate management of time that can enable us to conquer the challenges of today, thereby paving the way for a better tomorrow.

On a daily basis, we are expected to schedule our respective useful activities or consignments, and never play with any of the items in the timetable. Each of the items therein must be given a certain time frame, and you must consciously work not to abuse the schedule. Similarly, if you are working on any project, endeavor to prepare a Gantt chart for it, to guide you as long as the journey lasts. This is a keyword to success for those who truly intend to succeed.

It would interest us to acknowledge that, even those we look up to still don’t joke with their time in spite of the level or height they have already attained. Survey shows that successful individuals are more conscious of their time than the incoming ones. This is because, out of experience, they have realized how powerful the said tool is. This is why each time you see them, their eyes are on their wrist watch.

It’s, therefore, on this note I urge us to invariably bear in mind that time is the conqueror of everything under the Sun, hence the need to adore it. Yes, we must adore and cherish it candidly and strongly, if there’s really a goal to achieve.

At this point, I leave you with the words of Philip Stanhope that says “Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it… Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.”

You have all it takes to be in control of your precious time. So, you shouldn’t allow the reverse to be the case. Do not let your time control you, else you will live your entire life to regret your steps. It only takes proper planning to adequately handle or manage the situation. This implies we must always be mindful of how we plan our schedules.

The time has surely and obviously come for us to treat our time with absolute seriousness, if truly we are determined to arrive at the desired destination as it’s being scheduled.

Hence, irrespective of one’s occupation or profession, they must endeavor to take their time very seriously towards arriving at the apt point, to avert ‘had I known’.