Question-Week ending Sunday 03/23/03:
Please describe the degree of time management and planning put forth, when you, your spouse, a friend or a relative you know planned their wedding day activities? Please read our Poll Commentary before taking this poll.
Pre-Poll Commentary:
This week we will be discussing the first major benefit of excellent planning through proper Time Management. That benefit being Peace of Mind.
Think back of the times when you planned the proper amount of time to prepare a project, presentation or event that needed to come off without a hitch. The activities had to be planned well in advance, and the timing of the day's events needed to be precise. There's a feeling of peace associated with knowing you have done your absolute BEST to prepare and you're confident that all the i's are dotted and the t's are crossed. You feel a sense of peace that you are truly prepared and READY to go!
There are many industries where precise time management is a way of life. The TV industry is one. Most of the programs are broken down into precise segments, with allotted times pre-sold for commercials throughout the day. Every show must run on schedule, with no room for error. Once the programs are completed, the planning is over and the schedules are set, the station is ready to go. A sense of peace is felt by the staff that they will produce their best work right on time.
Another industry that depends on precise time management is the overnight mail industry pioneered by Federal Express. They pull off incredible feats daily, by moving millions of pieces of mail and packages right on schedule. They are in the business of selling peace of mind to their clients, who pay a premium to know their parcels will be delivered exactly as promised.
I know that whenever I have planned my time well in advance, invested it wisely on the goal I have set, and achieved my goal right on time, I have experienced a peacefulness that words cannot explain. Planning the time to write these polls every Sunday is an example of conscientious time management. I deliver the goods every week on time to help others unconditionally. When I complete this task, there's a nice feeling of peace experienced. It's always wonderful to feel in total control of your time. On the contrary, it is so stressful to feel like you are always playing catch up and never have the time you need to do your best.
This week's poll is about one of the most planned events in so many people's lives - The Wedding Day. It's about timing and preparation at its best. It also proves that each one of us can be a great time manager and planner if we believe the benefits and rewards are worth the investment. Vote now to share your response with others. This poll will end on Sunday 03/23/03, when the results will be displayed.
Results:
- 56% voted-Perfect 100% on wedding planning TM
- 30% voted-Extreme 95% on wedding planning TM
- 12% voted-Strong 90% on wedding planning TM
- 01% voted-Average 80% on wedding planning TM
- 01% voted-Fair 70% on wedding planning TM
- 00% voted-Poor 60% on wedding planning TM
Post-Poll Commentary:
It is obvious that our respondents overwhelmingly agree that weddings are indeed an event, that time management plays a major role in the near perfect execution of these days' activities. Now granted there is usually a year or more to accomplish the goal of a perfect wedding. But the fact remains that just about anyone is capable of planning that far in advance and meeting all the deadlines of the wedding halls, churches, photographers, bands, florists, printers, etc.
So if we know that weddings can be planned so well, why not use the skills learned from this experience and apply them to all major goals you would like to achieve? Get that date planner out and design a system that works for you. In our first poll on Time Management, I discussed PIM's or Contact Managers like the popular program ACT. If you are not currently using one of these tools, you should strongly consider doing so. I have been using the same system for over 10 years and it has proved to be the best productivity tool in my arsenal. I track all my activities and use alarms to remind me when I need to perform certain tasks. I designed and refined my present Time Management System over the course of a decade and it enables me to achieve extraordinary goals each month. I'll be writing more about PIM's in future sections of this series. But for now, rest assured that you will reap the first huge benefit of Peace of Mind, from being prepared for each activity in your life, by practicing good time management.