Before we begin to manage time, we must understand what time is. A dictionary defines time as “the point or period at which things occur.” In simple words, time is when stuff happens.

In the real world there are two types of time: “clock time” and “real time.” In clock time, there are 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour, 24 hours in a day and 365 days in a year. And what’s interesting to note here is that all time passes in the same way. When somebody turns 60, they are accurately 60 years old, no more or no less. In real time, all time is proportional. Now, your real time flies or drags entirely depend on what you’re doing. Two hours waiting for a Bus at the bus station feel like 10 years, you see your watch hundred times in between, fiddle around with your phone, read a book, listen to music on your music player and a lot of things you do, just to pass your two hours of waiting time. And yet you meet your cousin after 5 years and you feel that he has grown up in only two hours.

Which time describes the world in which you really live, real time or clock time?

The basic reason why time management gadgets and systems don’t work is that these systems are contrived to manage clock time. Clock time is beside the point. You don’t live in clock time. You live in real time, a world in which all time flies when you are having fun or drags when you are doing something which you don’t like.

But, you know the best thing is that real time is psychological. It exists in your mind. You create it. And, anything you create, you can manage. It’s time to remove any self-limitation you have around like, “not having enough time,” or today not being “the right time” to start a business or manage your existing business appropriately.

There are only three ways to spend time productively and the simple rule is “ACT”: A – Actions, C–Conversations, T – Thoughts. But, it is comprehended in the reverse order, and this is where the success lies. You first need to think, then conversation means discussing your thoughts, and finally Act means carrying out your thoughts into actions. Irrespective of the business type you own, your work will be comprised of those three items.

As an entrepreneur, you may be repeatedly disturbed or pulled in different directions. While it’s not possible for you to eliminate the interruptions, but you have to ask yourself how much time you will spend on them and how much time you will spend on the thoughts, conversations and actions that will lead you and your business to success.

Practice the following techniques to become master of your own time:

Carry a notepad or any electronic device you are comfortable with and record all your thoughts, conversations and activities for a week. This will help you analyze how much work you can get done during the course of a day and where your precious time is going waste. After doing this regularly for a couple of week, you’ll see how much time is really spent producing results and how much time is consumed on fruitless thoughts, conversations and actions.
Any thought, activity or conversation that’s really significant to your success should have a time assigned to it. To-do lists becomes longer and longer to the point where they’re impracticable, but, Appointment books work! Schedule appointments with yourself and make time slots for high-priority thoughts, conversations, and actions. Schedule when they will start out and finish. Have the discipline to keep these appointments.
Plan to spend at least half of your time engrossed in the thoughts, activities and conversations that generate most of your results.
Schedule time for interruptions, you know that it will happen, so ask your colleagues to interrupt you in a certain time, let’s say one hour after the lunch, this is a slow time generally to do productive work. So this, way you would have proper and planned time for the interruptions.
Take the first half hour of every day to plan your whole day. Do not start your workday until you complete your time plan for the rest of the day. And, the most significant time of your day is the time you assign to schedule time.
Sit relax for five minutes before every task and decide what result you want to achieve. This will help you know what success looks like prior to you begin your task. Take five minutes after each activity you do to determine whether your desired result was attained. If not, what was missing? How do you arrange what’s missing in your next activity?
Put up a “Do not disturb” sign on your door when you absolutely have to get your work done.
Do not answer the phone just because it’s ringing and e-mails just because they are popping up on your computer screen. Disconnect instant messaging for the time when you are working. Don’t give people your instant attention unless it’s utterly essential in your business to offer an instantaneous human response. In its place, schedule a time to return phone calls and answer emails.
Block out Facebook, twitter and other forms of social media except you use these to generate business.
Keep in mind that it’s not possible to get everything finished. Also remember that that 20% of your thoughts, conversations and activities produce 80% of your results. Gradually, you will get 100% result from your thoughts, conversations and activities.