Time management is a very commonly discussed topic, but it can be both challenging and confusing. Sometimes it is helpful to look at things from a different perspective. I think the best way to do this is through time management quotes.
Reading and understanding the meaning behind time management quotes can help reframe your perspective. These quotes also may help an idea “click” in your head.
Keep reading for some of the best time management quotes as well as an explanation to go with them.
Time Management Quotes
Time management quotes come in many different forms, some are short and witty, and others are longer and insightful. In my opinion, both are equally as beneficial. In this article, you will find each of these varieties along with everything in between.
The ideas behind these quotes apply to all different phases of life. Whether you are looking to improve your time management in school, at work, or in your personal life, these quotes will transform your perspective.
Making Progress and Getting Started
Simply making progress is always a good use of your time. If you have a daunting task in front of you, making those first steps can be incredibly difficult, but will likely be the most difficult part to get out of the way. This is especially important because if you are trying to figure out every little detail before getting started, you will spend far more time. By starting to make progress sooner rather than later, you will begin to build momentum and make the tasks remaining appear more clear.
1. “Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still.”
– Chinese Proverb
2. “You will never ‘find’ time for something. If you want time, you must make it.”
– Charles Buxton
3. “To think too long about doing a thing often becomes its undoing.”
– Eva Young
Use Your Time Wisely, Always Prioritize
While it is important to get started right away, it is equally important to stay focused on your direction. Frequently, you should assess your goals and take note of what you are spending your time on. As you do this, you may find that where you spend your time does not align with your goals. If this happens, you should simply redirect your focus and reallocate your time.
It is also important to keep in mind that multi-tasking is not always the best approach. There is a right way and a wrong way to multi-task. A good rule of thumb is if you need to focus on both items, you should not try to multi-task. Instead, it would be far more effective to fully focus on one task and then switch all your focus to the next task.
4. “Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four-hour days.”
– Zig Ziglar
5. “The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.”
– Michael Altshuler
6. “Should you find yourself in a chronically leaking boat, energy devoted to changing vessels is likely to be more productive than energy devoted to patching leaks.”
– Warren Buffet
7. “If you want to make good use of your time, you’ve got to know what’s most important and then give it all you’ve got.”
– Lee Lacocca
8. “You can do two things at once, but you can’t focus effectively on two things at once.”
– Gary Keller
9. “Be like a postage stamp – stick to one thing until you get there.”
– Josh Billings
10. “One always has time enough, if one will apply it well.”
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
11. “The great dividing line between success and failure can be expressed in five words: I did not have time.”
– Franklin Field
12. “People who never have any time on their hands are those who do the least.”
– George C. Lichtenberg
13. “Those who make the worst use of their time are the first to complain of its shortness.”
– Jean De La Bruyere
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Planning is Necessary For Time Management
Planning looks different for everyone, but to have strong time management, planning in some capacity is non-negotiable. This will allow you to prioritize what is important to you. In addition, you will be able to accurately allocate your time to your priorities as I mentioned above.
14. “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”
– Benjamin Franklin
15. “Don’t be fooled by the calendar. There are only as many days in the year as you make use of, one man gets only a week’s value out of a year while another man gets a full year’s value out of a week.”
– Charles Richards
16. “Don’t make the same decision twice. Spend time and thought to make a solid decision the first time so that you don’t revisit the issue unnecessarily.”
– Bill Gates
17. “You can only manage time if you track it right.”
– Spica’s team
18. “If you want to make good use of time, you’ve got to know what’s most important and then give it all you’ve got.”
– Lee Lacocca
Respect That Time is Not Infinite and Understand the Value of Time
Sometimes it is easy to think that there will always be more time. Unfortunately, life is short and time really flies by if you’re not being intentional. Understanding the value of time will help you to be more intentional with every moment. This doesn’t mean you need to be making progress and working constantly toward a goal, it simply means you should appreciate your time. This can mean exercising, spending time with your family, or going to work. No matter what you’re spending time doing, just make it intentional.
19. “We all know our money isn’t infinite, yet we end up treating our time and energy and attention as if they are.”
– Shane Parrish
20. “Time = life; therefore, waste your time and waste your life, or master your time and master your life.”
– Alan Lakein
21. “Until you value yourself, you will not value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it.”
– M. Scott Peck
22. “You can’t make up for lost time. You can only do better in the future.”
– Ashley Ormon
23. “Time is money. Use it wisely.”
– Folorunsho Alakija
24. “Once you have mastered time, you will understand how true it is that most people overestimate what they can accomplish in a year – and underestimate what they can achieve in a decade!”
– Anthony Robbins
25. “The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.”
– Bertrand Russell
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Don’t Procrastinate or Put Things Off
It can seem so easy to put things off to tomorrow again and again, but this can really slow down your progress. Some of these quotes are eye-opening about the result of procrastinating.
26. “Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week.”
– Anonymous
27. “The best time to start was last year. Failing that, today will do.”
– Chris Guillebeau
28. “Don’t wait. The time will never be just right.”
– Napoleon Hill
29. “If you have time to whine and complain about something then you have time to do something about it.”
– Anthony J. D’Angelo
30. “The time for action is now. It’s never too late to do something.”
– Carl Sandburg
31. “A year from now you will wish you had started today.”
– Karen Lamb
32. “Time stays long enough for those who use it.”
– Leonardo Da Vinci
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The Small Day to Day Actions Add Up to Determine Your Future
Your future is dependent upon your daily life. It might seem like each day isn’t very influential, but the little things really add up. For that reason, you should focus on the little habits that you do each day, both good and bad. Try to add to the good habits and remove the bad habits as much as possible.
33. “Realize that now, in this moment of time, you are creating. You are creating your next moment. That is what’s real.”
– Sara Paddison
34. “The key is in not spending time, but in investing it.”
– Stephen R. Covey
35. “If you love life, don’t waste time, for time is what life is made up of.”
– Bruce Lee
36. “The secret of your future is hidden in your daily routine.”
– Mike Murdock
37. “It’s not the daily increase but the daily decrease. Hack away at the unessential.”
– Bruce Lee
Thanks for reading! I hope these quotes help improve your mindset when it comes to time management! Please leave a comment below or reach out to ourteam@wellroundedyou.com if you have any questions or experiences to share.
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