Highway to Success

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I cannot succeed except with the help of Allah; in Himdo I trust and to Him do I turn for everything.

11:88, Al-Quran


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HIGHWAY TO SUCCESSA PROGRAM

FORSUCCESS IN CAREER AND PERSONAL LIFE

THROUGHSELF DEVELOPMENT

ANDTIME MANAGEMENT

By

Muhammad Basheer Juma

Translated by

Sabih Mohsin

Reviewed by

Abdul Ghani Saeed

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HIGHWAY TO SUCCESSA SELF DEVELOPMENT PLAN

For Success in Career and Personal LifeAuthor: Muhammad Basheer Juma

All rights reserved by the Author under copy rights Actof Pakistan

Translator: Sabih MohsinReviewed by Abdul Ghani Saeed

The book was written originally in Urdu under the title, Shahrah-e-Zinagiper Kamyabi ka Safar.( A Journey of Success on Highway of Life)

Publisher: Time Management Club Publications,52/1, Khayaban e Hilal, Defence, Phase 6, KarachiPO Box 8545 Karachi Cant.75530, PakistanPhone 0092 300 8296005 and 0092 300 2910683

Printer: Fazleesons PublicationsType setting Niaz Ahmed, Abdul Rasheed,

Faisal Rasheed and Muhammad Salman

Distributor: Fazlee Book Super Market, Urdu Bazar, Near RadioPakistan-Karachi-Pakistan. Phone 0092-21-221 [email protected]

Kitab Sirai, Al Hamd Market, Gizni Street, Urdu Bazar,Lahore, Pakistan. Phone 0092-42-732 [email protected]

Price Hardbound US $15/-Paper back US $10/-

Website www.timemanagementclub.com

No part of this book (paper or electronic) may be reproduced or transmitterin any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, includingphotocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrievalsystem, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Time Management Club books are available at special quantity discountsto use as premiums and sales promotions, or for use in corporate trainingprograms and for educational institutions.

Please contact [email protected]

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Dedicated to

THE LEADER OF MANKIND

Hazrat

MUHAMMADSallallah-o-Allaih-e-Wa-Sallam

(Peace be upon Him)


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BOOK REVIEWDAWN MAGAZINE

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 23, 1997(on orignal book in Urdu)A SUCCESS JOURNEY ON THE

HIGHWAY OF LIFE

The book is a guide to success in life. It is comprehensive andhighly readable. Its author Basheer Juma is an accountant byprofession. The main theme of the book is the man himselfand the time he spends till the end. The planning and thecareful usage of time, so that maximum benefit may be derivedout of it is the real thing, which matters in life. The author isvery clear in his perceptions and has divided his topics in aclassified manner, discussing them in persuasive style. Also the

text is lucid and brief without much sermonizing, thoughputting due emphasis on honest living. Some charts in the lastpages of the book have also been included for those who

face some problems in their lives. They can pick a chart oftheir choice and act accordingly. Some inspiring anecdotesfrom the lives of Islamic personalities provide added readingpleasure. Hardbound, the book has been immaculatelyproduced.---HA


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The author is thankful to all those who helped or guided him in any

manner in the preparation of these articles and in the publication of thisbook. The author is thankful to his teachers, professors and principals ofeducational institutions where he spent his formative years.

The author is thankful to Mr Sabih Mohsin for his enormous hardwork in translating the Urdu script of the Book. The author is also thankful

to Professor A G Saeed for taking pains in reviewing the translation andmaking material improvement in view of his enormous experience in thefield of marketing, teaching, training and human development. The authoracknowledges the assistance provided by Mr Sohaib Ayab.

The author appreciates the continued guidance, support andencouragement by his elder brother Professor Zakarya Juma Memon andsister Mariam Haji Muhammad. The support and help of family membersAshrafunnisa, Ibrahim, Humera, Abid, Sadia, Omer and Faisal Abdul Sattarwere a source of inspiration. Prayers are for the parents who spent theirlives in heat to provide us shelter.

Personal thanks

To my teachers:, Mr Ansaruddin, Mr Abdul Razzaq Farooqi, Mr

Muhammad Nabi Fauq, Mr Nazeer, Mr Aleem, Mr Tahir Mamdani, MrAbdul Haq Afroz, Professor A W Qureshi, Professor Anjum Aazmi,Professor Masood ul Hassan, Professor Syed Imam Ashraf Sabswari,Professor Nawab Alam Farooqui, Professor Abdul Hafeez Qureshi,Professor Shauket Ali, Professor Azizuddin, Professor Abrar Ali Jaffery andProfessor Muhammad Shareef.

To Mr Ebrahim Sidat, Chief Executive of Ford Rhodes Sidat Hyder(Ernst & Young Pakistan) for his continuous guidance and support in

technical and administrative matters and also in the field of self development

and time management.Mr Ahmed Dawood Patel, Chairman-Ford Rhodes Sidat Hyder

(Ernst & Young Pakistan) for his encouragement and persuasion for thistype of work. The author has learnt a lot from his habit and style of doingand executing things in a minimum possible time.

Mr Nasimuddin Hyder for his appreciation for this type of workand practicing do it now approach.

Mr Farid Khan, Mr Najam I Chaudri, Mr Khalid Rafi, Mr Sohail Hasan,Mr Masood Zain, Mr Foiz ul Alam, Mr M I Naseem, Mr M Nafees, MrFarrukh Seer and Mr Shabbar Zaidi for their encouragement and supportduring my association with A F Ferguson & Co and thereafter.

To Mr Khurram Jah Murad, Professor Khursheed Ahmed, Dr EjazShafi Gilani, Shaikh Mehboob Ali, Syed Munawer Hassan, Mr Tasleem

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Alam Manzar, Muhammad Hassan, Tasneem Ahmed, Abdul MalikMujahid, Mahmood Ahmed Farooqui, Muhammad Hussain Mehanti, MianTanveer Magoon, Qari Hafiz Raza ul Mustafa al Azmi, Molana Mushtaq

Ahmed and Molana Ashfaq Ahmed Siddiqui for their guidance

To Mr Munaf Atara for his encouragement and providing me anopportunity to be in Sharjah for a week that time was utilized forreviewing this book and making necessary corrections.

To my friends Ilyas A Sattar, Fazlur Rehman, Mansoor Shaikh, KhalidRehman, Aslam and Ashraf Haji Muhammad, Naveed, Javed and JunaidZakarya, Hanif Kamdar, Arif and Ather Ghazipura, Ishaq Noor, FaisalKhanani, Abdul Ghaffar Piddah and G M Chottani for their silent support.

To those concerned friends who sent me interesting articles andbooks---Mr Gibrail Amin, Najam Abbas, Mr Khalid Waheed, Mr MasoodulHassan, Mr Ihab, Mr Ahmed Adil and Mr Waqar Elahi, Mr NadeemNaseem, Mr Humayun Qureshi and Mr Asim Ali Qadri. Also for the helpprovided by Dr Shakil ur Rehman Farooqui and Mr Abdul Rehman Hingora.

To those who helped me in finalizing the urdu text of this bookMr Sajid Ali Siddiqui, Mr Nazir Laghari, Mr Safeer Hassan Subswari, MrKaleem Chughtai and Mr Abdul Salam Salami.

To Mr Zareef and Mr Mr Sarwat of Information System Technologiesfor developing the website www.timemanagementclub.com.

To my colleagues Mr Salim Chinoy, Mr Pervaiz Muslim, Mr AqeelMerchant, Mr Mustafa Khandwala, Mr Majid Khandwala, Mr Waqar AhmedKhan, Mr Omer Morshed, Mr Asim Siddiqui, Mr Iqbal Saleem, Mr WaqarHyder, Mr Khalil Waggan, Mr. Shariq Ali Zaidi, Mr Riaz A Rahman, MrQamrual Islam, Mr Ejaz Ahmed, Mr Nasim Akber, Mr Muhammad Junaid,Mr Tariq Jameel, Mr Shibli Islam Rehan, Mr Shakaib Arif, Mr Omer Chughtai,Mr Omer Mustafa Ansari, Mr Aftab Salahuddin, Mr Tariq Feroz Khan, MrArsalan Khalid, Mr Shabbir Yunus, Mr Sharjeel Jameel, Mr Amin Tharani

and Mr Shahzad Hussain.

To Mr Abdul Rasheed, Naveed Shamshad, Niaz Ahmed, Sajjad Shah,Abbas Ali and Joseph James for their support in processing my work in

this field.

To Mr Tariq Fazlee for his dedication in the designing of the book,Jameel Ahmed Khan for supervising the production process, Faisal Rasheedand Muhammad Salman for layout designing and Sajid Fazlee for his effortsin marketing the original book.

To training executives of various organizations for inviting the authorto deliver lectures on self and time management.

To Dr Farhat Hashmi of Al Huda International for prescribing thisbook to the students of Al Huda and consequently sending the messagecontained in this book to various families.

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ABOUT THE BOOK

Time is an invisible reality of life. In fact, time is life.He who utilizes time properly, traverses his journey tosuccess without much hassle, provided that other factorsare in his favor and Allah is making things easier for him.

The main subject of this book is man and properutilization of his time.

The contents of this book were printed for the first

time in the form of articles in Pakistans popular Urdunewspaper Daily Jang from 1989 to 1992. Subsequently,

the same were broadcast as brief talks on Radio Pakistansnational network programme, Subh-e-Pakistan, from July,1992, to August, 1993. In 1995, these articles werepublished in the form of a book by Jang Publishers andlater, by Milad Publications and Al Fateh Publications.

This book provides guidelines for better timemanagement; avoiding time traps; overcoming lethargy;planning; personality development; conversation skills;interpersonal skills; teamwork; delegation; and self-development. The book also includes charts and forms

to help the reader in implementing the ideas presentedherein . A number of prayers/ supplications (dua) havealso been included for success in this world and in the

hereafter.

This book is meant for those who are desirous ofmaking their lives disciplined, balanced, effective, activeand purposeful. Perhaps, these are the kind of peoplesought after by success itself. Look out for success; itmay be knocking at your door!

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THE AUTHOR

Muhammad Basheer Juma is a Chartered Accountant(CA) by profession. He did his CA from the Institute ofChartered Accountants, Pakistan, in 1980. Now he is

one of the partners in the firm Ford Rhodes Sidat Hyder& Co.( A member firm of Ernst & Young) with which heis associated since 1986.

Earlier, he worked in A. F. Ferguson & Co. (A memberfirm of Price WaterhouseCoopers) from 1974 to 1985;

first as Assistant Manager (1982-3) and then as Manager.He studied at the Government College of Commerceand Economics, Karachi, for his bachelors degree inCommerce after matriculating from the Madressah-e-Islamia Secondary School, Kharadar.

Muhammad Basheer Juma has worked as an auditorthroughout his career. While working with A F Ferguson

(PWC) and in Ford Rhodes Sidat Hyder (E & Y) he hashad the opportunity to observe closely the working ofnumerous large and small public, private and multinationalorganizations. He started writing for Daily Jang in 1989for its Friday edition. Later, those articles were broadcastas brief talks in Radio Pakistans national networkprogramme, Subh-e-Pakistan, for about a year. He alsodelivers lectures based on these articles at variousinstitutions and organizations.

Contact

P.O.Box 8545, Karachi Cant.-75530 PakistanE mail [email protected]

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Disclaimer

The author has made the best effort to providereasonable information on the subject covered. However

the author and publisher assume no responsibility for anyerrors or omissions. By reading this book either in paperor electronic form, you acknowledge that you assumefull responsibil ity for the use of the materials andinformation contained in this book and the related website

and other electronic formats. Under no circumstanceswill the author or publisher be held liable for any loss ordamage caused by use or reliance on the information andmaterial published or electronically transmitted orcontained in the resources referenced in this book and

the related websites and other electronic formats. If youdont agree to these terms, you should not read this bookin either form.

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To the readers

The subject of this book is self-reform and personalitydevelopment. The book covers matters related to managing

time and human relationships. After reading this book, ifyou feel that it is useful for your family members, friends,relatives, co-workers, business circles and others, includingschools, colleges and madaris (religious institutions), youmay present this book as a gift, on your behalf or on behalf

of your organization. Advertisement of your organizationmay be inserted in the end and a message from the headof your organization may be included in the beginning of

the book in case of bulk orders. Such expenditure can bemet through your organizations budget for image-buildingand advertising. Gift of books to madaris and othereducational institutions should be treated as an investmentfor the future and fulfillment of a social obligation. Readersare requested to volunteer for the sponsorship of this bookby distribution of hard copies in the educational institutions.For onl ine sponsorship please vis it the website-www.timemanagementclub.com in sponsorship section.Readers are also requested to take lead in contactingphilanthropist for publication of this book on behalf of theirown and family trusts. Let us serve the society in this

manner as well. If this book helps in improving the qualityof life, it would be a Sadqa-e-Jariyah (continual charity).

This book is also available online in Urdu and Englishlanguages on www.timemanagementclub.com

For translation and publications rights and licensingarrangement kindly contact at PO Box 8545, Karachi Cant.75530-Pakistan or email [email protected]

For bulk orders with the insertion of additional pagesfor advert isement and messages, k indly contact

[email protected]

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Contents

Preface: Be Your Own Judge 15

PART ONEThe Importance Of Time, Wastage OfTime And Procrastination 17

1. Time Is Life 192. Individual And Collective Wastage Of Time 36

3. Procrastination, Lethargy And Slackness 474. Procrastination: Various Forms And Causes 545. Procrastination: How To Handle It 63

PART TWOIndividual And Career Planning 71

6. Planning 73

7. Discipline Through Diary 798. Career Planning: Creating Your Own Destiny 87

PART THREEPersonality Development 103

9. Impressive Personality 105

10. Elements Of An Impressive Personality 10911. Intellectual Components Of A Personality 11312. Impressive Personality: Moral Character 11813. Destructive Elements Of Personality 124

PART FOURThe Art Of Conversation 131

14. Success Through The Art Of Conversation 13315. Weaknesses Of Communication 13816. Mischiefs Of The Tongue 14317. The Journey To Success 14618. Telephonic Conversation 151

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PART FIVELife In The Office 157

19. Human Relationships In The Office 15920. You And The People In Your Office 16321. A Pleasant Office Atmosphere 16822. Your Field Of Action 17423. Punctuality 17924. Eliminating Discord 18425. The Power Of Money 191

PART SIXSuccess In The Practical Field 195

26. Teamwork 19727. Delegation-Getting The Work Done 20928. Definition, Scope And Purpose Of Delegation 21129. Meeting As Means Of Building Organizations 22430. How To Conduct A Meeting 230

31. Minutes Of The Meeting 235

PART SEVENIndividual Capabilities 243

32. The Thought Process 24533. The Art Of Listening 24734. The Art Of Rapid Reading 249

35. How To Improve The Memory 25136. The Art Of Writing 25337. The Ability To Think And Decide 25738. Moderation And Austerity 26139. Dress And Sobriety 26340. Self-assessment 26441. Qualities Of Leadership 26642. Guidelines For Leaders 273

43. Challenges, Demands And Response 27644. Importance Of Prayers (Supplications) 281

PART EIGHTOrganizing Your Personality ThroughForms And Charts 295

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In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful.

BE YOUR OWN JUDGEIt is not very often that one sits on judgment on

oneself. The process requires enlisting of ones weaknesses,shortcomings and failings; and analyzing the internal andexternal causal factors.

The reason why such a review is not undertakenfrequently is the fact that it requires the will and the

courage to face the truth and reality, however bitter ordisgusting. Ordinary mortals are not sufficiently bestowedwith these qualities. However, at times, under the pressureof, or as a reaction to certain events, one suddenly turns

to introspection, evaluating past actions, weighing thepresent circumstances and planning for the future. Forsuch a self-appraisal to be rewarding, one has to examine

ones performance without any leniency or complacency.This accountability to ones own assessment ultimatelyleads to success.

With some effort, one can develop the habit of takingup a self-assessment every night before going to sleep.One needs, only a few minutes to do this. As a result of

this, the next 24 hours present ample opportunities forwell-planned actions. With a clear vision of objectivesand goals, one can move on with success and confidence.

Everyoneyoung or old, man or woman, rich orpoorcan do introspection at the end of the day andrise to a new day of determination. In one cycle of dayand night, there are 1,440 minutes. This is the quantumof wealth and of resources that every human being isendowed with, without any discrimination.

The book focuses on success in this world, and inthe world hereafter, through judicious utilization of timeat our disposal.

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According to a oft-quoted saying, it is easier to wakeup a person who is asleep, than to awaken a person who

think he is wakeful. We know the state in which thePakistani people and the Muslim World are placed. Theyare all awake but have no desire to get up. They knowvery well what is wrong with them and are also aware ofwhat is needed to set things right, but unfortunately theylack the will to act. This book aims at awakening themfrom slumber in a friendly manner.

This book has been written for those who possessa desire to be successful. One who has the will wouldalso be able to find the way. This book aims at helping

the readers in removing the hurdles on their way tosuccess.

Let us take one step forward today. Tomorrow, itwould be two steps and the day after, it might be four.

Let us maintain this pace for a month and then see howfar ahead we move. It is for man to make an effort, toput the digit 1. Allah helps him by placing a number ofzeros after it. There is an Arabic saying which states thatone who knocks the door and makes an effort, finallyenters the house.

May Allah reward this humble effort with success.

Muhammad Basheer Juma

March 23, 2006

(English translation completion date)

May 19,1992

(Original book-Urdu version-Pakistan-date)

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1Importance of Time,

Wastage of Time

andProcrastination


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PART ONE

The Importance Of Time, Wastage Of

Time And Procrastination

1. Time Is Life 19

2. Individual And Collective Wastage Of Time 36

3. Procrastination, Lethargy And Slackness 47

4. Procrastination: Various Forms And Causes 54

5. Procrastination: How To Handle It 63

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TIME IS LIFE

Time is life. We can achieve success by utilizing it judiciously. Forthis purpose, it is necessary to:

realize the importance of time;

analyze the causes of wasted time;

work out a strategy for a better utilization oftime; and be conscious of our responsibilities inthis context.

IMPORTANCE OF TIME

Time is a unique resource. It is a highly perishable commodityand there is no way to conserve it. It is like ice that melts away if

left to itself. There is no substitute for time. You can neither use itnor waste it in advance. You cannot bring back the time that haspassed. You can not put a barrier between two points in timebecause its flow is continuous. Just as the movement of the sun and

the moon or the rotation of the earth cannot be stopped or altered,the continuity of time, too, cannot be disrupted. The time that haspassed away is no longer usable. To spend time in lamenting on thelost time is a further waste of time. Plans can be made to utilize the

time that has yet to come, but it cannot be utilized in advance. We

can only utilize the time that is currently at our disposal.

Time cannot be bought or sold, nor it can be let out orrented. One cannot have more than the time allocated in the formof life. Every individual has his own capital in the form of time.When one gets up in the morning, everyoneyoung or old, richor poorreceives a purse of 24 hours, nothing more nothing less.He is free to do with it as he pleases: consumeit in his best interestor waste it to his eventual loss and sorrow. Obviously, he must act

in his own interest.

The demand for time exceeds its inelastic supply thus itssupply can never be equated to its demand. Time is priceless yetit is valuable. Its value varies with the nature of goals that one setsfor oneself. Every task requires time for its fulfillment and every

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action takes place at one time or the other. We always grumbleon the scarcity of time and yet we tend to postpone things forsome other time. But that never happens. We are so engrossed

in our daily chores that we can hope to have leisure time onlywhen we die. But, again, we have no time to ponder over thisaspect. Conviction about frailty of life, inability to predict death, andbelief in accountability after death, are the sources of strength andinspiration for effective utilization of time.

Comparing time with money, wealth or gold is not fair.Distribution of wealth is unequal, while time is available to everyonein equal measure, 24 hours a day, no more and no less

Unfortunately, for most of us, the time spent in earningmoney or acquiring means of livelihood is the best, if not the onlyutilization of time. Life extends much beyond making money orwinning favors. We must realize this; and we must strive to earnand save something for the life hereafter, as well.

TIME ACCORDING TO THE HOLY QURAN

In Surah Al-Asr, Allah declares by Time that Man is in a greatloss, except for the following.

Those who believe in God

Those who do good

Those who exhort others towards truth

Those who exhort others towards steadfastness

Explaining the Surah, Imam Fakhruddin Razi writes: Asr orTime is the framework within which wondrous events keep occurring.It is within the confines of Asr that Man acts and suffers all thatbefalls himbe it happiness or sorrow, poverty or riches, peaceor conflict. The time of human life is, therefore, supremely importantand precious.

Imam Razi further states: I learnt the meaning of Surah Al-Asr from an ice seller who urged people to have mercy on the manwhose asset was melting away. Hearing his lament, it occurred to me

that this is the meaning of the holy verse, By the Time, Man is in greatloss. Frittering human life is like melting ice. Man would, therefore,end up in sorrow if he wastes his time or spends it in wrong pursuits.

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In the same context, Sheikh Abul Fattah says: Loss anddeprivation is in store for those who do not value time and wasteall of it that is available to them. The time of life is soon spent and

one who has not used it properly, is left empty handed.

Surah Al-Furqan (25:72) declares: The servants of God arethose who do not bear witness to falsehood and when they comeacross anything indecent, they pass by it with dignity and grace.

SAYINGS OF THE PROPHET (PEACE BE UPON HIM)

The last Prophet (Peace be upon him) is quoted to have said:

Among Allahs bounties, there are two which are not madeproper use of. These are health and time. (BukhariTirmizi)

He whose two days are equal in accomplishment, is a sure loser.(Sunan al Daylami)

Man would not move even one step away from Allah till he hasanswered the five questions:

In what pursuits was his life spent?

In what manner was his youth spent?

How did he earn his income?

How did he spend his earnings?

How much of his knowledge (of good) did he putinto practice? (Tirmizi)

Part of someone being a good Muslim is his leaving alone that which does not concern him.(Sunan al Tirmidi)

SAYINGS OF THE HOLY PROPHETS COMPANIONS

Hazrat Abu Bakar Siddique (R.A.) used to pray thus: O Allah,keep us not in darkness; forgive us for our delusions; and makeus not unmindful of time.

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Hazrat Umers (R.A.) prayer used to be: O Allah, make my timegainful and cause me to put it to good use.

Hazrat Ali (R.A.) is reported to have said:

Let a days task be completed that very day as the followingday will dawn with tasks of its own.

Today is the opportunity for action; reckoning is for tomorrowwhen opportunity for action will be afforded no more.[Tomorrow will be the day of reckoning, with no opportunityfor action]

Praiseworthy is he who realizes the value of opportunity (forgood deeds) provided by life (while it lasts), puts it to good useand prepares well to meet death.

Devote your choicest hours in seeking the pleasure of Allahto whom belongs all the time, anyway.

OTHER SAYINGS

What is life except the time which we utilize from the momentof our birth till the instant we die. If precious gold is lost, we mightregain the whole of it or even more than what we had lost. But

the time which has been spent or lost, can never be regained. Andthat is why time is more precious than gold, diamond or any kindof jewels and pearls. In fact, time is another name for life. Carefulplanning and appropriate management of time is what is neededfor success. The wise refrain from giving the right advice at the

wrong time. They strive for always doing the right thing at the righttime.

Time is like a sword.

Time is fluid, never static.

One who realizes the obligations of time, discovers thereality that is life, because time is just another name for life.

Other sayings emphasize the value of time and advise againstwasting it. History bears witness to the fact that all those who havebeen successful in life, owe their success to judicious utilization of

time.

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TIME AS VIEWED BY SCHOLARS

Someone came to Aamir Bin Qais, a religious scholar andsaid to him Come on. Let us talk. He retorted, Well, then askthe sun to stop. The pious man knew that, to talk aimlessly wasto waste time. That was why he asked the sun to be stopped sothat the flow of time was stayed and none of it was wasted. It wasa polite manner of refusing to participate in a time wasting activity.

Sheikh Muhammad bin Salam Al-Baikundi was one of theteachers of Imam Bukhari. Once, when his pen broke, he askedas to who would like to give him a new pen for a dinar. He wasprepared to spend one dinar, a substantial amount at that time, toget a pen immediately so that he could continue writing withoutwasting time.

Fatah bin Khaqan was a minister in the court of the AbbasidCaliph Al-Mutawakkil. He always used to keep a book in his sleeve.Whenever he got even a brief break in his official work, he would

take out the book from his sleeve and start reading.

Whenever anyone visited Ismail bin Ishaq Al-Qazi at hisresidence, he was found engaged in reading.

During adulthood of Ibne Rushd (Averos, to the West),there were only two nights when he was unable to find time toread.

Imam Ibne Hareer Tibri never wasted a moment in his life.He used to write fourteen pages every day. He did not spend a

single moment of his time in any unproductive activity.

Al-Bairuni, a great scholar, never wasted time. It is said thatonly a few minutes before his death, he was engaged in a discussionon some scholarly issue with a Faqeeh (an expert in jurisprudence)who had come to enquire about his health.

Allama Ibne Jozi, author of around one thousand books andarticles, criticizes those who waste time in fun and frolic, wander

in the streets, staring at the passerby or commenting on pricefluctuations.

Imam Fakhruddin Raazi, who was the author of more thanone hundred books, often lamented the time that was wasted ineating and drinking.

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Allama Shahabuddin Mahmood Aaloosi, divided the night intothree parts: one for resting, the second for praying and the third

for reading and writing.TIME WASTERS

Following is a list of factors that lead to wastage of time. Afterreading these the same may be classified into four broad categories.,as under:

A. Personal and Psychological

B. Social and related to society or culture

C. Conceptual or relating to understanding

D. Economic

Following are a few indications which may lead us to understandour time wasters:

Trying to do everything and learning through trial anderror results in wastage of time. We should be able tolearn from others and to benefit from their experiences.

Trying to be exceedingly obliging often leads to wastageof time. We should commit only what we can deliver;otherwise we should learn to say no.

Perfectionism also leads to wastage of time. One is likely

to leave tasks unfinished in pursuit of perfection.

Application of effort without the required skill andunderstanding of what is involved, often results in wastageof time.

Lethargy and procrastination are big time wasters. Thesome-other-time attitude and will do it tomorrow are

time traps. According to a wise saying, tomorrow is a word

found in the dictionary of fools. You meet lots of losers onthe road to success who waited in vain for a bettertomorrow.

Leaving things half done, is a big time waster. Attemptingone task at a time and taking it to a conclusion, is far

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better than starting several tasks all at once, and thenleaving them half done.

Lack of self discipline, lack of emotional control and lackof appreciation for ground realities, lead to wastage of

time.

Lack of attention to important affairs, lack of feedbackon tasks in hand, and lack of follow up, are all time-wasters.

Not every acquaintance is a friend; and we need notgive time to everyone up to his/her contentment.

Absence of goals and priorities in life.

Commuting also time consuming. When it is inevitable,one should find something to do during commuting toutilize this valuable time.

In our society, private functions like wedding parties,

generally consume five to six hours each time; which isa criminal waste of a precious resource.

Absence of written job descriptions, lack of delegation,coordination and control in organizations lead tomismanagement and wastage of time.

Complicated procedures, small task and frequent teabreaks, in which our government offices excel, lead to

a massive wastage of time in un-productive work, whichresults in burdening the nation under heavy taxes.

Cricket frenzy also costs the nation millions of man-hoursevery year.

Adhocism and quick fixes are also responsible for asignificant part of the time lost every day.

Lack of ability to take decisions and to assume responsibility,lead to postponement of important decisions and actions,resulting in wastage of time.

Excessive paper work and red tape are a bane toprogress.

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Lack of appreciation for punctuality and productivity alsocontribute to loss of time.

Not providing the required training and not preparingfunctionaries for responsibilities that lie ahead, leads tomassive wastage of organizational time.

Aimless telephone calls, lengthy conversation and lacing the essential with the superfluous, is a drain on time.

The above list can be extended according to individualcircumstances and experiences. However, it is better to categorizeour time wasters into the main categories either as listed above,or internal and external or controllable and uncontrollable.

SYMPTOMS OF POOR TIME MANAGEMENT

Those who often display one or more of the traits mentionedbelow, are considered to the mis-managers of time. They need todo some self analysis and soul-searching to improve their performance.

Never find time to attend to important matters.

Spend more time on urgent tasks to prove onesindispensability.

Unnecessary late sitting in the workplace.

Taking work home.

Giving too much time to paperwork, procrastinating andwaiting for the right time and mood to work.

Involvement in others work at the expense of onesown assignments.

Self-perception of being indispensable.

Attending too many meetings and conferences.

Inability to say no when circumstances warrant so.

Remaining under pressure, upset and hard-pressed mostof the time.

Not being able to finish within time.

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Not paying the utilities (gas, electricity and telephone)bills within due dates.

Running out of petrol when driving a car or riding amotorcycle.

Not finding time to accompany ones family membersto the doctoring case of illness.

Try marking yourself against this checklist. It may lead tothe beginning of an improvement process.

WASTING THE EMPLOYERS TIME IS A BREACH OFTRUST

Talking about work ethics, Al-Shaikh Zahrani, a renownedMuslim scholar, said in his address to a Juma congregation:

Considering the Muslim Ummah as a whole, the way workis done today in offices and business places, is largely at a variancewith the way Allah expects us to do. Some consider it enough

to be in the office on time and to stay there till the closing time.They do not bother to evaluate how effectively their time wasutilized; were they productive or did they just while away part of

their time in gossip and other wasteful activities? The latter is aKhayanat (breach of trust).

Almost all of us are guilty of this breach. We need to realizeit and take measures to avoid it.

SUGGESTIONS FOR EFFECTIVE USE OF TIME

According to an Arabic saying, One who knocks at the doorand makes efforts, manages to enter. Why not knock at the door

to a successful life by learning to manage our time more effectively?Start putting just a few of the following ideas into practice and open

the door leading to a better life. Al-Rahman, (the Kind), would valueas pearls, the sweat that would flow as we toil.

Be conscious of the importance of Time.

Understand that by time management we are able to:

Make the best use of available time

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Increase its avai labi l i ty by proper uti l izat ion

Achieve targets and deadlines

Become more effective

To have peace of mind, productivity at work and happinessat the job and home

To increase our chances of success in our endeavoursas we are better able to utilize and control ourselves,our time and our resources.

Determine our priorities in life which is really the secretof success in achieving, not just the difficult, but also theimpossible.

Determine your aim in life, the very purpose of yourexistence; and then prepare yourself for it.

Prepare a list of short term and long term plans (goals)

for achieving these aims and objectives. A goal is anobjective you want to achieve. A plan is a specific wayof reaching that goal. Planning is bringing the future into

the present so that you can do something about it now.This would lead to a more effective utilization of your

time. Try to be effective. Audit your thoughts, particularlythose that tempt you to indulge in time-wasting activities.

Make a list of your time wasters, including those that

emanate from your attitudes, habits, incompetence andpersonality traits. You have to be honest with yourself.Discuss with your reliable colleagues and the mentors

the traits, habits and attitudes which result in wastage oftime.

Make separate lists of the tasks which are to be completedwithin a week, a month, a quarter and a year. Also makea daily To do list. Assign priorities, targets and deadlines

and sequence to perform and also make amendmentsas and when required. Preferably use columnar book,diary or cards

Make a complete list of tasks you initiated at one timeor another but have not yet concluded.

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Develop the habit of taking all your tasks to culmination.

Find ways and means of utilizing the time wasted in transitand in waiting for things to happen

Review these lists from time to time.

Write down every promise you make and everythingyou need to remember right away.

Do right things rather than just doing the things right.According to Peter Drucker the effective person do the

right job and the efficient person just do the job right.

Organize, develop and train members of your team. Try tounderstand their problems and points of view. Define theirindividual duties and assign tasks. Keep reviewing the progressand providing guidance and encouragement.

Stick to your schedule but be flexible when needed.

Identify your prime time, the time of the day at whichyou are at the peak of your efficiency, and take up yourmost important tasks at that time.

Differentiate between the urgent and the important.Some thing which is important as well as urgent is going

to be your priority one. Your have to inventorize yourprojects and to do items and set priorities according

to marks assign on the scale of importance and urgency.

Also keep in mind our religious values and accountabilityto Almighty Allah and the day of judgment.

Ponder for a while on things you routinely do and amongstthese, identify tasks which others can do instead, if onlyyou would allow them to.

Learn the technology. Use internet, email and shortmessages services and save your time and utilize it for

better engagements and projects.Learn to use the telephone effectively by minimizingunnecessary salutation and other formalities.

Try to be more effective at the psychological level; tryto understand and realize the difference between being

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just present in your work place and being effective andtry to improve your potential accordingly.

Try to achieve more and be more effective in less time through the employment of improved methods.

Be moderate in all your activities, whether they concernprayers, socializing, business, politics, eating or planningfor the future. Learn to plan your work. If you fail toplan, you are planning to fail.

Work with full involvement. Take a break wheneverneeded.

Rest for a while after lunch.

Smile when you talk to people. Dont react seriously toevery thing people say.

Dont allow a task or your work as a whole to becomean obsession.

Plan to put the time spent in travel and in waiting , tobest possible use.

When you leave your work, leave work. Othercommitments now merit your full attention.

Use your leisure hours more effectively. Find time to readbooks, newspapers and magazines.

Get involved with healthy pursuits such as adult education,religious education, games and sports.

Spend some time regularly on self- development. This isjob as well as a project. Give time to this project regularly.This project requires your serious attention.

Do not make a trip if the work can be done otherwise.

Have all items on hand before starting a job.

Make a list of purchasing while going to bazaar. Consolidateor group your errands and tasks. Use Tony Bozans mindmaps aproach. Have weekly or monthly list photocopied,give columns for quantity and amount to facilitate the

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accountability to the some one you are responsible to.Keep the map of bazaar in your mind and make the

sequence accordingly.Never visit a friend without informing or calling him.

Admit ones mistake. It will keep you comfortable andteam player. Try to avoid those mistakes and improveyour skills for survival.

Learn how to excuse the work if you are not able to doit or your priorities do not permit it. Train your self forsaying no or politely excusing the job or work you arenot able to do it or which is not your priority.

Retire early and arise early

Work smart rather than hard.

Have a place for everything and keep everything in itsplace.

Make constructive use of your waiting time.

Clean up as you go. Put things away when you are finishedwith the work.

Dont buy anything unless you have a place to put it.

Dont buy things just because they are on sale.

Refuse to buy things that need special attention and care.

Dont try to do more than one thing at a time.

Ask yourself What is the best use of my time rightnow Make a poster of this question and keep in front ofyou while you are working or studying.

Always consider that today is the last day of my life.

Build your day around high pay-off activities; scheduleless important items for the time left over.

Set deadlines. Make them specific.

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Get help. Sometimes you cant do your work alone.

Keep yourself motivated. Reward yourself and your teamfor their good work.

When you are in an eastern culture, note down workyou have delegated and keep following it up rigorously.

Avoid a trip in person if you can do the same througha letter, fax or email or using short message service ofmobile phones.

The work or job that are neither important for you norurgent but have been assigned to you, you can handle

them by paying someone else to do them. (Housekeepingwork)

The above list is an indicative list. You can group them accordingto your circumstances and also can categorize as mentioned inmatter of time wastage.

TRAITS TO AVOID

Procrastination (postponing things repeatedly without anyreason) is to progress what cancer is to health. The symptoms ofprocrastination are:

sitting on tasks,

avoiding taking decisions,

just thinking idly and not acting.

To overcome the tendency to procrastinate, it is essential:

that we recognize it for what it is: a harmful habit andenemy number one of progress,

that we make a list of our habits or attitudes inclined

towards procrastination and start fighting them on apsychological level,

that we set our priorities and tackle tasks accordingly,

that we appropriate time for different tasks and try tocomplete them within the allotted time,

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that we do not put aside difficult tasks for a later date,but take them up as a challenge.

The last Prophet (Peace be upon him) asked of Hazrat AbuAmamah, How is it that I see you in the Mosque also at timesother than those of prayers? Replied Hazrat Abu Amamah, Ihave worries and owe money which I have not been able to repayfor a long time now. Said the Prophet (Peace be upon him),Might I not inform you of a prayer which will resolve your worriesand ease the financial burden? Said Hazrat Abu Amamah eagerly,Why, yes O Prophet of Allah, yes! Said the Prophet (Peace beupon him), Say thus mornings and evenings: O, Allah I ask for thyprotection from worry and sorrow; I ask for thy protection fromhelplessness and laziness, from miserliness, cowardice andindebtedness and from dominat ion by other men.

Says Hazrat Abu Amamah, When I did as the Prophet(Peace be upon him) had advised, Allah resolved my worries andeased my burdens. In addition to reciting the above prayer regularly,we should develop the will to act and to take the work in hand toa conclusion.

It is often observed that indebted persons delay the returnof loans despite being in a position to pay back. This very psychological

trait is also responsible for delay in the completion of various tasks.Despite having the time, the ability, and the resources to carry out

these tasks, we put them off.

The following measures, help in overcoming the tendencyto procrastinate.

Force yourself to act , adopt the here and now attitude.

Dont go for perfection. Try meeting all the requirementsthat a task demands for its completion, but do not try tobe a perfectionist.

Some people have a habit of trying to appear very busyeven when no real work is at hand. In an office

environment, such persons have the entire desk clutteredwith files to create an illusion of being awfully busy. Theyshould get rid of this attitude. They should, in fact, derivehappiness from taking tasks to conclusion. Be a clean tableman. Let only those papers be on the table which pertain

to work actually in hand.

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Do not over-react to developments and situations.

Avoid rage. In fact, learn the right way of being angry atthe right things and at the right time. Getting red in theface is no big deal, any one can do it.

OBLIGATIONS OF ORGANIZATIONS, MANAGEMENTSAND THE GOVERNMENT

Time can be utilized more effectively if organizations,managements and governments, help the individuals by taking certainmeasures from suggestions listed below:

Different organizations situated in the same locality shouldobserve different working hours in order to reduce traffic

jams.

Organizations should educate employees about theirresponsibilities and powers. Employees should be providedwith formal job descriptions.

One-on-one counseling should be done as and whenrequired. As a bare minimum, there should be a regularannual counseling session with each one of the employees.

Organizations should improve communication amongemployees and between employees and management.

It is the managements responsibility to ensure that politicalactivities in which the unproductive employees tend to

indulge, get short shrift and is not allowed to take root.Management should provide a mechanism for inter-personal contacts among employees. This would lead,among other things, to team work and higher efficiency.

Governments must do research to determine the timeof day when employees efficiency is at its peak. In manygovernment and non-government offices, afternoons arecharacterized by low productivity and killing of time. If

the timings, on the pattern of those observed duringRamazan, are introduced throughout year, say 7 am to 2pm, the throughput can be substantially increased. Thefollowing additional advantages can be expected to accrueas a result of this change.

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Employees will not lunch out, thus avoiding a hazard tohealth and extra expense.

Organizations will save on free or subsidized lunches.Thus the government will receive more tax.

Employees reaching home early would be able to devotetime to their childrens education. Education will becomeeasier and expenses on private tuition would be saved.

People would devote their evenings to finding solutionsof civic problems. Time will be available for healthyentertainment. Improvement of ones job prospects

through higher education would be possible. If permittedto do so, people could take up part time work to improvetheir standard of living.

People would get up early and would need to go tosleep early; which is good for health.

PRAYERS

Musnoon(narrated from Prophet Muhammad Sallallah-o- Alaihewa sallam) prayers fromAl-Hizbul Azam are quoted below. Reciting

these in the morning should lead to the day passing off well.

Allah is free from all imperfections. He is the high, the mostexalted, the Great Provider. I seek the protection of these wordsof His (which are all embracing and have no harm in them) fromany mischief of any of His creations. I seek protection of Allahs

name, which would prevent harm from any one, in heavens or onearth. He hears all and knows all. We begin the day with the beliefthat all power belongs to Allah and all praise is due to Him and

there is no God but Allah. There is none to claim a share in Hispower. He rules alone. All praise is to Him. His praise is absolute.O Allah, I seek from Thee the good in this day and in the hereafter.O Allah, I seek Thy protection from the evil of this day and of thehereafter. O Allah, I seek Thy protection from laziness and dotage.O Allah, I seek Thy protection from the punishment of hell and of

the grave.

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INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE

WASTAGE OF TIME

If you are asked to account for the 8,760 hours at yourdisposal each year, most probably, you would be able to recallaround 70 percent of it, which is spent in your office or businessplace, in sleeping and in commuting, and the like. For the rest of

the hours, you will have to strain your memory. If you are askedto give separate figures for the time utilized in meaningful activitiesand in purposeless squandering, it might prove to be a difficult task.

It is so because we have not determined our aims andobjectives. And it follows from this fact, that we have neitherdecided upon the ways and means to achieve them, nor have wemade any plans for it. In fact, we do not have the will to have suchaims and objectives. Obviously, when no goals have been set, wecan neither allocate any time for their attainment nor can weaccount for the time utilized in purposeful activities and the timewasted in aimless doings.

LIFE WITHOUT ANY GOALS

Most of us have set no life goals. Our lives are like a journeywithout a pre-determined destination. We neither learn anything

from the past, nor do we prepare any action plan for the present,nor do we care to plan for the future. Under these circumstances,we cannot achieve anything for ourselves or for our families or, on

the collective level, make any contribution for the well-being of ourpeople and the country.

WEALTH AND TIME

Wealth and time are two of the most common resources

available to us. The difference between the two can be explainedby the use of an analogy. These two are like two tanks of equalsize filled with water. The tank which represents wealth, is fittedwith a tap so that you can use the water as and when you needit. If you keep the tap closed, the water in it would not be wasted.On the other hand, the tank representing time has no tap; it has

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a hole in the bottom which cannot be closed in any manner. So,even if you are not prepared to use the water, it would continue

to flow out from the hole and go down the drain. Obviously, byinstinct, you would try to utilize the water coming out from thesecond tank to some purposeful use because, otherwise, it wouldbe just wasted.

So, time is draining out every second and we have no meansavailable to stop it from being wasted and to preserve it for useat a later stage. Even with the help of the most modern technologywe do not have any device to find out how much water is thereinside the tank, that is to say, how long we are going to live.Therefore, the best course for us is to make the most judicious useof this resource, while it is still available and not to waste it through

trial and error where we already have the results of past experiencesof our own or of others.

TIME WASTERS

To find out where time is being wasted, we shall have tomake an enquiry in three directions. First, we shall have to examine

the individual traits. Next, we shall have to find out how much timeis utilized collectively on the efforts to enhance national productivityand what part of it is squandered on unproductive activities likeintrigues and conflicts. Finally, we shall look into the time spent onmeeting our social requirements and see whether the same arebeing met adequately.

ANALYSIS OF INDIVIDUAL TRAITS

On the individual level, one has to be conscious of hisobligations towards his family. It is not good to turn into a machinefor making money and to treat your home just like a hotel whereyou go only to take some rest. Keeping this in view, let us examineindividual traits that result in the leakage of time and what can bedone to facilitate better utilization of time.

Having A Purpose In Life

It is important to determine the purpose of your life. Thenthe goals should be determined. The same could be divided intoshort-term and long-term goals. If we do not carry out any suchexercise to fix our targets, then time would just fly away leaving usbehind.

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Prioritizing

After ascertaining the purpose and fixing the goals, the nextstep is to assess the resources and the tools available to achievethem.In this connection, it would be useful to find out as to what tasks,if fulfilled earlier, would help in attaining the ultimate goals. This iswhat we call prioritizing.

Appraise Your Habits

We should do an honest appraisal of our habits and try toget rid of those that are time wasters. For example, just lying in

the bed after you are awake; lying in the bed after the morningprayers for a few minutes and then going into a sleep for hours;spending hours on telephone or otherwise with friends gossiping;and misplacing articles of essential use and then losing time in tracing

them out. One should try to get rid of such habits.

On the other hand, it is a good habit to jot down theimportant tasks of the day, personal and official, on a piece of paperor in a digital diary. One has to do self-assessment and self-reformation.

Disciplined Life

Discipline in life plays a positive role and eliminatescomplications which cause delays in taking decisions. We oftenreact very quickly to others views or actions. This is not correct.A disciplined person would take into consideration all the aspects,before reacting.

Team Work

If you do not feel comfortable while working with others,it would result in wastage of time and failure in life. If you are self-centered or self-righteous, you cannot develop understanding withothers. On the other hand, if you are able to establish a rapportwith your co-workers in the office, it would not only benefit yourorganization, you would also make gains on personal level.

Guiding The Subordinates

Judicious utilization of time requires that you get good outputfrom your subordinates. To achieve this, the first requirement is

that you must have a full grasp of the work they do. Next, you

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must know who among your subordinates, is the most suitable forwhat kind of work. Various types of work should be assigned to

them according to their aptitudes and skills. Finally, you mustsupervise their work and review it from time to time. A successfulmanager/supervisor should be able to recognize the capabilitiesof his juniors and should also have the guts to prepare them forhigher responsibilities.

Sometimes, you have subordinates who are incompetent,but you cannot get rid of them because they are there on thestrength of their links with some influential persons. Under suchcircumstances, the best course is to make them useful persons

through proper training and development programs.

ANYLYSIS OF SOCIO ECONOMIC AFFAIRS

Now let us examine how time is wasted collectively in officesand business places, affecting national productivity.

Job Description

A job description should be made available to everyemployee as it makes him aware of what he is expected to do. Ifyou have not been given any such document, you may prepare

it on your own so that you know what you are supposed to do.

Work And Capability

If your assignments are not commensurate with yourqualifications and capabilities, you should try to find the work that

suits you better. If your seniors do not agree, you may look out fora change of job.

The Flow Of Papers

In an office environment, there is a constant flow of papersand files from one desk to another. Much depends on their timelymovement. Any break or delay might result in losses or emergencies.You should, therefore, be careful not to withhold any paper either

due to lethargy or negligence, or because of your inability to takea quick decision.

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Meetings

Meetings are frequently held in offices and often, these arenot required at all. One should try to avoid those meetings wherenothing of consequence is likely to come out.

Socializing

Often, people waste their working hours in chatting over acup of tea. Similarly, visitors drop in without prior appointment andwithout any serious purpose. All these activities are unproductiveand wasteful.

Telephone Calls

When you make a telephone call, you not only leave asideyour own work but you also interrupt another person. Telephoneshould, therefore, be used only for important and urgent mattersand you must be brief and to the point. Inside the office, messageslips may be considered as substitutes for internal calls.

Intervention By Seniors

Unnecessary intervention by seniors into the routine workof their subordinates often results in wastage of time.

Office Politics

A lot of time is wasted because of office politics. Thephenomenon is in itself destructive and affects the efficiency of the

employees. Besides this, time is wasted in meaningless discussions.

Layout And Procedures

The layout of a workplace, office, showroom, factory orstore, can also cause loss of time. Similarly, the systems andprocedures may cause delays or slowdowns, and hence the loss of

time. If you are authorized to do so, you may introduce changesthat eliminate the negative factors. If you have no such authority,

you should make suggestions to the management. The least youcan do is to make necessary adjustments and adaptations to minimize

the loss of time due to layout, system or procedure.

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Labour Unions

There can be no doubt that labour unions play a significantrole in safeguarding the interest of the workers. But, sometimesindividuals use it for their personal ends and ambitions. Under sucha situation, a lot of uncalled for commotion and agitation disrupts

the working of the organization, resulting in huge losses of man-hours.

SOCIAL AND COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES

We often fail to fulfil our social obligations and, on the otherhand, waste our time collectively. This aspect is discussed below.

Need For A Balance

It is our responsibility to look after our family and attend totheir needs be it health, education, recreation or general welfareNext, we have some obligations towards our neighbours and fellowcitizens. Further, we have to pay attention to civic matters as wellwhich can be tackled only through collective efforts.

For the fulfillment of all these social obligations, among otherresources, time is of prime significance. But for most people, thisis a scarce commodity because they spend almost all of it in makingmoney or spend it in wasteful activities. Normal working hours foroffices are from 9 in the morning to 5 in the evening which areoften extended further to finish the days work. Similarly, the marketsare usually open for twelve hours daily. That leaves us with little

time for our responsibilities to the family, the neighbours and thesociety.

Most of us have become money-making machine. We donot have enough time to spend with our children. This is not thecorrect approach towards life. Religion, too, has granted certainrights over a person to his family, his neighbours and relatives.We must, therefore, strike a balance between the time spent onearning our livelihood and the time to be given to the home and

the society at large.

Problems Of Commuters

In big cities, offices and industrial units are usually concentratedin some localities. As a result of this, during the rush hours, the flowof traffic becomes one sided. Consequently, not only time is wasted

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but it becomes a health hazard too. Such a situation arises becausethe cities have not grown under a plan. We must act for the

posterity and develop our cities in a manner that would not giverise to such problems for the future generations.

The Need To Say No

Politeness does not demand that we should not decline todo something which is beyond our powers. By agreeing to do theimpossible, we simply commit a breach of promise which hurts theother party more than a refusal would. And in that process, precious

time is also lost.

Under such circumstances, a better policy is to say a politeNo straightaway.

Avoid Emergencies

It has become our national trait that we always act onlywhen the situation has gone critical or emergency is declared. Fromlarge government establishments to small private set-ups, most of

the work is performed under emergency conditions. The reasonsare many and varied: lack of planning and consultation; and postponingdecisions and actions to the eleventh hour, are a few of them.

This tendency not only creates problems but also costs alot of money. There are instances where a piece of work whichcould have been done by simply writing a letter, had to be effected

in emergency, by sending someone by air.

Business Without Any Agreement

We often conduct business without entering into a properagreement. Joint ventures are launched without determining sharesof the concerned parties. Within families, business is conducted

jointly by a father and his sons or by several brothers, withoutclearly laying down the shares in equities and profits and other

terms and conditions are not mutually agreed. This practice resultslater, in bitterness and contentious situation which often lead tolitigation consuming time and other resources.

Craze For Cricket

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Active interest in sports is good for health. But a passiveinterest to the extent of a craze is a sheer waste of time. In our

country, the widespread enthusiasm for live commentaries on cricketmatches, has spread beyond reasonable limits and happens to bea huge time waster.

News Mania

In todays world, it is certainly important to keep oneselfadequately informed on domestic and international affairs. But isit necessary to devote much time to listening to the same items ofnews on the radio and the so many television channels nowaccessible, which we have already read in detail in the morningnewspapers? There is a need for moderation in the craze for news

too.

POINTS TO PONDER

Self AssessmentWe must make an assessment of how much time we spend

on meaningful activities, and how much of it is just wasted. Are wefulfilling our obligations towards our families, our relatives and thesociety at large?

There is a saying attributed to Hazrat Umar Farooq Raziallahtaala unho, Be your own judge before you are judged by others.Assess yourself before you are assessed.

Performance Appraisal

When we start a business, we keep an eye on the returns.If the return is not reasonable, we draw a schedule of income andexpenditure and try to find out where things went wrong, or where

there is a room for improvement. We must make a similar assessmentof our own performance and find out how judiciously we havebeen able to utilize our time and make adjustments and alterations

to use this precious resource profitably. To achieve this, we shallhave to make a daily plan and review the outcome on a weeklybasis.

Chart Of Daily Activities

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44

Make a chart having six columns entitled, Time, Performance,Engagements, Profitable, Wasteful and Useful. Under these columns,

mention the timings with intervals of 15 minutes. Fill the chartregularly for one week. You will have to spend some time on thischart but it would be helpful in diagnosing the malady.

After one week, examine the entries in this chart with aview to find out:

How close have you moved towards the achievementof goals, aims and objectives set by you?

Which and when were the longest intervals withoutany interruption?

Which were the timings when interruptions generallyoccurred?

How much time was spent on meetings?

Summary of the issues on which time was spent.

How much time was spent on long term objectives?

What should be the line of action for your ownreformation?

What steps should be taken to increase the efficiency?

The management guru Mr Peter Drucker suggests the

following for performance improvement:Confine your efforts to a limited number of tasks.

Eliminate what is of no use to you.

Learn to uti l ize your time in a better way.

Avoid decisions that would lead to unprofitable andunproductive results.

Review and evaluate your views, ideas, ambitions andfeelings.

How to judge your own capabilities


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Author of the managing your time (published by ZondervanBooks), proposes a chart to judge ones own capabilities. The chart

covers human relationships, personal traits and methodologies. Youmay assess yourself periodically according to the points given belowand, InshaAllah, you will have a far better tomorrow.

Are you capable of benefiting from knowledgeablepersons?

Do you command respect and recognition?

Rapport with colleagues / Implementation of yourinstructions

Relationship and understanding with your superiors andsubordinates

How far are you able to understand individuals so asto maintain your relationship with them and to ensureoutput from them, in accordance with their status andcompetence.

Ability to work with your subordinates in a pleasantand effective manner

Ability to communicate directly with the concernedindividuals to remove their misunderstandings, and tosolicit their suggestions and advice

Ability to listen to others and to encourage them to

narrate their thoughts and feelings?

Motivating individuals working in different departmentsto give their best performance

Formal and informal relationships with superiors

Ability to utilize the time fully, that is, full sixty minutesin an hour

Taking logical decisions and sticking to them

Drawing up an action plan so as to achieve the pre-determined goals?

Control over office documents and ability to use the

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various reports and other information gainfully

Ability to find out facts that could help you move ahead

Ability to delegate without losing control

Problem-solving and conflict-resolution

Ability to dispose off the days work without fatigue

Ability to work with concentration

Ability to remember events, proceedings, ideas, facts,concepts, plans and undertakings

Prioritization of tasks and assignments to achieve thegoals within prescribed time?

The above aims at self-improvement. If you are able toimprove yourself, it would be good for you, your family, yourorganization and for the country at large. Let us set our aims and

objectives, prepare plans, and be accountable for the time wespend.

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PROCRASTINATION,

LETHARGY AND SLACKNESS

A child was bothering his father engaged in some seriouswork. The father thought of a strategy to keep him occupied till hefinished his job. He took a page from an old newspaper on which

a map of the world was printed. He pointed out the countries,rivers, mountains and the continents, and then tore it into piecesand gave it to the child to put it together so that the map isreconstructed accurately.

The man was wonderstruck when the child returned withina few minutes with the map reconstructed correctly. How couldyou do this so quickly? asked the father.

Well, while you tore the paper, I had noticed that therewas a large photograph of a man printed on the other side. Ireconstructed the picture of the man which was easy and the mapon the other side was put together automatically. said the child.

So, even the most complicated situation can be sorted outif viewed from different angle or perspective.

THE NEED TO REFORM OURSELVES

If we can re-mould ourselves and discipline our lives, thenall the distortions and aberrations in our personal lives, office,neighbourhood and the society at large, would automatically beset right.

However, we often fail to bring together the torn pieces.This might be due to the fact that:

The will is not strong enough.

Lethargy and slackness have crept into our nature.

We are not conscious of our objective in life and evenif we are aware of it, we have little interest in achievingit.

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We have fallen prey to procrastination.

We delay our decisions.

When opportunity knocks at the door, we do not haveeven the courage to respond to it.

OUR ENEMIES

Lethargy, laziness, slackness and procrastination happen tobe our enemies. These are more harmful than the use of narcotics.A drug addict gets isolated from the society while a person given

to these habits harms the society from within.

TOMORROW NEVER COMES

Imam Abdur Rahman Ibne Juzi ( 511-597 A.H.) has writtenin his book,Minhaj-ul-Qasideen:

He who postpones his tasks till tomorrow, is bound to suffera harm because he adopts opposite attitudes in respect of two

similar situations. The example of a person given to postponing hiswork for tomorrow is like one who has to pull down a tree but,finding the tree to be too strong, defers the action till the nextyear. Little does he realize that as time passes, the tree wouldbecome stronger while he would become older and weaker. If heis not able to pull down the tree today, when he is comparativelystronger and the tree weaker, how would he be able to do so

tomorrow when the tree would be comparatively stronger andhe weaker?

WHAT IS PROCRASTINATION?

The tendency to delay action on urgent and importantmatters on flimsy pretexts is called procrastination. Sometimes, wedo not pay attention to outstanding issues simply because we arenot in a mood to do so and find excuses like lack of time or therequisite peace of mind. We delude ourselves into thinking that itwould make no difference if we take it up later. Thus, we squander

the precious resource of time, given to us by Allah.

The Prophet (PBUH) has said: At daybreak, Time declares,O children of Adam ! I am the creation of Allah and a witness toyour actions. You may utilize right now as much of me as you canbecause I am not going to come back.(Allama Suyuti-Jama ul Jawame)

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In anotherHadith, the Prophet (PBUH) says, A true Muslimis worried about both, his past about which he does not know

how it will be judged by Allah, and his future in respect of whichhe is ignorant of what has Allah decided for him. A person must,therefore, make good use of his life for his own sake; use his worldlyactions for the sake of the life hereafter; take advantage of his youthbefore old age takes over; and of his life before death rings thecurtain down. Imam Ibne Juzi says that every breath that a person

takes, is too precious an asset to be compensated for adequately.

HIDING BEHIND TOMORROW

The word tomorrow is often used by us as a shield behindwhich we hide shame and regret for wasting time. It is said that

there is no other word in human vocabulary, which is responsiblefor as many broken promises, unfulfilled expectations, acts ofcarelessness and negligence, stupidities and ruination of lives. In fact,tomorrow never comes. If we really want to achieve success inlife, we must take care of today; and tomorrow will take care ofitself.

There is another false reasoning often propounded by thosetaking refuge behind tomorrow. They argue that if an action canwait till tomorrow, why take it up today. They hope in vain that

tomorrow may be more conducive than today.

This approach is harmful for us on all levelsindividual,collective national and international.

FINDING EXCUSES FOR PROCRASTINATION

Under the tendency to procrastinate, we delay tasks whichhappen to be important in relation to our personal or nationalinterests and, instead, while away our time in trivialities. This is done

to find an excuse for not doing what was actually needed. Referringto a person doing something other than what is urgently requiredof him, Imam Juzi says that he is like a sick person who, instead of

taking the medicine, wastes his time in learning how to preparethe medicine. He says further that a person is lucky if he chooses

the most important and leaves the rest, and considers action to beof supreme value.

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EFFECTS OF LETHARGY

Lethargy is a disease but the person who suffers from itremains unaware of his affliction. It is a state of highly enjoyableintoxication. An individual, a nation or an entire society mightbecome its victim. It leads to dire consequences.

Guidance has been taken from the book Procrastination,why you do it, what to do about it by Jane B. Burka, Ph.D andLenora M. Yuen, Ph.D. They have classified these effects into Externaland Internal.

External Effects

Financial loss

Differences with the boss and earning his wrath

Loss of trust and respect

Losing the job

Suffering accidents or physical pain

Loss of good relationship with friends and well-wishers

Differences with colleagues and contemporaries andearning their annoyance

Feuds with friends and family members

Imposition of penalties by government agencies

Internal Effects

Inferiority complex

Self-pity

Worries

Withdrawal

Restlessness

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Regrets

Suffocation

Physical pain

Sick feeling

Loss of face

Losing ones calm.

Awakening the One Who is Awake

Lethargy prevents us from achieving our objectives, both the worldly ones and those of the hereafter. Regret and self-condemnation become our destiny. It goes without saying that itis easy to awaken someone who is in slumber but it is very difficult

to awaken the one who is already awake. We are awake but donot want to get out of the bed.

The timing of two things is very difficult to know. First, onewho goes to sleep, does not know exactly when was he overcomeby sleep. Secondly, a nation whose tide is falling, is never able todiscover it when it begins. The root cause of our fall and degradationstems from lethargy and unawareness of the objectives. Consequently,from our personal matters to national issues, everything has becomeexceedingly complicated and failure has become our destiny.

Lethargy, A National Malady

If you look around at yourself, your household, yourorganization, the society you live in, and the quality of governance,you will find lethargy and slackness everywhere. This is a nationalaffliction that precedes decline. The sources of the affliction mustbe examined and eliminated. While it requires a strategic plan andsubstantial resources at the macro-level, we should also have micro-level plans for reforming individuals.

Cant Afford to WaitEach one of us should do a self-assessment to find out how

much time he or she has wasted waiting for leisure and for anopportune moment to make a beginning. Also, draw a list of whatyou had wanted to achieve and what you have actually achieved.

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Find out if there were some reasons for the failure or was it onlythe result of self-indulgence, lethargy, slackness and lack of fear of

accountability by the Almighty.Let us make an effort to shun lethargy and to make ourselves

accountable in respect of attitudes, actions and inertness of ourminds and our bodies.

Talk To Yourself

Imam Ibne Juzi has stated:

Every morning, after having performed the essentials, oneshould detach oneself from everything and talk to his own self. Heshould tell himself, O my own self, my only capital is my life. If itis lost, there would be nothing to gain from.

A new day has just begun and, having deferred my death,Allah has given me another chance to do some thing good. Omy own self, thou must regard it as a new lease of life. Save thisday from being lost. Thou must realize that the 24 hours in one

day and night are like 24 closets. On the Day of Reckoning, theseclosets would be thrown open and the quantity of good stored in

them would be assessed. If this quantity is large, the closets wouldbe filled with Nur (light) and the person would be so happy that if

that happiness is distributed among all the residents of Hell, theywould forget about their pain. But if, on the contrary, there is moreof evil than good in them, then instead ofNur (light), there wouldbe darkness and stinking smell in the closets and the personconcerned would feel such anxiety and indignity that if this feeling

is distributed among all the residents ofParadise, it would spoil allthe blessings endowed upon them.

For those who do not care to act, there would be anothertreasure which would be empty. There would neither be happinessin it nor sorrow. This would represent the time which they wasted.Everyone who wasted his time would then be repentant in a mannerlike that of a person who was in a position to make a large profitbut lost that opportunity.

Everyone must ask his own self to act today so as to fillevery closet with good deeds and not to leave any one empty.

Hazrat Umar (R.A.) has said, Assess your own self beforethe Day of Reckoning arrives. Weigh your actions yourself before

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the same are weighed (on the Day of Judgment), and prepareyourself for the grand Day of Judgment.

It has been stated in Surah Haaqqah, You would be judgedon that Day and nothing would remain hidden from you.

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PROCRASTINATION

VARIOUS FORMS AND CAUSES

OF A HUMAN WEAKNESS

The Czar of Russia signed a declaration on March 12, 1881,in which he had expressed the desire to call a session of the nationalassembly to devise ways to establish a constitutional system ofgovernment in the country. But this had come too late. The nextmorning, before the contents of the declaration could becomeknown to the public, the Czar had been assassinated. An actiondelayed, is an opportunity lost.

IDLE MORNINGS, WASTED EVENINGS

Quite often, it so happens that while we are still thinking ofvisiting a hospitalized relative or friend, he is already back home.There are hosts of tasks we plan but hesitate to implement, waitingfor an opportune moment. How many times we propose to dosomething after taking a little rest, but the little rest stretches forhours at a stretch. How often we propose to perform a task afterreaching home in the evening a bit earlier than usual, but the evening

turns into a night of inaction.

And it is in this manner, that the nights chase the days and

the days follow the nights till the cup of life is emptied without anysignificant achievement.

TASKS AFFECTED BY PROCRASTINATION

We are overtaken by laziness in so many affairs of our life.In youth, it is education, preparation for examinations and planninga career. Later on, it is in the matter of confronting challenges, inputting up good performance, and in expressing our sentiments.

Whatever might be the profession, everyone has his own peculiarway of being lazy and lethargic. In preparing following list, guidancehas been taken from the book Procrastination why you do it,what to do about it. The authors have listed tasks which are usuallyaffected by procrastination. This list would help you judge foryourself and to find out your own areas of weakness.

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Household Affairs

Repairs requiring skilled labour.Disposing off the junk

Repairs and maintenance of vehicles

Payment of utility and other household bills

Purchase of household items

Tasks related to the care of the family

Office Matters

Punctuality in reaching the office

Punctuality in meetings and visits

Maintaining telephonic contacts, particularly making a

return call

Taking decisions

Disposal of paper work

Preparation of reports, etc.

Discussing individuals matters and giving them a senseof participation

Appreciation of good work done by colleagues andothers

Transforming proposals and creative ideas into actionsand realities

Sending bills to customers

Talking to the concerned superior for promotion or araise in emoluments

Discussing official matters with superiors

Attending courses for promotion or personal development

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Personal Matters

Finding time for exercise and other health relatedmatters

Adopting a strategy for weight reduction, in case ofover-weight persons

Giving up smoking or other addictions

To see the doctor or visit the barber

Social Relationships

Seeing or calling friends and relatives

Correspondence with friends and relatives

Inviting people

Visiting friends and relatives

To give/send gifts/greeting cards on various occasions.

To observe punctuality in attending social gatherings.

To seek help, without compromising self-respect.

To make others aware of your anger or irritation.

Bringing to an end unproductive relat ionships.

Financial Matters

Submission of income tax returns on time

Preparation of annual Zakat statement and disbursementthereof

Maintaining a proper account of income and expenditure

Preparing a personal budget, keeping in view theresources

Investing the savings

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To contact the bank with regard to periodical statementsand other matters

Payment of various bills

Re-payment of loans

Collecting / reminding for outstanding payments

Ethical Matters

We often fail to act promptly in respect of ethical aspects

involved in our social relationships. We should assess our approach,particularly in relation to the following:

Seeking forgiveness when you are at fault

Settling disputes with family members, relatives,coworkers and business partners.

Returning things borrowed from others, particularly

money and books

Seeking forgiveness and Tauba for deficiencies inmeeting Huqooq-ullah (Allahs rights), Huqooq-e-RasoolProphets rights (Peace be Upon Him) and Huqooq-un-Nas (Peopless rights)

Condoling the afflicted and praying for the departedsoul

Praying for an easy disposal of your personal tasks

Keeping promises

Other Matters

Priorities are not fixed in accordance with therequirements so that routine tasks often take precedence

over important assignments.We find excuses for not performing important tasks,and later, blame external factors for the resultant harm.

We are prevented from achieving the targets becauseof our own negligence and the resultant mental pressure

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affects our efficiency.

If something is to be completed on a particular day, westart working on it on that very day, even if we hadenough time throughout the preceding week, not only

to plan but also to accomplish the task.

Our attitude is reflected in the common practice ofmaking a passage by placing cement blocks or largestones in the water accumulated in the lanes and on

the roads, after the rains, although proper arrangementsmade in advance by individuals or by the municipalitycould have obviated the need for this makeshiftarrangement.

During the interval between two examinations, time isoften wasted in watching movies or having some otherkind of fun, on the pretext of relaxation, although that

time is too precious to be lost in this manner. Similarly,on off days, our priorities go topsy-turvy; instead ofstarting the day early (e.g. going to the market early in

the morning to be able to choose better stuff) wespend our time in reading newspapers, although thatcould be done later.

Since we do not subscribe to a basic philosophy, theobjective of life, a firm policy with a proper planningand the ability to extract the best output from individuals,are lacking in our national life, it always remains subjected

to emergency measures and adhocism.

Governments and the institutions often take steps thatsave their existence from immediate extinction butdestroy the foundations of the nation.

EXCUSES FOR PROCRASTINATION

It is human nature to find excuses for doing somethingwrong. In case of procrastination, we justify our inaction on the

following grounds:

Non-availability of proper material. For instance, blackink is normally used for writing but I had blue ink. Or,rickshaws and taxis were not available due to strike;and minibuses were crowded.

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I had been working for hours. I went to bed for a shortnap but when I got up, it was morning.

This type of work requires dynamism. Since I lack in it,the work could not be done.

The week is now coming to a close. Whats the useof making a beginning now?

Why should I ask when I know that the answer wouldbe a firm no

Here are two instances in which a successful effort wasmade to overcome procrastination. You, too, can develop yourown methods with some effort.

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Highway to Success