Managing Time

I was born with a special bank account. You have a similar account too.

It is special because I can only withdraw from it. If not, the balance will be used up anyway.

It’s called Time.

If I do not use my time wisely, it will be gone. Forever and ever.

That’s why, I apply a simple formula to manage my time. I have used it from almost the beginning of my working life.

I call it APEX.

Let me share briefly with you about APEX.

A – Attitude. Success is an adopted attitude. Without a positive perspective, I will never achieve positive results.

P – Planning. I believe every task starts and ends with planning.

I need a plan to ensure that I achieve win-win results.

Through the plan, I can better galvanize human and other resources.

I can also systemize the operation.  In addition, I can enhance the synergy and alignment of all the resources so as to optimise my productivity.

The plan must be iterative. In other words, I need to review it constantly so as to improve upon it.

When the task is completed, I endeavour to ensure that the learning experience becomes a platform for further achievements. I want to craft new plans to take me to a higher level of achievement.

E – Execution. What stands between planning and achievement is execution. Execution is likened to a highway that will take me from where I am to where I want to go in life.

The key to execution is leverage. According to Buckminister Fuller, “Leverage is doing ever more with ever less”.

Leverage is taking massive action to do the right thing and in the right way so as to achieve the right results.

X – Excel. In HSR, we have a saying, ‘Anything worth doing is worth doing with passion and excellence.’

Passion means I need to love what I do.

Excellence means I must do it to the best of my abilities.

I need to constantly review every experience and action so as to see how I can go farther and faster in life.