This self-help book was a great read on the subject of time management. This book is well organized and the reminders make one think about the importance of time management in our lives, especially as Muslims. Anyone really can benefit from this book. Read through the notes, do the activities, and implement what you learn. If we really want to be productive in our daily lives, inshAllah this book will be beneficial in helping us come closer to achieving our goals. I gave this book 5/5 stars. If you would like to purchase your own copy of Powerful Time Management Skills for Muslims by Zohra Sarwari, I suggest getting it directly from her site @ http://zohrasarwari.com/order/ You may also find other interesting products there!
Chapter 1: Changing Your Thinking
Time management begins the moment you have the attitude that you want to change; to begin even thinking about time management, one must have a desire to change. One must have the desire to commit to take action daily. One has to do the little things on a daily basis that will add up to make a big change within time, inshAllah (God willing). Change your thinking:1. Attitude should be results- oriented2. Think positively instead of negativelyProphet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "The 2 feet of the son of Adam will not move from near his Lord on the Day of Judgment until he is asked about 5 matters: 1. About his life and how he spent it2. About his youth and how he took care of it3. About his wealth and how he earned it4. And how he spent it5. And about that which he acted upon from the knowledge that he acquiredHow do you change your attitude?1. Recognize the importance of attitude2. By changing our attitude and being prepared for the worst case scenario, we are equipped to handle any situation inshAllah3. Constantly monitor and correct our attitude"Take benefit of 5 before 5: your youth before your old age, your health before your sickness, your wealth before your poverty, your free time before your preoccupation, and your life before your death" (Hadth reported by al-Hakim, al-Bayhaqee, and Saheeh). Suggested: http://www.studygs.net/schedule/index.htmActivity 1: Write down 5 results that you want to see happen.Activity 2: Write down 5 things that you will change about your attitude.Chapter 2: Understanding Procrastination
One procrastinates when one puts of things that one should be focusing on right now, usually in favor of doing something that is more enjoyable or that they are more comfortable ding. Causes why people procrastinate: 1. Don't understand the difference between the urgent and important things to do.2. Being overwhelmed by the task3. Lack of interest 4. Fear of failure5. Poor organizational skills6. Seeking perfection7. Personal problems8. Low self-esteemActivity 3: Write down 5 things that you procrastinate on. Chapter 3: Getting Over Procrastination
1. Acknowledge that we are procrastinating2. Figure out if you want to do the task or delegate it3. Reward yourself for all your work4. Tell someone about your task so they can hold you accountable5. Split the project to smaller tasks and do a little everydayActivity 4: Write down 5 projects that you have began and finished within this last year. Chapter 4: Activity Grid
An activity grid is where you will write down everything you do on a daily basis. By doing this for a week, you will start to notice patterns of things that take place daily in your life. By writing your activities down and looking back at them, you will also discover what times of the day you are at your peak (most productive), and when you are the most tired. The tasks that are most difficult and time-consuming should be done at a time when you have the most energy. You also need to realize which activities and how much time you are wasting on things that aren't helping you. Activity 5: Write down 5 things that you think is wasting most of your time. Chapter 5: Action Plan
An action plan is a list of all the tasks that you need to carry out in order to achieve your main objective.Everyone needs a to-do list in order to manage their time effectively. With a to-do list, one should write down and organize it so that all of the most important tasks are at the top of the list and least important at the bottom. The to-do list allows one to organize oneself and make sure one doesn't forget anything that needs to get done. You should begin working on the list immediately. A Muslim needs to learn how to organize their time and make a realistic schedule for their religious and worldly duties. Always remember that we need balance in our lives and have to make some time to reflect and relax. The best method would be to wake up early in the morning and go to sleep after Isha. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said "O Allah, bless my Ummah in its early rising..." (Tirmidhi). One has to remember that when we start our day with prayers to Allah, that alone has tremendous blessings. Activity 6: Write down 5 things that you have to get done. Activity 7: Write down the to-do list for each. Chapter 6: Delegating
Delegating is very difficult to do for leaders at times. However, to be the most successful, one has to be able to delegate work to others. Delegating allows others to make decisions and feel responsible and also takes some stress off of you.
... 'Abdullah bin 'Umar had said, "I heard Allah's Apostle saying, 'All of you are guardians and responsible for your wards and the things under your care. The Imam (i.e. ruler) is the guardian of his subjects and is responsible for them and a man is the guardian of his family and is responsible for them. A woman is the guardian of her husband's house and is responsible for it. A servant is the guardian of his master's belongings and is responsible for them.' I thought that he also said, 'A man is the guardian of his father's property and is responsible for it. All of you are guardians and responsible for your wards and the things under your care." (Sahih Bukhari Book 13, Hadith 18)
1. Find people and know what they are good at. 2. Spell out what you are asking them to do. Be specific and detail-oriented. 3. Keep a checklist of what everyone is responsible for and let them know of any deadlines. 4. Motivate and help your team. Activity 8: Write down 5 things that you will delegate to others. Chapter 7: Working Smarter and Not Harder
Always think of the results that you want and then think of a way to make it happen. There are many ways of getting your job done. Be open-minded to the fact that others can help you and also how you can delegate to others. When you work harder, you are able to achieve more in a short amount of time. When you are results-oriented, you tend to focus on the big picture and not the small details. You want to complete the project and move on to what's next. It takes a team to succeed, it doesn't happen alone. You will need people to help you, so finding the right team is where the gold is. Activity 9: Write down 5 people that you want on your team to help you manage your time better and to get more accomplished. Chapter 8: Learn to Model Successful People
1. Look for a role model who has been there and done that. 2. Know that success is possible to achieve, but figure out how. One cannot stop learning. "To realize the value of 1 year, ask a student who has failed a grade. To realize the value of 1 month, ask a mother who has given birth to a pre-mature baby. To realize the value of 1 week, ask an editor of a weekly paper. To realize the value of 1 day, ask a daily wage laborer who has a family to feed. To realize the value of 1 hour, ask the girl and guy who are waiting to get married. To realize the value of 1 minute, ask a person who has missed the train. To realize the value of 1 second, ask a person who has avoided an accident. To realize the value of 1 millisecond, ask the person who has won a silver medal in the Olympics." -Unknown Activity 10: Write down 5 people that you see as role models. Chapter 9: How a Muslim Should Best Manage Their Time
Why time is the most valuable thing a human has:1. It passes quickly2. Passed time cannot be returned or compensated forEvery Muslim should try to spend their day and night as follows:1. Wake up saying morning duas. http://www.makedua.com/display_dua.php?sectionid=12. Pray your 5 daily obligatory prayers on time (and try to concentrate). 3. Avoid committing (big and small) sins. Remind yourself that it is a sin and you should not do it. 4. Repent to Allah in every prayer and moment by saying http://www.makedua.com/display_dua.php?sectionid=1275. Make it a habit to read Quran daily, even if it is for a few minutes, a few pages a day (and gradually increase). 6. Watch your tongue when speaking to others. Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "...and anybody who believes in Allah and the Last Day should talk what is good or keep quiet (i.e. abstain from all kinds of evil and dirty talk). (Sahih Bukhari Book 73, Hadith 47)7. Don't be distracted with work, wealth etc. that you forget your prayers. Remember your purpose in life!8. Whenever you are doing something that doesn't need full concentration, do dhikr of Allah. http://www.makedua.com/display_dua.php?sectionid=1289. Always be thankful to Allah by praising him and saying Alhamdulilah. 10. Remember death often. InshAllah the above notes help you. Please make dua for Zohra Sarwari, me, and every Muslim around the world. And don't forget to share this link with others who need help with time management!Before you go, watch 2 great video reminders below worth watching and sharing about the subject of time.
Check out the rest of the series by Quran Weekly too! Time is precious, so waste it wisely!
