I first became interested in the subject of time management during my student days in Raffles Junior College. It was a bit of culture shock as I first entered junior college, as I suddenly became saddled with endless assignments, tests and after-school activities, and could not find any time for social life. I was convinced that either I was making mistakes in time management, or there must be a better way to manage my time. I started by asking my friends and classmates how they manage their time and picked up a few useful tips. However, I was far from satisfied, so I went further by researching numerous books written by experts on time management. I ended up with a truckload of ideas and time management “systems”, some of which were difficult to implement and not applicable for students. Thereafter, I identified the best ideas, tested them and in the process, formulated a simple and effective set of rules for mastering the way I manage my time. I am confident that these ideas will work for you as a school student or adult learner, regardless of the level of education you are currently at. 

Just to share with you my personal experience. I applied these time mastery strategies while I was a medical student in the National University of Singapore, and the result was immensely satisfying. I was able to find time to study my medical textbooks, yet had enough time to give private tuition to several students, take part in activities such as Toastmasters and Youth Challenge, write a book on dating and relationships, give public talks, write articles for magazines, create and market websites, do research and publish articles in medical journals, take on the role of the Editor for a management journal, and so on. The most challenging year was in my final year of medical school where I had to revise all the major subjects studied in the previous years to prepare for my final MBBS exam, but that was also the time I accomplished the most in terms of finding time to publish and market my book, write and publish journal articles, and taking part in various activities outside campus.

As I transition through different phases of life, first as a student, then as a young working adult juggling long hours of work with studying for incessant post-graduate tests and exams (during my house officer, medical officer and registrar years), and currently as a middle-aged dermatologist who is constantly endeavoring to strike a fine balance between the four pillars that comprise my professional work, voluntary activities, personal development and family commitments, it is interesting to reflect on how I have been managing my time. My ever-expanding to-do list is getting longer and longer each year, to the point that it is no longer feasible to complete everything that I want to do. I figured out that my best bet is to invest time in crystallizing my most important goals, taking action on the most important and meaningful tasks at any one time, and raising my efficiency as much as possible.

Though my priorities have continually evolved across the years, I have observed that the fundamental principles of time mastery remain the same. Even as technology becomes increasingly interwoven into the world we live in, these time mastery principles have stood and will continue to stand the test of time. I am excited and truly grateful to have the opportunity to share these ideas with you.