There may be periods in our lives when we wish for more time, and others when we want time to pass more quickly. Sometimes ‘time flies’ and at other times it can appear to drag – people complain that holidays pass too quickly, while their time at work or school can drag.

Such illusions are merely how we react to different environments and emotions. There are always 24 hours in a day. Research suggests that if the brain is engaged in many activities then it has less capacity to notice the passing of time, conversely when the brain is less stimulated it concentrates more on monitoring of the passing of time.

"Time is money" - Benjamin Franklin

We protect our money; we aim to use it wisely, trying to avoid waste. We budget; balancing what money is earned against what is spent. Rather like money, time is a valuable and limited resource; the skills we need to manage time are therefore similar to those needed to successfully manage money - planning, evaluation, and self-control./p>

Like money, what we do with our time is unique to us – we all have different priorities, different goals and aspirations. Therefore, finding a suitable time management strategy that works well for you is an important personal skill. Your ability to manage the things in your life effectively will depend on your personality and levels of self-discipline and self-motivation. Some of the benefits of learning good ‘time management’ techniques include:

- Being more productive and getting more things done

- Feeling less stressed and anxious

- Having more time to do the things you enjoy

- Increased self-confidence

- Better, more positive relationships with others

Use this video to help yourself with time management: