All of us are living in an extremely fast world now, with a dire need for effective time-management. But one can always learn from Chanakya’s centuries-old Arthashastra. According to him, being mindful of what we have to do is the biggest tip for managing time.
Chanakya had said: “Thus, he (superintendent of cattle) should be cognisant of the number of animals.” (2.20.15).
Cognisant means being aware or mindful of one’s responsibilities, and being in control of them. Hence, in this line, Chanakya says that—at any given point of time—the head of the cattle department should know the exact number of cattle his people are handling.
We can also use this verse to guide us in our daily activities:
Understand your goals
The first step in time-management is to know where you want to reach, and by when. Most of us are running without an agenda or clarity of purpose. Always question yourself: Why am I doing this? Am I supposed to do this? What results am I going to get by doing this activity?
Many of us do not know our job profiles properly. If you are not sure, ask your boss and be clear of his expectations. Make a list of the roles that you play—department head, team leader, project in-charge, parent, child, etc. Then, under each role, write your responsibilities and prioritise them.
Dr Radhakrishnan Pillai is an Indian management thinker, author, and Founder of Atma Darshan and Chanakya Aanvikshiki. Dr Pillai has extensively researched Kautilya’s Arthashastra, the 3rd century BC treatise and incorporated it into modern management.
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