THE AFRICAN TIME SYNDROME; A CANCER IN DISGUISE By
Time remains the world most valuable and scarce resources in life. In fact, time is what brings life and also what takes it. Because it takes a time of 9 months to make babies and it’s only a matter of time before we die too. Time, world greatest friend and worst foe; It is the only resource on earth that you can never have too much, because even when you think you do, the trust is that you don’t. Time, the only opponent in a fight you can never beat, even when you feel you have beaten time to a task, it has a way of always winning the war in the long run. Time, the only possession we have but do not own and can never buy no matter how rich or wealthy you are. Time, the price we pay for living, and the only debt you pay until you die.
# AFRICAN TIME; WHAT EXACTLY IS IT?
Even with the scarcity of time, Africans still operate on a time concept called “African Time.” A practice that has been in existence for a long time. One that has gradually become a num among Africans hence neglected the principles of effect time management. The African time, suggest that people would attend an event of function billed for by 2pm or 3pm as well as events or functions that are suppose to starts by 1pm ends up commencing by 2pm or 3pm. Making both organizers of events and guests guilty of this African time syndrome.
# WHY AFRICAN TIME?
This is one question that might not have a definite answer. However, depending on the individual or event, people have diverse reasons for which they practice African time, but the most common reasons are negligence, laziness and poor management of time. * NEGLIGENCE – Some people just don’t take things seriously no matter how important it is to them or others. So, they feel they can attend or begin to plan for an event anytime that all that matters is that they came or the event held, end of story. * LAZINESS – A good number of people on the other hand are quite lazy, usually dancing and playing around doing nothing until the event is close before they begin to prepare for it. The result, reaching the venue when the event has already began or organizers still trying to arrange the event venue while guests have already begin to arrive. * POOR TIME MANAGEMENT – The inability for organizers and guests to plan their day or calendar properly, allocating time to various activities for the day or month and keep strict compliance with them.
# CONSEQUENCES OF AFRICAN TIME
The truth is that you can never cheat time; trust me nobody has and nobody will. You might be able to keep up with time sometimes or even maybe complete a particular task ahead of schedule; it doesn't mean you have cheated time. Because time never get tire or running even when your clock or watch does. Time runs even when you pause for a moment while working, when you sleep, pee or take a rest to cool off so, eventually it will catch up with you and beat your ass up. This could lead to loss of appointment(s), inadequate time to complete a project hence rushing, which may lead to errors. Inability to meet your daily job targets, which could also lead to you being fired. Accumulation of task which leaves you with little or no time to rest and may result to physical and mental breakdown (stress). It could even affect your academic performance as a student or poor home management as a parent. As the popular saying goes, time is money; hence loss of time is loss of money, waste of time is waste of money.
#CUT THE CANCER
- Live every second as though it your last
- Let every second count for good
- Don’t leave for later what you can do now
- Sleep when you must sleep, play when you must play and work when you must work
- No matter how much time you think you have; the truth is, you don’t have any
- Never compete with time, you will never win
TIME IS NOT YOUR FRIEND, BUT DON’T MAKE IT YOUR ENEMY!