How to Make Others Respect Your Time?

Despite a slight setback in the third quarter of last year, Uber made a significant leap to become the world's most valuable private startup. What is the reason for Uber's success? The reason is that Uber doesn't sell rides, but rather it sells time, which is the most valuable asset one has.

Most people can't go through their day without engaging in conversations they didn't plan to engage in since getting such sudden conversations on the agenda is not possible. If wasting other people's time without their permission were as illegal as stealing money, co-workers and employees would find themselves involved in the largest class action lawsuit in history.

On the other hand, we do not live in a perfect world, which means that you will never be able to get rid of all the sources of distraction, and you will not be able to stay away from people constantly. However, time is such a rare product that it is impossible to make time for all tasks and to meet all the people you know. Since we all have the same amount of time every day, the best we can do is to act responsibly with the amount we have. You can get others to respect your time without causing animosity between you and them.

1- Respect your time:

Learn and master your time management skills one by one. While there are countless articles about time, very few follow the principles of time management. When other people see that you don't respect your time, they won't respect it either. For example, you can master the art of saying "no" more often. It's good to show disapproval to kids, clients, friends, and co-workers now and then because it shows them that you're not an "open buffet" for everyone to eat. If you're afraid to offend someone, then you're right because some people will get offended (and social media is the biggest proof that you can't please everyone). It may ease your fears to know that even the most successful people on earth have a dozen haters.

Just so you know, others will drain your entire day if you allow them to, so start your day by writing a plan in which you determine how you will spend your day, and you will gain many benefits, including increased productivity. When you know the true value of your time, it naturally affects what you choose to do and what to avoid.

The more you realize the real value of your time, the simpler your thinking becomes; as a result, you become more able to choose the appropriate actions, and you lose your desire to waste time gradually.

Remember that people are the ones who waste your time the most. How many times have your phone and other devices bothered you with their notifications? Do you need to know who sends you a message every time you get a messenger notification? Pay attention to how often your work is interrupted during the day and determine if it's really important to check the notification as it arrives, and then get rid of anything that doesn't meet your standards.

2- Memorize a phrase that will keep you away from time consumers:

Decide beforehand how you will break off from time-consuming conversations that you prefer not to participate in. Memorize one or two nice phrases for this purpose because trying to improvise such phrases during the conversation will be reflected in your body language and facial expressions. I met a therapist who had a clever approach to similar situations such as, "Something urgent happened so I have to leave."

You can also prevent others from interrupting you by putting off the conversation for a later time and telling them, "It would be nice to hear from you, but I'm busy right now. Can we talk about it later?"

There are three benefits that you reap through this. The first is that it avoids interruptions and allows you to get on with what you're doing. Second, it trains your mind to politely reject distractions and keep your attention focused on the task at hand. The third is that it confirms that the conversation is really interesting to both of you because you will continue it later, and when the topic is important, the interrupting person will come back to it later although you will often see that these "urgent" conversations will disappear gradually. This can be a great way to get rid of trivial conversations.

3- Connect with other people who value their time:

Over time, a person begins to resemble those they surround themselves with, so pay special attention to people who master time management and act according to a plan. And if you're lucky enough to get a minute of their time, make sure you don't waste it. Good use of time does not mean continuous work, but rather it means that you control what you do, know with whom you will do it, and thoughtfully live your life.

Someone who had previously supervised me hung a sign above his desk that read, "If you have nothing to do, do not do it here." At the time, I thought that what he had done was polite and clever and after a quarter of a century, that phrase still leaves a deep and profound impression on me.

It's hard to be someone who effectively controls one's time at a time when relationships are shallow and sometimes messy. There are many neutral spaces, some of which are easier to distinguish than others. You must set and establish your boundaries by telling others to respect your time. You are the only one who can accomplish this essential task. Some of the world's most successful entrepreneurs are also the hardest to contact - they may be busy planning something.