Honour The Time

Here is a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Honour The Time" by Jatanlal Rampuriya:

The book "Honour The Time" by Jatanlal Rampuriya emphasizes the immense value and scarcity of time, contrasting it with the boundless gifts of nature. The author argues that while nature provides us with a rich and harmonious existence, time is the one resource with which humanity is least blessed. Despite its preciousness, most people are profligate and wasteful with their time, often failing to even recognize how it slips away unutilized.

Drawing on the analogy that "Today is the only cash you have," Rampuriya asserts that today is the most crucial day of one's life, while tomorrow is an illusory promise. Therefore, the focus should be on seizing the present moment to learn from the wisdom of those who valued time as a priceless possession and learned to master it.

The core message is that time management is essentially self-management, career management, and ultimately, life management. It involves establishing a regulator in life to achieve balance in emotional, behavioral, and functional aspects. Without effective time management, individuals cannot develop their faculties or utilize their full potential.

Rampuriya refutes common excuses like "I am horribly busy" or "I did not get time," labeling them as admissions of inability and lack of competence. He highlights the common oversight of the fact that a day has 24 hours, not just the 8 spent on primary jobs. He points out that after accounting for sleep, eating, and daily routines, there are still significant spare hours, often amounting to as much or more than working hours, especially when weekends are considered.

The author addresses the need for rest and recreation, arguing that these activities should be pursued mindfully. Relaxation should not be confused with idleness. Making work itself a source of tension relief through developing fondness and interest is encouraged. Furthermore, engaging in short, active recreational pursuits like playing badminton for an hour is preferred over passive, lengthy activities like watching an entire cricket match. Similarly, playing a musical instrument or taking a brisk walk is presented as more beneficial than prolonged passive activities.

When it comes to reading newspapers and magazines, Rampuriya advises a swift approach, suggesting they be read quickly and only during brief interludes like lunch breaks or while waiting. Spending hours engrossed in them is deemed unfruitful. At social functions, the time can be productively used by engaging in discussions with experienced and learned individuals. Hospitality, too, should not involve excessive formalities that allow visitors to consume one's time unnecessarily.

The book details numerous ways in which time is wasted: excessive sleep, engaging in trivial tasks that could be delegated, unnecessary offerings to visitors, pointless gossip, playing cards, and idleness. At the workplace, time is squandered through poor dictation, waiting for files, frequent interruptions for clarifications, prolonged coffee breaks turning into gossip sessions, and disorganization leading to time spent searching for items. Indecisiveness is identified as the most painful waste of time, emphasizing the importance of the art of quick decision-making about what to do and when.

Rampuriya then outlines fundamental principles for effective time planning:

1. Punctuality: Moving in harmony with time and respecting appointments.
2. Time Budgeting: Allocating time for daily tasks and adhering strictly to the plan.
3. Realistic Planning: Avoiding overcrowded schedules to prevent tension and fatigue, allowing for breathing space between tasks and accommodating emergencies.
4. Regular Daily Work: Fostering competence and confidence, leading to increased output and time savings.
5. "One Thing at a Time": The golden rule to avoid diversion and incomplete tasks.
6. Prioritization: Focusing on urgent matters first, but also completing easy, low-time demanding tasks initially for better concentration on complex ones.
7. Long-Range Objectives: Keeping the broader picture of monthly and yearly agendas in view to engage the subconscious mind in time performance.
8. Eliminating Unessentials: Focusing on vital tasks and avoiding temptations of too many outside interests.
9. Avoiding Trifles: Not getting bogged down in excessive details or undue inquiries into minor matters.
10. Profitable Use of Spare Time: Devoting spare time to artistic, beautiful, or useful pursuits that satisfy creative urges and benefit society.
11. Self-Development Reading: Enhancing knowledge and experience through books, which act as life guides.
12. Terminating Overlong Interactions: Skillfully ending lengthy conversations, interviews, and interruptions without causing offense, and also managing self-inflicted interruptions.
13. Knowing Limitations: Having a clear understanding of one's work, limitations in resources, time, and energy to plan realistically.
14. Right Infrastructure: Ensuring proper arrangements that allow for uninterrupted concentration during work.

The book concludes with the powerful statement, "Time honours those who honour the time." This reiterates the central theme that by respecting and managing time effectively, individuals can achieve greater success, productivity, and fulfillment in all aspects of their lives.