HOW TO ORGANISE YOUR TIME

Asalamualaykum Warahmatullah,

As we approach exam season, everything begins to become hectic, whether its because of revision, assignments, family or even leisure. 

 I am a keen promotor for the importance of organisation and planning.
There are the pros and cons from this in that if you take it too far, it can become difficult to accept spontaneity or last minute turn of events that were unexpected.
However, for me, if you are successful at organisation, you can re-organise the change of plans even though there is always an element of disappointment when plans have been altered.

Regardless of this, organisation is only necessary for when you have a busy schedule with multiple events occurring during similar times, and you need to prepare yourself so that you are not struggling later on.

In this blog, I will be giving 5 tips that I find significantly important for organisation during stressful times, especially for students:

Planning:  Knowing what it is you have coming up is extremely important for creating a plan that will provide equal amounts of time for each of your events. For example, if you have a presentation, an exam and an assignment due in days or weeks from each other, and you still have time to prepare, then it is important for you to organise your time in a way that will allow.

Timetable: Personally, I am more of a mental planner where I will spend time contemplating what I need to get done the next day, and how to fit it in. However, for things like exams, I prefer to see the days in order to know how the structure is going to be. This idea can be extended to daily plans, if you are someone who likes to carry a diary and fit it in, or the planners in your phones.

Leave Space: We don't live in a perfect world, where you can plan every little thing that happens, so it is important to not fill your days too much, otherwise you wont give yourself leeway for simple things, or changes of plan. You need to always be ready for your plan to not always go through the way you wanted.

Know Yourself: This is important, especially when applying it to work. If you know that you have a deadline coming up, and you work better with time and no pressure, then start early, know what it is you need to get done, plan your days in advance so that you get an equal amount of time for a hearty break, as well as being efficient in your work.

Be Realistic: This point is linked with the previous point. If you know that you are someone who gets distracted quickly, then you need to be realistic about your time. Plan in accordance to how often you take breaks. If you are doing an assignment, and need to use the internet, but also know that you will probably end up using it for something else, then plan to do spurts of work, where you work for half an hour, then equally have a break for half an hour. Then because you know that your break is coming up, you are more than likely to be practical within the half an hour dedicated for work. This way, you wont be disappointed in yourself by setting standards that you know you wont abide by, and be happier if you do manage to complete your project before its assigned time.

So here is a few quick time organising pointers. If these make sense and offer you some sort of guideline please let me know. If you know any other things that you find important, comment that as well!
 :D 

THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE MARRIAGE

Asalamualaykum Warahmatullah, 

The hot topic of conversations lately = Marriage. 

As it is a significant part of a persons life, we might as well get down into conversation about what is really important about marriage!

We can spend hours talking about what we want to look for in a guy etc. But are we only looking forward to marriage for the kids and the relationship? 

Its surely more than that. 

In a video that I watched recently, it described looking for a partner as similar to hunting for a needle in a haystack which is risky, because we could pick up part of the hay and think its the needle, which may not be the case. 

Whether you are religious or not, surely it is important to please yourself first, and make sure we are where we want to be as people before wanting to seek out someone to be with?

As Muslims we are taught in Islam to be the best wives, with the best characters, by reading the Quran, completing our prayers, fulfilling our duties which has been instructed upon us by Allah. 

By abiding by this philosophy, it generally makes more sense when we look at it from a different perspective. 

Imagine this: when you see someone who has good character, who doesn't come across like they have a hidden agenda, who is genuine and respects themselves, who don't feel as though they need to wear clothes that shape their body or wear make-up that changes the way they look. Or if you are a woman, you would probably like a man who takes care of himself but isn't self obsessed. This is known to lead to a happier life. 

An important point to remember, is IT IS NOT ABOUT AESTHETICS. 

This wont last. Just like everything, it is temporary, at the end of the day, if you choose someone over the way they look, there will always be someone who looks better. 

We need to respect ourselves so that others can respect us. Not be used and abused. 

There are some people who only show you what they want to show you, this doesn't mean that this is the real them. This goes from looks to character. 

When you spend enough time with someone, even a friend, you begin to see aspects of them that you may not particularly like, therefore you begin to question them. This is the same for every relationship. 

You can think you know someone and feel obliged to marry them straight away, only to later complain because you found out that they are not the same person. 

This is why it is important to place value on things that we know need to be valued.

This is why introduction processes should start the way they were intended - with respect. 

Through the awareness of those who look after us such as our parents, or brother. Those who can guide us before you fall in love before you genuinely know a person. 

Moving through the process in a way that wont hurt us in the long run. 

The decisions that we make now, could potentially reflect on the type of person we marry. Are we genuinely role models for our potential children?

My mother used to tell me, that the way you are will be how your child is. If you are secretive, you wont feel its hurt until you have had your child.

Similarly, the way you treat your mother, is how your child will treat you. But we dont think of these things. 

We need to be very conscious and very careful. 

DIFFICULTY

Asalamualaykum Warahmatullah, 

Why is it that when we do bad, we are quick to repeat?

Why is it when we promise ourselves and god to never go back it only takes a few days to forget that passion that we had and repeat?

Why can we not hold onto our strength in one instance and take it to the next?

Why when faced with temptation, our faith is not strong enough to resist?

Why does it become difficult to make another promise after breaking one?

Why do we forget that Allah is all forgiving and Most Kind? 

We are ashamed of our actions but why does it make it more difficult to go back?

How does one gain motivation and consistency?

How does someone not break a promise?

How do we not fall back into temptation?

How do we fight our minds?

Why do we repent once, twice, trice, and never again?

Why can we not keep our word to ourselves and become better?

Why is it that sometimes we take two steps forward and five steps backwards?

How do we get out of this cycle?