T I m e m a n a g e m e n t

The Law of Control
The psychology of time management is based on a simple
principle called the Law of Control. This law says that you
feel good about yourself to the degree to which you feel you
are in control of your own life. This law also says that you feel
negative about yourself to the degree to which you feel that
you are not in control of your own life or work.
Psychologists refer to the difference between an internal
locus of control, where you feel that you are the master of
your own destiny, and an external locus of control, where you
feel that you are controlled by circumstances outside yourself.
When you have an external locus of control, you feel that
you are controlled by your boss and your bills, and by the
pressure of your work and responsibilities. You feel that you
have too much to do in too little time, and that you are not
really in charge of your time and your life. Most of what you
are doing, hour after hour, is reacting and responding to
external events.
There is a big difference between action that is self-
determined and goal-directed and reaction, which is an
immediate response to external pressure. It’s the difference
between feeling positive and in control of your life and feel-
ing negative, stressed, and pressured. To perform at your
T H E P S Y C H O L O G Y O F T I M E M A N A G E M E N T
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American Management Association / www.amanet.org

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best, you must have a strong feeling of control in the impor-
tant areas of your business and personal life.
Your Thoughts and Feelings
In psychological terms, each person has a self-concept, an
internal master program that regulates his behavior in every
important area of life. People with a high self-concept
regarding time management see themselves and think about
themselves as being well organized and productive. They are
very much in charge of their lives and their work.
Your self-concept is made up of all of your ideas, pic-
tures, images, and especially your beliefs about yourself,
especially regarding the way you manage your time. Some
people believe themselves to be extremely well organized
and efficient. Others feel continuously overwhelmed by
demands of other people and circumstances.