Toward a New Definition of Time Management

One reason entrepreneurship is special to me is that it provides a unique outlet for me to lose myself in time. Day after day, month after month for the last six years I've been able to work on my business for as long as I want and be happy. I thought this was because of the actual content of what I was doing.

However, I'm beginning to realize that the structure of how we manage our time has a very large impact on our enjoyment of it. For example, I started a new part-time position last Monday as a director/consultant for the Bank of America Youth Entrepreneurship Program in New York City. While I love this position and enjoyed myself, being paid hourly and working out of an office (while I start), resulted in me looking at the clock more often than I would have liked. The same sometimes happens to me in classess that I enjoy. However, if I'm doing something menial, but it's for my business, and I can do it from my apartment at 2am in my boxers, I may love it. Below are some things that seem to affect how one looks at one's time:

1. When it comes to how you spend your time, do you have control over where, what, when, how, and who?
   
2. Does the task lead to a result that is not only important to you, but the most important? That is not only relevant and applicable, but the most relevant and applicable?
   
3. If you are getting paid, are you getting paid an hourly wage? a salary? based on results? Do you have ownership in the company you're working for?
   
4. Does it feel good to do the activity?
   
5. Who judges the results of your activities? a boss? the markets? yourself?
   
6. Are you good at what you're doing? Are you making progress?