3. Understanding Different Types of Resources
Everything we do in everyday life and in business happens through the use of different kinds of resources together. These resources enable us to complete a job, make decisions, and move forward with our goals. Getting to know the resources correctly is the first step to managing them in a more informed and balanced way!
Resources can be represented in more than one structure. Those that relate to people and express personal capacity, such as time and energy, can be divided into different groups, such as technological means or material means:
3.a. People/Human Resources
Human resources are one of the most fundamental resources in both business and everyday life.
In the business environment, this includes teammates, managers, collaborating institutions, and experts who provide external support. Each person has different skills, experience and perspective. When these differences are combined, a stronger working process emerges.
In daily life, human resources can be family members, friends, caregivers, or anyone who offers emotional and practical support. For example, getting close support to go to a health appointment or to consult on a subject is an example of using human resources in daily life.
3.b. Time
Time is one of the most basic resources we have in limited quantities.
Time in business life: deadlines are directly related to project plans, meetings, and task sequencing. In daily life, it regulates routines such as sleep, food, transportation, personal care and rest.
Time management isn't really about "doing everything at once"; it's about doing the right things in the right order. Because time cannot be brought back, and therefore how it is used is of great importance.
3.c. Energy
Energy refers to the physical and mental capacity we have to do a job.
While some days may be more focused and productive, sometimes we may feel more tired or less motivated. This is completely natural.
Energy management in business means placing complex or intense tasks in times when we are more energetic. In everyday life, processes such as resting, taking breaks and taking time for yourself help maintain energy balance.
When energy is managed correctly, more effective results can be achieved with less effort in the same time period.
3.d. Financial Resources
Financial resources are material resources that we possess or manage.
In the business environment, the project budget covers salaries, material expenses, service purchases, and operational costs. Proper planning of these resources ensures that projects progress sustainably.
Financial resources in daily life include the budget devoted to income, rent, transportation, food, health, and personal needs. Financial planning makes it easier to build a more secure and balanced life for the future.
3.e. Digital Resources
Digital resources are the tools and systems we access using technology.
In business, project management software, email systems, communication platforms, and data-sharing tools fall into this group. These tools help teams communicate faster and run things more organised.
In everyday life, phone applications, calendars, navigation systems, online banking and education platforms are examples of digital resources. These tools make everyday tasks easier and planning more accessible.
3.f. Knowledge and Skills
While knowledge refers to the theoretical and practical data we have, skill is our ability to apply this knowledge.
These resources in business life include professional experience, training, technical knowledge and problem-solving capacity. For example, a team member's knowledge of project management or ability to use technical software is an important resource.
In everyday life, skills such as cooking, budgeting, communicating, or solving a problem can be examples of this resource.
As knowledge and skills improve, the way we use other resources also becomes more effective.
3.g. Accessibility & Support
This type of resource refers to external conditions and support systems that make an individual's life easier.
Physical accessibility (e.g. appropriate building design, transportation facilities), digital accessibility (easy-to-use applications, screen readers) and social support (family, institutions, counselling services) are all parts of this field.
Accessibility in business ensures that everyone can participate equally in the process. In everyday life, it makes it easier to act independently and helps one to use their potential more easily.
To better understand all these resources, take a look at the following scenario about how we use each of the following resources in our daily life:
Karl works as an assistant at an architectural firm in the centre of Vienna. His task for today is to finish the files for a new park project by the end of the day.
Karl arrives early because he knows he has the most energy before the office becomes busy. He uses his energy resource to complete the difficult calculations and detailed drawings first. He then opens his design tablet, an important digital resource, and transfers his drawings directly to the computer.
While working, Karl is unsure about the cost and suitability of the trees. He asks his colleague Hanna, who has experience in landscape planning, for help. As a human resource, Hanna explains which trees are more suitable and shows him a useful shortcut in the drawing programme. This new knowledge resource helps Karl work more quickly.
Just before lunch, Karl receives an unexpected message from his manager. The client wants an additional shaded seating area in the design. At the same time, Karl’s tablet stops working. Instead of waiting, he uses a spare office computer and opens the latest project file from the shared online folder.
Karl checks his watch and sees that only two hours remain before the meeting. He manages his time resource by prioritising the new seating area and the cost table, leaving the cover-page formatting until the end.
During his short lunch break, Karl uses his financial resource (money) to buy an Apfelstrudel and a coffee. When he returns, the nearest lift is temporarily out of service. However, he follows the signs to another accessible lift. These physical and accessibility resources allow him to reach the office independently.
Despite the unexpected problems, Karl completes the files and delivers them on time by using his available resources effectively.
So, we can summarise the “resources” in this short scenario as follows:
| Energy | Karl uses his strongest concentration in the morning to complete the most demanding tasks first. |
|---|---|
| Digital Resources | He uses a design tablet, a spare office computer and the company’s shared online folder. |
| Human Resources | Hanna supports Karl by advising him about suitable trees and reviewing his work. |
| Knowledge & Skills | Karl learns a new shortcut in the drawing programme, which helps him work more efficiently. |
| Financial Resources | Karl uses the money in his wallet to buy lunch during his short break. |
| Time | He prioritises the urgent design changes and organises the remaining tasks before the deadline. |
| Accessibility & Support | The alternative lift and clear signs allow Karl to move around the building independently. |