Time management is “managing yourself,” which is a conscious decision where we decide what is important and then plan our time and our lives around these things. The key is to use proactive thinking. Do not wait and let time make its demands on you. Instead, put yourself in the drivers seat and decide what you will do with your time. What are my values and my goals? Where do I want to end up? What is truly important to me? What actions do I need to take to make things happen?
TIME MANAGEMENT A fair question to be asked with regard to time management will be you manage time or does time manage you? For many of us, it seems as if we are bouncing from one crisis to another How can we get ahead when we cannot even keep up? There are some things that each of us can to help ourselves manage our time more effectively The clock sounds tick, tick, tick The time is moving on Most of the students often report that inability to manage time is the biggest problem they face in college Time management is a skill few people master, but it is one that most people need Do you agree? You have so many competing demands on your time friends, movies, studying lectures, home, relationships and so on How can you come to grips with all of them? Most time management experts say that one of the first things people need to to manage their time is to determine how they spend their time now Time really is difficult to manage You cannot slow it down or speed it up or manufacture it It just “is.” Time management is “managing yourself,” which is a conscious decision where we decide what is important and then plan our time and our lives around these things The key is to use proactive thinking Do not wait and let time make its demands on you Instead, put yourself in the driver's seat and decide what you will with your time What are my values and my goals? Where I want to end up? What is truly important to me? What actions I need to take to make things happen? History of Time Management The idea of time management has been in existence for more than 100 years Unfortunately, the term "time management" creates a false impression of what a person is able to Time can neither be managed, nor controlled We can only manage ourselves and our use of time History of time management dates back to the 6th century AD with the St Benedictine Monks who "emphasized and encouraged scheduled activities at all times." The concept of time efficiency was introduced by Scottish Economist Adam Smith who developed an assembly line system for factory workers Benjamin Franklin is considered by many to be the father of modern time management He mostly emphasized on the effective use of time Franklin carried around a "little black book" wherever he went, and within it, he wrote about his thirteen virtues Each night he would reflect upon the day's activities to judge whether he had lived up to these core values These values were as follows: • • • • • • • • • • • • • Temperance Silence Order Resolution Frugality Industry Sincerity Justice Moderation Cleanliness Tranquility Chastity Humility If he thought he had not lived up to those values, Franklin would write a note concerning the event in his book Pareto's Principle or the 80/20 Rule It was developed in the 19th century The principle states that 80 percent of our unfocused effort generates only 20 percent of our end results, and that 80 percent of our results are achieved from 20 percent of the overall energy expended Many students and professionals spend the day in a frenzy of activity, but achieve very little of their desired results because they are not concentrating on the right things In the 1950s, the focus was on the manager and his organization skills Later in that decade, James McKay authored the first book on time management Stephen R Covey describes the first generation of modern time management techniques as notes and checklist reminders The second generation focused on planning and preparation through the use of calendars and appointment books The third generation was committed to "planning, prioritizing and controlling." Once again, these techniques were not working Covey describes several fallacies of third generation time management and its ideals of the following: • Planning for efficiency • Personal values' prioritization • Controlling other people Alan Lakein developed the “ABC technique.” This approach uses letters to prioritize what is truly important to the individual In labeling a task as A, B or C, the individual is actually categorizing these tasks as short-term, intermediate or long-range goals This system can be taken one step further by assigning numerical rank to each task For example, A-1 is the most important task and A-2 is secondary to A-1 The ABC technique of prioritization was limited because "A" list priorities may be confused with urgency more often than true importance Some "B" and "C" ranked priorities may actually be more important, but not as urgent Covey has developed another prioritization technique that deals with the problem of importance versus urgency In the later half of this century, time management instruments and instruction has blossomed into a sophisticated business The professional is left to a personal search for those instruments that will be the most effective and efficient for his or her lifestyle The professional who does not use time management skills may risk missing appointments and due dates of assignments No good excuses can be given for being lazy in this area, as the professional is expected to be organized, finish tasks at assigned times, and be able to use time management principles to lead others Setting goals with balance in mind, planning ahead, and working on tasks that are important but not urgent can help alleviate many crises of life that the professional may otherwise encounter Guidelines for Effective Time Management Effective time management reflects its maker's unique set of priorities and responsibilities No two people have precisely the same idea of what constitutes perfect time management The final determinant is simply whether your relationship with time is a happy one that enables you to meet your professional obligations, enjoy the company of those you love, and take good care of your most important asset your health But while there is no one-size-fits-all plan for managing time, there are basic principles that apply to a wide variety of circumstances Plan Ahead Planning is the fundamental building block of time management It is worth all the time you can put into it But it is not enough simply to create a great plan or schedule You must be able to implement it as well This means being accurate about the day-to-day realities of your work and other responsibilities, allowing for the usual interruptions, crises and delays Good planning is probably one of the most important aspects of good time management Knowing what is happening at present and what will be happening in the future will help you to plan your time more efficiently The best time management plans are holistic They encompass the whole of your life, rather than just your working hours Try scheduling in blocks of time for the following: • • • • • Family Friends Profession Exercise Special interests Doing so will give you a chance to look closely at your present ratio of work to home and leisure time, and help you restore the balance if it has been lost Under-Promise and Over-Deliver One of the smartest scheduling rules you can apply is to set due dates that are not the ones you can meet but are bearable In other words, it is a good idea to somewhat overestimate the time you think a job will take in order to the following: (1) Ensure on-time delivery, even in the face of unforeseen delays (2) Surprise and delight your boss, clients, fellow committee members and family by delivering sooner than anticipated Break Big Jobs into Manageable Chunks It is all too easy to put off jobs of huge proportions "Painting the house" is a more daunting prospect than the steps that will move you toward that goal selecting the color, buying the paint, and starting work on the back wall By breaking a big task into manageable steps, setting a timetable for doing each step, and chipping away at the project, you can accomplish almost anything and with a lot less stress than by trying to it all at once Keep Track of your Progress Every major project requires its own schedule, deadline or timetable, identifying major steps or milestones on the way to completion If you have set realistic target dates, your progress should match your plan If unforeseen developments place you behind your projected dates, you can either alert your boss or client and set a revised completion date or take steps to hasten your progress and make up the lost time Delegate and Allocate Resources When it comes to delegation, it seems there are two kinds of people those who can and those who cannot If you are one of the latter and you have all kinds of reasons for doing things yourself, you may be so firm to the idea of not delegating that it is useless to try However, if it sometimes crosses your mind that you are not quite as indispensable as you think, it is time to start delegating Start with the routine, time-consuming jobs you know someone else can Recognize that teaching someone else the ropes will take a bit of time, and allow for a reasonable learning curve The benefits to you, in terms of increased time and decreased stress, will more than repay your efforts Learn to delegate effectively and you will be more efficient at everything you It is not a matter of getting everyone else to your work It is more a matter of using resources wisely There is no point you attempting to something and wasting three hours on it when someone else could it in half hour Sometimes, we tend to waste time looking for information or trying to analyze something when someone else might already have this available Get to know your staff better, find out who does what, and what each person's strengths are Use your staff's knowledge and abilities to their highest potential Consider external resources when something needs to be done There are specialists in just about every field Chances are they have the knowledge, equipment and a better understanding of the work required This would enable you to be free to handle other more important matters Establish Parameters for Saying "No" We all know people who make their time limits very clear "Not my job," they say And some of us have reason to envy them Almost everyone ends up working late or bringing work home once in a while But if you find yourself doing it more and more often, it may be time to start saying no, and not only to others but also to yourself Working longer and longer hours upsets the balance between work and leisure that is essential to your health and well being Make and Follow a List of Priorities You not have to be a master list-maker to profit from using priority lists Some people maintain several lists at once a high-priority one of urgent or very important tasks, a medium-priority one of less urgent or moderately important tasks, and a low-priority one of tasks it would be nice to if and when there is time Other people simplify the process by making just one list of things to tomorrow at the end of each day Assess your tasks for the day and work out a priority system The tasks may include the following: • Critical tasks • Important tasks • Essential tasks • Other tasks From your list, give each task a priority Now, within each priority, give an order of importance Once you have done this, you can begin to tackle each to task them in order of importance So, even if your day ends up being chaotic, at least your critical tasks would have been done Group Tasks according to the Skills required To get the most out of your time, try to your hardest jobs those requiring maximum concentration and peak efficiency at those times of the day when your attention and energy levels are highest Also try to coordinate those times with periods in which you have fewer interruptions than usual Likewise, try to schedule your routine, low-level tasks for times of the day when you find it hard to concentrate The trick is to pinpoint your hours of peak performance and schedule your work accordingly Keep your Eyes Open for Shortcuts We are never too old to learn and incorporate new and better ways of doing things In fact, the longer you have been doing a job, the more it is to your credit to devise and explore improved techniques and streamlined procedures It is always tempting to go on doing things the old way, just because it is the way you are familiar with Finding, adapting and applying efficient new techniques to the responsibilities you carry not only saves you time, but it also cuts down on your overall workload and makes you look good in the process Reward yourself Even for small successes, celebrate achievement of goals Promise yourself a reward for completing each task, or finishing the total job Then keep your promise to yourself and indulge in your reward Doing so will help you maintain the necessary balance in life between work and play As Ann McGee-Cooper says, "If we learn to balance excellence in work with excellence in play, fun, and relaxation, our lives become happier, healthier, and a great deal more creative." Maintain a Diary Keep a diary and maintain it accurately Set deadlines for yourself on every task or job and ensure that you stick to these If you make diary entries for everything that you need to everyday, you will soon be able to gauge at a glance how busy you can expect a day to be before you commit yourself to anything extra Review your diary at the end of each day If something got missed or was not finalized, move it to a new day and allocate a new deadline Try and stick to your plan There will be times when the unforeseen circumstances happen However, with good planning, this should have minimal impact on your time Follow Up Following up on outstanding issues will ensure there is no last minute panic By ensuring that things run on track and work is progressing steadily, you will ensure that deadlines are met comfortably Leaving things to the last minute or finding out that something has not been done at the closing of a deadline is not good time management Spread the tasks over a period of time and follow up to ensure that each one is completed as per the plan If something is running behind, find out why The reason could be that the task has been allocated to the wrong person, or perhaps that problems have arisen and these were not anticipated If you continually follow up each task and deadline, then you can react to any problems encountered while there is still time Time Management Principles for Students As a student, there are some basic principles of time management that you can apply These are as follows: Identify "Best Time" for Studying Everyone has high and low periods of attention and concentration Are you a "morning person" or a "night person?" Use your power times to study while the down times for routines such as laundry etc Study Difficult Subjects First When you are fresh, you can process information more quickly and save time as a result Use Distributed Learning and Practice Study in shorter time blocks with short breaks between This keeps you from getting fatigued and "wasting time." This type of studying is efficient because while you are taking a break, the brain is still processing the information Make Sure the Surroundings are Conducive to Studying This will allow you to reduce distractions which can "waste time." If there are times in the hostel halls or your apartment when you know there will be noise and commotion, use that time for mindless tasks Make Room for Entertainment and Relaxation College is more than studying You need to have a social life Yet, you also need to have a balance in your life Make Sure you have Time to Sleep and Eat Properly Sleep is often an activity (or lack of activity) that students use as time management "bank." When you need a few extra hours for studying or socializing, you withdraw a few hours of sleep Doing this makes the time you spend studying less effective because you will need a couple hours of clock time to get an hour of productive time This is not a good way to manage yourself in relation to time Figure Out where Time is Hidden These instances may include the following: • • • • • • • Sitting in a waiting room Waiting to pick someone up Riding in the bus Stuck in traffic in the car/on your commute (listen to tapes you have made, foreign language tapes, lectures etc) Waiting in line Doing laundry Between classes Take advantage of quick breaks and hidden time in the following manner: • • • • • • Re-read directions/questions for your next paper or assignment Survey the next reading assignment Read one section of a reading assignment List the main points of what you just read, or of the lecture you just heard List today's “to do” items Write out some questions to ask in class Time management helps to avoid the following: The syndrome of having several major tasks to all in the same night, and failing to any of them Self-incarceration Do not be a prisoner to your own procrastination, inefficiency or laziness Being chronically late Are you always the last one to class? How does this impact your classroom experience? How are things different when you show up on time or early for class? Habits of Effective Time Managers Habit Be Proactive Being proactive means taking initiative, not waiting for others to act first, and being responsible for what you The opposite of proactive is reactive Reactive people tend to react to what goes on around them Proactive people’s acts are based on principles and purpose Habit Begin with the End in Mind Think things through Plan your work The carpenter's rule is "measure twice, cut once." Planning requires that you set realistic goals; not only for your courses, but also for the various assignments you have to complete Take a few minutes to write out your goals and then list the steps to achieve them You may even want to add the element of time to each task like how long will it take and when can you it Habit Put First Things First Make sure to distinguish the goals which are truly important (e.g., completion of report on industrial visit) from those that may seem urgent but are really not important (e.g., arranging the weekend's cricket game for your friends) You not want to spend an inordinate amount of time doing busywork the work that appears productive but only keeps you occupied Habit Look Ahead To this, effectively keep a calendar for each month of the semester From the syllabi of your courses and the academic bulletin, note the important dates These may be test dates, due dates of submission of important assignments, times of final exams, holidays, registration periods, course withdraw dates, and other related deadlines In filling out your calendars, note the times of the semester that will be difficult for you and begin to develop a plan to address the difficulties you anticipate Habit Manage Time and just not Track Time Many people mistake time tracking for time management They religiously keep track of everything they each day, for weeks or even months And then they stop doing it because they have not realized any positive changes But keeping track of how you spend your time is not time management Time management is about making changes to the way you spend your time For effective time management, you have to apply a time management system that will help you see where changes can and should be made Keeping track of your many daily activities is just a preliminary step to effective time management The first step of time management is to analyze how you actually spend your time so that you can determine what changes you want to make Major Time Wasters External • • • • • • • • • Telephone interruptions Meetings Visitors Socializing Lack of policies and procedures Lack of information Excessive paperwork Communication breakdown Lack of competent personnel Internal • • • • • • • • • • Procrastination Failure to delegate Unclear objectives Crisis management Failure to set priorities Attempting to too much at once Failure to plan Poor scheduling Lack of self-discipline Lack of relevant skills As already discussed in the history of effective time management, always remember the 19th century Italian Economist Vilfredo Pareto's 80/20 rule This rule states that 80 percent of all that happens at work is really the result of 20 percent effort For example, 80 percent of all telephone calls come from 20 percent of the callers, or 80 percent of meals ordered in a restaurant come from 20 percent of the items on the menu With your goals, you can be 80 percent effective by achieving 20 percent of your goals If you have a daily to-do list of 10 items, you generally can expect to be 80 percent effective by successfully completing only the two most important items on your list To be effective, you must concentrate on the most important items first Therefore, proceed through the day from the most important to the least important items Make this a daily habit Making your to-do List Principles of Scheduling Block time Reserve a block of time that cannot be interrupted and use this time to accomplish tasks that need your attention Force yourself to stay with an activity until it is completed Do not schedule all of your time Make room for unscheduled time as this will help in case of emergencies People tend to schedule the urgent but not the important Include time for planning, preparation, thinking, socializing, recreation and travel Include activities that relate to your long-term goals These may be family, personal or spiritual goals These may be important to your health or your relationship with family and non-business friends In conclusion, your ability to manage time effectively could separate you from unsuccessful business people Unless you manage your time, you will be unable to manage much else As one anonymous author said, "Time and tide wait for no none." Benefits of Effective Time Management The key benefit of effective time management is that it can drastically improve the quality of your life The following common problems can be solved with effective time management Reduce Frustration Many of the frustrating situations can be avoided with effective planning and organizing techniques When you have overcome frustration, it is a lot easier to release the full power of your creativity and productivity Get a Sense of Achievement and Peace of Mind Much of the dissatisfaction and anxiety comes from the fact that you are not sure where you are going, or you feel like you are going nowhere Effective time management includes smart goal setting techniques which help you realize where you are going and see the optimal path there Overcome the Guilt We are often burdened by subconscious guilt for those undone things we think we should be doing or should have done With effective time management, you learn to overcome procrastination and to prioritize This will keep you feeling that you did most of the most important things you possibly could That makes you much more confident and decisive in your choices, leaving much less space for guilt or dissatisfaction Balanced Lifestyle The most common time management mistake that people make is not allowing for a balanced lifestyle Remember that one's overall health and wellness requires attention to six important life areas, which are as follows: • Physical (exercise, nutrition, sleep) • Intellectual (cultural, aesthetic) • Social (intimate and social relationships) • Career (school and career goal directed work) • Emotional (expression of feelings, desires) • Spiritual (quest for meaning) Action Plan There are no time management tools that will work for everyone all of the time Yet, some of the following tips may help you in your search for tools These are as follows: Learn to say "no." When feasible, delegate Do not let paperwork pile up Ask yourself, "What is my objective or goal?" Think of your effectiveness first, your efficiency second Break a job into bite-sized pieces Do not procrastinate because it cannot all be done at once Identify your time wasters and resolve to eliminate them Add times for relaxation and recreation into your schedule Identify and make use of your personal biorhythms, or "up" time and "down" time 10 Save your sanity by realizing that it is not possible to please 100% of the people 100% of the time Effective Time Management Questionnaire Are you managing time or is time managing you? The "yes" or "no" response will help you to decide I frequently need to respond to crises or put out fires I have little time for actually planning ahead and designating priorities When I leave work "on time," I feel guilty or anxious because of what has been left undone I have trouble devoting the time and energy I would like to family and/or friends Even when I'm "off duty," I find it difficult to quit thinking about what is happening at work I often find myself caught up in busy work or trivia I not have sufficient time to devote to activities that build my professional reputation Just keeping my head above water is about all I can hope for I have trouble finding a time management system that works well for me 10 It is often the same few problems or people that take up a large chunk of my time Responding "yes" to even one or two of these statements may indicate time management difficulties Make some time now and plan ahead "No one has enough time, but everyone has all there is." 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