Time management is defined as the process to plan and exercise the control of time spent on specific activities, especially to increase effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity. It is the process of organising and planning how to divide your time between specific activities. It involves an act of various demands upon a person relating to work, social life, family, hobbies, personal interests and commitments with the definiteness of time. Using time effectively gives the person to maintain and always be productive. Time Management is to allocate right time to the right activity effectively.
Good time management enables you to work smarter so that you get more work done in less time, even when time is tight and pressures are high. Failing to manage your time damages your effectiveness and causes stress.It seems that there is never enough time in the day. But, since we all get the same 24 hours, why is it that some people achieve so much more with their time than others? The answer lies in good time management.The highest achievers manage their time really well and function more effectively even when time is tight and pressures are high.Good time management requires an important shift in focus from activities to results: being busy isn’t the same as being effective.
Spending your day in an activity often achieves less, because you’re dividing your attention between so many different tasks. Good time management lets you work.
“Time management” also refers to the way you organize and plan how long you spend on specific activities.
It may seem intuitive to dedicate precious time to learning about time management, instead of using it to get on with your work, but the benefits of managing time are beyond words.
Why do we need to Manage Time
- Save time
- Reduce stress
- To increase our work output
- Have more control over job and responsibilities
- Greater productivity and efficiency.
- A better professional reputation.
- Less stress.
- Increased opportunities for advancement.
- Greater opportunities to achieve important life and career goals.
How to use time effectively?
- Plan wisely
- Set goals and objectives
- Set deadlines
- Delegate responsibilities
- Prioritize activities as per their importance
- Spending right amount of time on the right activity
- Create a life schedule
- Be flexible and realistic
- Avoid time for planning in order to avoid repetition
- Keep a journal of activities for a week to identify the times of day when you are most productive. Use that time and schedule tasks.
- Take time at the start of each day to make a plan for what you want to achieve.
- Schedule tasks according to priority and include unscheduled time in your day.
- Manage your communication availability. Keep track of email and instant messaging applications.
Failing to manage time effectively leads to below consequences
- Miss the deadlines.
- Inefficient work ethics.
- Weak work quality.
- A poor professional reputation and paused career
- High stress levels.
