A Guide to Understanding Time Management.
According to the Cambridge dictionary, time management is the practice of using the time that you have available in a useful and effective way, especially in your work.
Time management or time allocation is generally the process of using your available time or free time effectively, in order to achieve a set goal or task. Your available time or free time is basically when you do not have any commitments (it could be a work commitment or a personal commitment). Time management can also be referred to as time distribution, time allocation, or time-sharing.
Why is time management important?
Time management is extremely important for the following reasons:
- It helps in achieving your set goals and tasks.
Time-sharing allows you to use your available time effectively to achieve your set goals and not waste your time doing nothing.
- It keeps you more organized.
Time distribution to certain tasks is very important as it helps you stay organized. When you have set your goals and time slots allocated to them, it helps you achieve goals in an organized manner.
- It aids personal development.
When time management is incorporated into your daily routine, it ensures discipline and productivity, hence aids personal development.
Good time management skills to possess.
In order to use your time effectively to achieve your set goals, there are certain skills that you need to possess. Some of these skills are:
- The ability to allocate time to your set goals.
- Planning skills.
- Avoiding procrastination.
- The ability to prioritize.
- The ability to remain focused.
- The ability to be disciplined.
- Maximizing outcome.
The key elements of time management.
The following are the 5 key elements of time management :
- A conducive environment.
You need to ensure that the environment where you are using your time to carry out your set tasks, is conducive. The environment should be free from distractions. This environment could be a quiet room at your house or a coworking space.
- Setting priorities.
You need to set priorities when managing your time, for example categorizing your tasks according to their level of importance or urgency.
- Eliminating non-priorities.
Outsource tasks that are not of extreme importance to you, in order to have more time to focus on the more important tasks. For example, house chores and cooking can be outsourced to a house manager or if it is work-related, you could delegate the task to a junior colleague.
- Goal setting.
Setting goals is very important when it comes to time management. You need to ensure that your goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).
- Forming the right habits.
Forming the right habits towards time management will definitely aid productivity with everyday tasks.
Conclusion.
Time management is a very important concept and should be used in our everyday life to ensure productivity and attainment of set goals. A person must possess good time management skills in order to achieve their goals.
