Time Management Strategies - Essay Example

Time Management Strategies Time Management Time is one of the most precious resources and at the same time one of the most wasted resources available to mankind. The present age demands utilization of each and every second so as to achieve individual goals and objectives. Hence time needs to be properly managed. Time management strategies greatly influence the process of achieving individual goals and objectives. There are several ways in which time can be managed. However the most important requisite is to understand the fact that time management is nothing but a myth.

Time can also be managed by identifying where time is wasted, by creating goals, by implementing plans and by prioritizing the objectives accordingly. Each of these strategies of managing time is described below. Time management - Realizing the myth “We all have 24 hours’’ goes a saying, and perhaps best epitomizes the myth that the concept “time management’’ is. One need to understand that there are 365 days in a year, seven days in a week and 24 hours in each of these days are available to everyone.

Nobody can change these facts. As a result no one can increase or decrease the total time in a day. The only thing that an individual can do is to manage him/her schedule accordingly. Individuals need to manage their works considering the fact that they would get only 24 hours per day. Identifying those areas where time is wasted Accepting the fact that time cannot be changed, people need to first identify those areas that kill their valuable time. They need to specifically minimize if not avoid those areas.

For example some people waste their time in making unnecessary phone calls; some spend too much time in surfing internet. Each and every one of us wastes time in doing something which goes beyond the realm of priority. Individuals need to find out these activities on their own. Others cannot help them in this process. Once these activities are identified a new schedule of activities need to be prepared. Each and every task that needs to be performed in a particular day has to be recorded. A diary needs to be maintained to keep a record of all the activities that would be performed in a particular day.

Creating Goals An important thing that needs to be remembered is that, the main objective of time management is to change the behavior of an individual rather than to change the time. One of the best ways to start is to eliminate all the personal time wasters. This can be done by setting personal goals and achieving them. For example an individual can decide that he/she would not surf internet for more than one hour in a day. He should try to stick to the new schedule at a stretch for a week at least.

Proper planning needs to be done. Each and every task should be taken into this plan. Implementing plan The best way to implement a plan is to work according to the plan. Under no circumstances this plan can be violated. People should try this strategy for at least one week and observe their progress. It is expected that initially there will certain breaks and upsets. However it needs to be made sure that this violation occurs at the minimum level. Extent of violation of plan should be made to decrease with the passage of time.

If it is found to be effective after one week then the strategy can be followed for a month. Prioritization of tasks One of the most effective ways of managing time is to make a list of daily activities on the basis of their priorities. This list would be different for different persons as different people give priority to different work. For example a freelance writer is expected to give more priority to net surfing than anything else, where as a bank employee would prioritize watching business news channel than net surfing.

Once the list is prepared, each and every task needs to be performed according to their priorities. This strategy can be followed for at least a week. If it is found that the strategy can effectively manage time, then it can be followed for a month. It can be taken into confidence that each and every strategy discussed till now is found to be effective in reality. However selection of time management depends on the person’s present attitude, behavior, ability to cope up with changes etc. Application I personally have applied some of these strategies to manage my own time more effectively.

I have mainly applied them to achieve my academic goals. Mainly I have tried the prioritizing strategy. Initially I found it very difficult to work according to a pre-defined plan as it requires certain amount of patience and adaptability. After few days I found that my time management skills have improved. I have achieved most of my objectives. This endeavor also made me realize that though time flies, it’s the individual who is its navigator.