Time management.
Noticing the importance of time and time management in the individual Managing the process
by time perception
Noticing time obstructers, improving coping-with methods
Learning time management techniques
Improving personal time management
Carrying into action by effective and productive planning
1. What is “Time Management?
Time management refers to a range of skills, tools, and techniques used to manage time when
accomplishing specific tasks, projects and goals.
“Time management” refers to the way that you organize and plan how long you spend on
specific activities.
It may seem counter-intuitive to dedicate precious time to learning about time management,
instead of using it to get on with your work, but the benefits are enormous:
Greater productivity and efficiency.
A better professional reputation.
Less stress.
Increased opportunities for advancement.
Greater opportunities to achieve important life and career goals.
Failing to manage your time effectively can have some very undesirable consequences:
Missed deadlines.
Inefficient work flow.
Poor work quality.
A poor professional reputation and a stalled career.
Higher stress levels.
Ten Common Time Management Mistakes; Avoiding Common Pitfalls
1. Mistake #1Failing to Keep a To-Do List
Do you ever have that nagging feeling that you've forgotten to do an important piece of work? If
so, you probably don't use a To-Do List to keep on top of things. (Or, if you do, you might not be
using it effectively) The trick with using To-Do Lists effectively lies in prioritizing the tasks on
your list. Many people use an A – F coding system (A for high priority items, F for very low
priorities). Alternatively, you can simplify this by using A through D, or by using numbers.
2. Mistake #2. Not Setting Personal Goals
Do you know where you'd like to be in six months? What about this time next year, or even 10
years from now? If not, it's time to set some personal goals! Personal goal setting is essential to
managing your time well, because goals give you a destination and vision to work towards.
When you know where you want to go, you can manage your priorities, time, and resources to
get there
3. Mistake #3. Not Prioritizing
Sometimes, it's hard to know how to prioritize, especially when you're facing a flood of
seemingly-urgent tasks. However, it's essential to learn how to prioritize tasks effectively if you
want to manage your time better.
4. Mistake #4. Failing to Manage Distractions
Do you know that some of us can lose as much as two hours a day to distractions? Think how
much you could get done if you had that time back. Whether they come from emails, IM chats,
colleagues in a crisis, or phone calls from clients, distractions prevent us from achieving flow ,
which is the satisfying and seemingly effortless work that we do when we're 100 percent
engaged in a task.
If you want to gain control of your day and do your best work, it's vital to know how to minimize
distractions and manage interruptions effectively. For instance, turn off your IM chat when you
need to focus, and let people know if they're distracting you too often. You should also learn how
to improve your concentration, even when you're faced with distractions
5. Mistake #5. Procrastination
Procrastination occurs when you put off tasks that you should be focusing on right now.
You might also find it helpful to use Action Plans. These help you break large projects down into
manageable steps, so that it's easy to see everything that you need to get done, and so that you
can complete small chunks at a time.
6. Mistake #6. Taking on too much
Are you a person who has a hard time saying "no" to people? If so, you probably have far too
many projects and commitments on your plate. This can lead to poor performance, stress, and
low morale
You might be a micromanager: someone who insists on controlling or doing all of the work
themselves, because they can't trust anyone else to do it correctly. (This can be a problem for
everyone – not just managers) Either way, taking on too much is a poor use of your time, or it
can get you a reputation for producing rushed, sloppy work.
7. Mistake #7. Thriving on "Busy"
Some people get a rush from being busy. The narrowly-met deadlines, the endless emails, the
piles of files needing attention on the desk, the frantic race to the meeting... What an adrenaline
buzz.
The problem is that an "addiction to busyness" rarely means that you're effective, and it can lead
to stress.
8. Mistake #8. Multitasking
So, the best thing is to forget about multitasking, and, instead, focus on one task at a time. That
way, you'll produce higher quality work.
9. Mistake #9. Not Taking Breaks
If it's hard for you to stop working, then schedule breaks for yourself, or set an alarm as a
reminder.
Go for a quick walk, grab a cup of coffee, or just sit and meditate at your desk. It's impossible
for anyone to focus and produce really high-quality work without giving their brains some time
to rest and recharge.
So, don't dismiss breaks as "wasting time." They provide valuable down-time, which will enable
you to think creatively and work effectively.
Try to take a five minute break every hour or two.
10. Mistake #10. Ineffectively Scheduling Tasks
Are you a morning person? Or do you find your energy picking up once the sun begins to
set in the evening?
You can make best use of your time by scheduling high-value work during your peak
time, and low-energy work (like returning phone calls and checking email), during your
"down" time.
–
Time Matrix Q1 : Tasks: Urgent and important
Important deadlines
Last minute preparations
Important meetings
Emergencies/crises
Time Matrix – Q2: Tasks: Non-urgent but important
Personal developing
Training
Relationship building
Health/exercise
Prevention planning
Time Matrix – Q3: Tasks: Not important but urgent
Some emails/phone calls
Some meetings
Many interruptions
Some popular activities
Time Matrix – Q4: Tasks: Not important and non-urgent
o Trivia, excess TV
o Some phone calls
o Time wasters
Time management Strategies
There are many different techniques and ideas you can employ to manage your time effectively.
We have suggested some possible time management techniques below to help you work smarter
rather than harder.
1. Set goals
Always define your objectives as clearly as possible. Decide what it is you want to achieve in the
long term and be prepared to stick to this wherever possible and be flexible wherever necessary.
2. Have a plan
Sounds obvious, but you can't achieve your goals without a plan. Plan your yearly, monthly and
weekly activities and establish priorities. Constantly monitor and re-evaluate your plans against
progress to ensure you stay on track.
3. Analyze your time
Make sure your use of time is efficient and effective. Eliminate time wasters and focus on
important tasks. Stop reacting to tasks which appear urgent but carry no importance towards
achieving your goals.
4. Delegate
Accept that you can't do everything, and that other people can be trusted. When you do delegate,
explain the task and the result required thoroughly, and then let them get on with it.
5. Communicate efficiently
Be ruthlessly efficient in your handling of letters and phone calls. Handle correspondence and
calls only once; deal with them there and then if possible, don't put them aside to come back to
later. Screen calls with an answering machine or PA and set a time limit for telephone
conversations. Offer to call back if more time is required.
Goal scoring more than 70% of the exit exam
How many months left to study?
How much free time (in hours you have to study?
How long time you allocated to study?
General time schedule
No course With whom Time range Allotted Resources Share of items
time in %
study
1 Climate Goe Alone 3%
2 Alemu. 3%
4 2.5%
4 2%
5 1.8%
6 1.5.%
7 1.2%
8 1%
Specific time schedule (daily)
Day-Monday
Date ___________
Course title _____________________________________________________
Time range List of daily activities Remark
Morning
After noon
Night
Include lunch, dinner, break, classroom teaching, and homework’s ……study time appropriately
