Time management is the process of planning and exercising conscious control of time spent on

specific activities, especially to increase effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity. It involves a

juggling act of various demands upon a person relating to work, social life, family, hobbies,
personal interests and commitments with the finiteness of time. Using time effectively gives the
person "choice" on spending/managing activities at their own time and expediency.[1] Time
management may be aided by a range of skills, tools, and techniques used to manage time
when accomplishing specific tasks, projects, and goals complying with a due date. Initially, time
management referred to just business or work activities, but eventually the term broadened to
include personal activities as well. A time management system is a designed combination of
processes, tools, techniques, and methods. Time management is usually a necessity in any
project development as it determines the project completion time and scope. It is also important
to understand that both technical and structural differences in time management exist due to
variations in cultural concepts of time.

The major themes arising from the literature on time management include the following:

Creating an environment conducive to effectiveness

Setting of priorities
The related process of reduction of time spent on non-priorities
Implementation of goals
Related concepts Edit
Time management is related to different concepts such as:

Project management: Time management can be considered to be a project management subset

and is more commonly known as project planning and project scheduling. Time management
has also been identified as one of the core functions identified in project management.[2]
Attention management relates to the management of cognitive resources, and in particular the
time that humans allocate their mind (and organize the minds of their employees) to conduct
some activities.
Organizational time management is the science of identifying, valuing and reducing time cost
wastage within organizations. It identifies, reports and financially values sustainable time,
wasted time and effective time within an organization and develops the business case to
convert wasted time into productive time through the funding of products, services, projects or
initiatives at a positive return on investment.

Cultural views of time management Edit

Differences in the way a culture views time can affect the way their time is managed. For
example, a linear time view is a way of conceiving time as flowing from one moment to the next
in a linear fashion. This linear perception of time is predominant in America along with most
Northern European countries such as, Germany, Switzerland, and England.[3] People in these
cultures tend to place a large value on productive time management, and tend to avoid
decisions or actions that would result in wasted time.[3] This linear view of time correlates to
these cultures being more “monochronic”, or preferring to do only one thing at a time. Generally
speaking, this cultural view leads to a better focus on accomplishing a singular task and hence,
more productive time management.

Another cultural time view is multi-active time view. In multi-active cultures, most people feel that
the more activities or tasks being done at once the happier they are.[3] Multi-active cultures are
“polychronic” or prefer to do multiple tasks at once. This multi-active time view is prominent in
most Southern European countries such as Spain, Portugal, and Italy.[3] In these cultures, the
people often tend to spend time on things they deem to be more important such as placing a
high importance on finishing social conversations.[3] In business environments, they often pay
little attention to how long meetings last, rather, the focus is on having high quality meetings. In
general, the cultural focus tends to be on synergy and creativity over efficiency.[4]

A final cultural time view is a cyclical time view. In cyclical cultures, time is considered neither
linear nor event related. Because days, months, years, seasons, and events happen in regular
repetitive occurrences, time is viewed as cyclical. In this view, time is not seen as wasted
because it will always come back later, hence, there is an unlimited amount of it.[3] This cyclical
time view is prevalent throughout most countries in Asia including Japan, China, and Tibet. It is
more important in cultures with cyclical concepts of time to complete tasks correctly, therefore,
most people will spend more time thinking about decisions and the impact they will have before
acting on their plans.[4] Most people in cyclical cultures tend to understand that other cultures
have different perspectives of time and are cognizant of this when acting on a global stage.

Creating an effective environment Edit

Some[which?] time-management literature stresses tasks related to the creation of an
environment conducive to "real" effectiveness. These strategies include principles such as:

"get organized" - the triage of paperwork and of tasks

"protecting one's time" by insulation, isolation and delegation
"achievement through goal-management and through goal-focus" - motivational emphasis
"recovering from bad time-habits" - recovery from underlying psychological problems, e.g.
procrastination
In addition, the timing of tackling tasks is important as tasks requiring high levels of
concentration and mental energy are often done in the beginning of the day when a person is
more refreshed. Literature[which?] also focuses on overcoming chronic psychological issues
such as procrastination.

Excessive and chronic inability to manage time effectively may result from Attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or attention deficit disorder (ADD).[5] Diagnostic criteria include a
sense of underachievement, difficulty getting organized, trouble getting started, trouble
managing many simultaneous projects, and trouble with follow-through.[6][page needed] Some
authors[which?] focus on the prefrontal cortex which is the most recently evolved part of the
brain. It controls the functions of attention span, impulse control, organization, learning from
experience and self-monitoring, among others. Some authors[quantify] argue that changing the
way the prefrontal cortex works is possible and offer a solution.[7]

Setting priorities and goals Edit

Time management strategies are often associated with the recommendation to set personal
goals. The literature stresses themes such as:

"Work in Priority Order" – set goals and prioritize

"Set gravitational goals" – that attract actions automatically[citation needed]
These goals are recorded and may be broken down into a project, an action plan, or a simple
task list. For individual tasks or for goals, an importance rating may be established, deadlines
may be set, and priorities assigned. This process results in a plan with a task list or a schedule
or calendar of activities. Authors may recommend a daily, weekly, monthly or other planning
periods associated with different scope of planning or review. This is done in various ways, as
follows.

ABCD analysis Edit

A technique that has been used in business management for a long time is the categorization of
large data into groups. These groups are often marked A, B, and C—hence the name. Activities
are ranked by these general criteria:

A – Tasks that are perceived as being urgent and important,

B – Tasks that are important but not urgent,
C – Tasks that are unimportant but urgent,
D – Tasks that are unimportant and not urgent.
Each group is then rank-ordered by priority. To further refine the prioritization, some individuals
choose to then force-rank all "B" items as either "A" or "C". ABC analysis can incorporate more
than three groups.[8]

ABC analysis is frequently combined with Pareto analysis.[citation needed]

Pareto analysis Edit

See also: Pareto analysis

This is the idea that 80% of tasks can be completed in 20% of the disposable time, and the
remaining 20% of tasks will take up 80% of the time. This principle is used to sort tasks into two
parts. According to this form of Pareto analysis it is recommended that tasks that fall into the
first category be assigned a higher priority.[clarification needed]

The 80-20-rule can also be applied to increase productivity: it is assumed that 80% of the
productivity can be achieved by doing 20% of the tasks. Similarly, 80% of results can be
attributed to 20% of activity.[9] If productivity is the aim of time management, then these tasks
should be prioritized higher.[10]
The Eisenhower Method Edit

A basic "Eisenhower box" to help evaluate urgency and importance. Items may be placed at
more precise points within each quadrant.
The "Eisenhower Method" stems from a quote attributed to Dwight D. Eisenhower: "I have two
kinds of problems, the urgent and the important. The urgent are not important, and the important
are never urgent."[11]Note that Eisenhower does not claim this insight for his own, but attributes
it to an (unnamed) "former college president."[12]

Using the Eisenhower Decision Principle, tasks are evaluated using the criteria
important/unimportant and urgent/not urgent,[13][14] and then placed in according quadrants in
an Eisenhower Matrix (also known as an "Eisenhower Box" or "Eisenhower Decision
Matrix"[15]). Tasks are then handled as follows:

Tasks in

Important/Urgent quadrant are done immediately and personally[16] e.g. crises, deadlines,
problems.[15]
Important/Not Urgent quadrant get an end date and are done personally[16] e.g. relationships,
planning, recreation.[15]
Unimportant/Urgent quadrant are delegated[16] e.g. interruptions, meetings, activities.[15]
Unimportant/Not Urgent quadrant are dropped[16] e.g. time wasters, pleasant activities,
trivia.[15]
This method is inspired by the above quote from U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Note,
however, that Eisenhower seems to say that things are never both important and urgent, or
neither: So he has two kinds of problems, the urgent and the important.

POSEC method Edit

POSEC is an acronym for "Prioritize by Organizing, Streamlining, Economizing and
Contributing". The method dictates a template which emphasizes an average individual's
immediate sense of emotional and monetary security. It suggests that by attending to one's
personal responsibilities first, an individual is better positioned to shoulder collective
responsibilities.[17]

Inherent in the acronym is a hierarchy of self-realization, which mirrors Abraham Maslow's

hierarchy of needs:

Prioritize – Your time and define your life by goals.

Organize – Things you have to accomplish regularly to be successful (family and finances).
Streamline – Things you may not like to do, but must do (work and chores).
Economize – Things you should do or may even like to do, but they're not pressingly urgent
(pastimes and socializing).
Contribute – By paying attention to the few remaining things that make a difference (social
obligations).
Elimination of non-priorities Edit
Time management also covers how to eliminate tasks that do not provide value to the individual
or organization.

According to Sandberg,[18] task lists "aren't the key to productivity [that] they're cracked up to
be". He reports an estimated "30% of listers spend more time managing their lists than [they do]
completing what's on them".

Hendrickson asserts[19] that rigid adherence to task lists can create a "tyranny of the to-do list"
that forces one to "waste time on unimportant activities".

Any form of stress is considered to be debilitative for learning and life, even if adaptability could
be acquired its effects are damaging.[20] But stress is an unavoidable part of daily life and
Reinhold Niebuhr suggests to face it, as if having "the serenity to accept the things one cannot
change and having the courage to change the things one can."

Part of setting priorities and goals is the emotion "worry," and its function is to ignore the present
to fixate on a future that never arrives, which leads to the fruitless expense of one's time and
energy. It is an unnecessary cost or a false aspect that can interfere with plans due to human
factors. The Eisenhower Method is a strategy used to compete worry and dull-imperative
tasks.[21] Worry as stress, is a reaction to a set of environmental factors; understanding this is
not a part of the person gives the person possibilities to manage them. Athletes under a coach
call this management as "putting the game face."[22]

Change is hard and daily life patterns are the most deeply ingrained habits of all. To eliminate
non-priorities in study time it is suggested to divide the tasks, capture the moments, review task
handling method, postpone unimportant tasks (understood by its current relevancy and sense of
urgency reflects wants of the person rather than importance), control life balance (rest, sleep,
leisure), and cheat leisure and non productive time (hearing audio taping of lectures, going
through presentations of lectures when in queue, etc.).[23]

Certain unnecessary factors that affect time management are habits, lack of task definition (lack
of clarity), over-protectiveness of the work, guilt of not meeting objectives and subsequent
avoidance of present tasks, defining tasks with higher expectations than their worth
(over-qualifying), focusing on matters that have an apparent positive outlook without assessing
their importance to personal needs, tasks that require support and time, sectional interests and
conflicts, etc.[24] A habituated systematic process becomes a device that the person can use
with ownership for effective time management.

Implementation of goals Edit

"To do" redirects here. For the auxiliary use of the verb "to do" in the English language, see
Do-support.
See also: shopping list

A to-do form with checkboxes tattooed into a person's arm. Some items have been written out
with a black pen.
A task list (also called a to-do list or "things-to-do") is a list of tasks to be completed, such as
chores or steps toward completing a project. It is an inventory tool which serves as an
alternative or supplement to memory.

Task lists are used in self-management, business management, project management, and
software development. It may involve more than one list.

When one of the items on a task list is accomplished, the task is checked or crossed off. The
traditional method is to write these on a piece of paper with a pen or pencil, usually on a note
pad or clip-board. Task lists can also have the form of paper or software checklists.

Writer Julie Morgenstern suggests "do's and don'ts" of time management that include:

Map out everything that is important, by making a task list.

Create "an oasis of time" for one to control.
Say "No".
Set priorities.
Don't drop everything.
Don't think a critical task will get done in one's spare time.[25]
Numerous digital equivalents are now available, including personal information management
(PIM) applications and most PDAs. There are also several web-based task list applications,
many of which are free.

Task list organization Edit

Task lists are often diarised and tiered. The simplest tiered system includes a general to-do list
(or task-holding file) to record all the tasks the person needs to accomplish, and a daily to-do list
which is created each day by transferring tasks from the general to-do list. An alternative is to
create a "not-to-do list", to avoid unnecessary tasks.[25]

Task lists are often prioritized:

A daily list of things to do, numbered in the order of their importance, and done in that order one
at a time until daily time allows, is attributed to consultant Ivy Lee (1877–1934) as the most
profitable advice received by Charles M. Schwab (1862–1939), president of the Bethlehem
Steel Corporation.[26][27][28]
An early advocate of "ABC" prioritization was Alan Lakein, in 1973. In his system "A" items were
the most important ("A-1" the most important within that group), "B" next most important, "C"
least important.[8]
A particular method of applying the ABC method[29] assigns "A" to tasks to be done within a
day, "B" a week, and "C" a month.
To prioritize a daily task list, one either records the tasks in the order of highest priority, or
assigns them a number after they are listed ("1" for highest priority, "2" for second highest
priority, etc.) which indicates in which order to execute the tasks. The latter method is generally
faster, allowing the tasks to be recorded more quickly.[25]
Another way of prioritizing compulsory tasks (group A) is to put the most unpleasant one first.
When it's done, the rest of the list feels easier. Groups B and C can benefit from the same idea,
but instead of doing the first task (which is the most unpleasant) right away, it gives motivation
to do other tasks from the list to avoid the first one.
A completely different approach which argues against prioritising altogether was put forward by
British author Mark Forster in his book "Do It Tomorrow and Other Secrets of Time
Management". This is based on the idea of operating "closed" to-do lists, instead of the
traditional "open" to-do list. He argues that the traditional never-ending to-do lists virtually
guarantees that some of your work will be left undone. This approach advocates getting all your
work done, every day, and if you are unable to achieve it helps you diagnose where you are
going wrong and what needs to change.[30]
Various writers have stressed potential difficulties with to-do lists such as the following:

Management of the list can take over from implementing it. This could be caused by
procrastination by prolonging the planning activity. This is akin to analysis paralysis. As with any
activity, there's a point of diminishing returns.
To remain flexible, a task system must allow for disaster. A company must be ready for a
disaster. Even if it is a small disaster, if no one made time for this situation, it can metastasize,
potentially causing damage to the company.[31]
To avoid getting stuck in a wasteful pattern, the task system should also include regular
(monthly, semi-annual, and annual) planning and system-evaluation sessions, to weed out
inefficiencies and ensure the user is headed in the direction he or she truly desires.[32]
If some time is not regularly spent on achieving long-range goals, the individual may get stuck in
a perpetual holding pattern on short-term plans, like staying at a particular job much longer than
originally planned.[33]
Software applications Edit
Many companies use time tracking software to track an employee's working time, billable hours
etc., e.g. law practice management software.

Many software products for time management support multiple users. They allow the person to
give tasks to other users and use the software for communication.

Task list applications may be thought of as lightweight personal information manager or project
management software.
Modern task list applications may have built-in task hierarchy (tasks are composed of subtasks
which again may contain subtasks),[34] may support multiple methods of filtering and ordering
the list of tasks, and may allow one to associate arbitrarily long notes for each task.

In contrast to the concept of allowing the person to use multiple filtering methods, at least one
software product additionally contains a mode where the software will attempt to dynamically
determine the best tasks for any given moment.[35]

Time management systems Edit

Time management systems often include a time clock or web-based application used to track
an employee's work hours. Time management systems give employers insights into their
workforce, allowing them to see, plan and manage employees' time. Doing so allows employers
to control labor costs and increase productivity. A time management system automates
processes, which eliminates paper work and tedious tasks.

GTD (Getting Things Done) Edit

Getting Things Done was created by David Allen. The basic idea behind this method is to finish
all the small tasks immediately and a big task is to be divided into smaller tasks to start
completing now. The reasoning behind this is to avoid the information overload or "brain freeze"
which is likely to occur when there are hundreds of tasks. The thrust of GTD is to encourage the
user to get their tasks and ideas out and on paper and organized as quickly as possible so
they're easy to manage and see.

Pomodoro Edit
Francesco Cirillo's "Pomodoro Technique" was originally conceived in the late 1980s and
gradually refined until it was later defined in 1992. The technique is the namesake of a
pomodoro (Italian for tomato) shaped kitchen timer initially used by Cirillo during his time at
university. The "Pomodoro" is described as the fundamental metric of time within the technique
and is traditionally defined as being 30 minutes long, consisting of 25 minutes of work and 5
minutes of break time. Cirillo also recommends a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes after every
four Pomodoros. Through experimentation involving various work groups and mentoring
activities, Cirillo determined the "ideal Pomodoro" to be 20–35 minutes long.[36]

See also Edit

Action item
African time
Attention management
Calendaring software
Chronemics
Flow (psychology)
Gantt chart
Goal setting
Interruption science
Maestro concept
Opportunity cost
Order
Polychronicity
Precommitment
Procrastination
Professional organizing
Prospective memory
Punctuality
Self-help
Time and attendance
Time perception
Time to completion
Time value of money
Work activity management
Workforce management
Workforce modeling
Book:

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Systems:

Getting Things Done

Pomodoro Technique
Psychology/neuroscience

Habit
Self-control
Impulsivity
Inhibitory control
Psychiatry

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

References Edit
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978-1-137-28926-1.
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Pant, Bhaskar (2016-05-23). "Different Cultures See Deadlines Differently". Harvard Business
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 "NIMH » Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder". www.nimh.nih.gov. Archived from the original
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Hallowell, Edward M.; Ratey, John J. (1994). Driven To Distraction: Recognizing and Coping
with Attention Deficit Disorder from Childhood Through Adulthood. Touchstone. ISBN
9780684801285. Retrieved 2013-07-30.
Amen, Daniel G. (1998). Change your brain, change your life : the breakthrough program for
conquering anxiety, depression, obsessiveness, anger, and impulsiveness (1st ed.). New York:
Times Books. ISBN 0-8129-2997-7. OCLC 38752969.
Lakein, Alan (1973). How to Get Control of Your Time and Your Life. New York: P.H. Wyden.
ISBN 0-451-13430-3.
"The 80/20 Rule And How It Can Change Your Life". Archived from the original on 2017-11-17.
Retrieved 2017-09-16.
Ferriss, Timothy. (2007). The 4-hour workweek : escape 9-5, live anywhere, and join the new
rich (1st ed.). New York: Crown Publishers. ISBN 978-0-307-35313-9. OCLC 76262350.
Dwight D. Eisenhower (August 19, 1954). Address at the Second Assembly of the World
Council of Churches. Archived from the original on 2015-04-02. Evanston, Illinois. (retrieved 31
March 2015.)
Background on the Eisenhower quote and citations to how it was picked up in media references
afterwards are detailed in: Garson O’Toole (May 9, 2014), Category Archives: Dwight D.
Eisenhower Archived 2015-04-11 at Archive.today, Quote Investigator. (retrieved 31 March
2015).
Fowler, Nina (September 5, 2012). "App of the week: Eisenhower, the to-do list to keep you on
task". Venture Village.
Drake Baer (April 10, 2014), "Dwight Eisenhower Nailed A Major Insight About Productivity"
Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine, Business Insider, (accessed 31 March 2015)
McKay; Brett; Kate (October 23, 2013). "The Eisenhower Decision Matrix: How to Distinguish
Between Urgent and Important Tasks and Make Real Progress in Your Life". A Man's Life,
Personal Development. Archived from the original on 2014-03-22. Retrieved 2014-03-22.
"The Eisenhower Method". fluent-time-management.com. Archived from the original on
2014-03-03.
"The POSEC Method Of Time Management". Time-Management-Abilities.com. Retrieved
2019-08-29.
Sandberg, Jared (2004-09-08). "To-Do Lists Can Take More Time Than Doing, But That Isn't
the Point". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 2018-04-26. Retrieved
2018-04-26. — a report on to-do lists and the people who make them and use them
Hendrickson, Elisabeth. "The Tyranny of the "To Do" List". Sticky Minds. Archived from the
original on 2007-03-27. Retrieved October 31, 2005. — an anecdotal discussion of how to-do
lists can be tyrannical
"Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original on 2017-10-03. Retrieved 2017-10-03.
Phillip Brown (2014). 26 Words That Can Change Your Life: Nurture Your Mind, Heart and Soul
to Transform Your Life and Relationships. BookB. pp. 76–. ISBN 978-0-9939006-0-0.
Richard Walsh (2008). Time Management: Proven Techniques for Making Every Minute Count.
Adams Media. pp. 232–238. ISBN 978-1-4405-0113-5.
 Richard Walsh (2008). Time Management: Proven Techniques for Making Every Minute Count.
Adams Media. pp. 161–163. ISBN 978-1-4405-0113-5.
Patrick Forsyth (2013). Successful Time Management. Kogan Page Publishers. pp. 90–93.
ISBN 978-0-7494-6723-4.
Morgenstern, Julie (2004). Time Management from the Inside Out: The Foolproof System for
Taking Control of Your Schedule—and Your Life (2nd ed.). New York: Henry Holt/Owl Books. p.
285. ISBN 0-8050-7590-9.
Mackenzie, Alec (1972). The Time Trap (3rd ed.). AMACOM - A Division of American
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LeBoeuf, Michael (1979). Working Smart. Warner Books. pp. 52–54. ISBN 0446952737.
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citations}}
"Time Scheduling and Time Management for dyslexic students". Dyslexia at College. Archived
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students on how to manage to-do lists
Forster, Mark (2006-07-20). Do It Tomorrow and Other Secrets of Time Management. Hodder
& Stoughton Religious. p. 224. ISBN 0-340-90912-9.
Horton, Thomas. New York The CEO Paradox (1992)
"Tyranny of the Urgent" essay by Charles Hummel 1967
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"ToDoList 5.9.2 - A simple but effective way to keep on top of your tasks - The Code Project -
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978-1445219943.
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ISBN 978-0-670-88906-8.
Fiore, Neil A (2006). The Now Habit: A Strategic Program for Overcoming Procrastination and
Enjoying Guilt- Free Play. New York: Penguin Group. ISBN 978-1-58542-552-5.
Le Blanc, Raymond (2008). Achieving Objectives Made Easy! Practical goal setting tools &
proven time management techniques. Maarheeze: Cranendonck Coaching. ISBN
978-90-79397-03-7.
Secunda, Al (1999). The 15 second principle : short, simple steps to achieving long-term goals.
New York: New York : Berkley Books. p. 157. ISBN 0-425-16505-1.
Introduction
Time is an important asset to an organization and its efficient usage is a key role of the
manager. Time is a non renewable resource and once it is gone, one cannot recover it.
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With this in mind, it makes sense to make the best of the available time by prioritizing and doing
the more important activities first. To effectively manage time, the manager needs to have good
time management skills. Time management is defined by DeJanasz et al. (2006, p84) as “the
ability to allocate our time and resources to accomplishing our objectives”.

Time management is undertaken to try and come up with the most efficient manner in which to
utilize the time that we have available. It is therefore a practice that is aimed at increasing
productivity and efficiency. This paper will provide an analysis of a number of theories that can
be used to help a person to better manage their time.

The Need for Time Management

Time is a finite commodity and its proper use may lead to increased productivity by a person.
Mancini (2003) declares that a person’s ability to manage their time is one of the key causes of
success or failure in a person’s life. It is therefore of great importance to properly manage time
in order to ensure higher chances of success in life.

Before one can set out to maximize on their time usage, it is necessary for the person to
document how time is spent currently. Mancini (2003) suggests that a person should first
recognize the kinds of choices that they are making with regard to time usage at the moment.
An activity log is one of the tools which can assist in discovering how time is spent.

One may assume that they are using their time in the most efficient manner and it is only after
performing a self-analysis that the person realizes that they are guilty of mismanaging time or
even wasting it.

With this realization, an individual may wish to undertake steps to better manage their time.
There are a number of theories which if properly utilized can assist people to manage their time
more efficiently. Some of these theories are articulated below.

Theories on Time Management

The Bucket of Rocks Theory
To properly manage time, one needs to know the level of importance that each activity holds.
The Bucket of Rocks theory (also referred to as the Pickle Jar Theory) offers insight into the
order in which a person should work on his activities (Mancini 2003).

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The theory proposes that you put big rocks in a bucket (this will represent the important thing)
and then you fill it up with pebbles followed by sand and then water. The smaller substances
represent increasingly unimportant tasks (Forsyth 2010).

According to this theory, we are supposed to do the important things (big stones) first and then
move on to the less important things (pebbles and sand) and finally if we have the tie, we can
do the unimportant things (water). If we begin working on the unimportant things or the less
important things first, we will not have the space to do the important things in our lives.

ABC System
Every person is on average faced with many activities which require attention. In many
instances, the time available may not be sufficient for all the activities that need to be done.

In order to use time more effectively, a person needs to prioritize on the tasks that need to be
undertaken. The ABC system developed by Alan Lakein can provide an efficient means for
prioritizing. Mancini (2003) demonstrates that using the ABC approach can facilitate an
individual’s prioritizing.

The letter assigned to a given task denotes its priority level with A being the tasks with highest
urgency, B the tasks that have low urgency but are of importance and C being tasks that are not
urgent and whose completion can be postponed. Mancini (2003) states that the tasks can be
broken down further as A1, A2, A3 etc with A1 being the most urgent and important task.

From the ABC list, one can ask themselves questions such as “I’m I putting of an A priority
because it is unpleasant?” From the ABC list, one can ask themselves questions such as “I’m I
putting of an A priority because it is unpleasant? Will I manage to achieve the C priority tasks
before they become A’s?” Such questions will result in insights being gained into how to
accomplish the most important and critical tasks first.

The Inventory System

As we undertake activities, we learn from them and are in a position to do them better
subsequently. The inventory system is a results-oriented approach that is based on the premise
that one learns the most by reviewing how they handled the day and applying these lessons to
the next day’s behavior (Forsyth 2010).

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This theory argues that a retrospective analysis of activities done represents a more behavior
changing approach to dealing with situations in life. Mancini (2003, p.162) declares that
“behavior modification is a significant time management strategy”. As such, while the inventory
system is not in itself a time-saving measure, it results in the establishment of time-saving
behavioral changes in a person.

Time Management Grid

This theory involves placing the activities that need our attention on a grid. The grid then reveals
how each activity is being categorized based on how soon it needs to be done (Harris 2008).
The grid consists of 4 quadrants and each quadrant has a different priority level.

The first grid which is quadrant one has tasks that have the highest importance and bear
urgency and therefore should be done immediately. The second grid has important activities
that are not as urgency. Harris (2008, p.22) refers to the activities in this quadrant as “quality
time” which means that while the activities are of importance to the success of a company, they
do not require to be done immediately.

The third grid consists of activities that bear urgency but are of no importance. This grid is
therefore also known as the distraction grid since the activities contained therein do not bear
much importance to helping one achieve goals. The forth grid contains activities that are neither
urgent nor important.

Goal Setting Theory

Goals assist us to properly focus and work towards achieving the things that are important to us.
The Goal-setting theory advanced by Locke can be used to effectively manage a person’s time.
This theory is based on the premise that a person will be more motivated to perform if they have
clear and specific goals and objectives. According to this theory, high performance can only
come from clear expectations (Pynes 2008, p.155).

Personal goal setting enables a person to plan and therefore live life in their own way. By setting
goals that are both challenging and achievable, a person will have a clear idea of what needs to
be done and will be motivated to work towards the set goals. A person will therefore avoid
wasting time on activities that do not assist in the fulfillment of the desirable goals.

Time Management Windows Principles

In many work environments, we are required to work with other people to achieve desired goals.
While working with people may lead to higher productivity, it can also hinder out ability to
manage our own time (Butler & Hope 2007).

This is especially so in a group setting where conflicts among or between group members can
cause decreased productivity and lead to time being wasted. Harris (2008) reveals that the
Johari Window developed by Joseph Lufh and Harry Ingham can be a good time management
tool.

The Johari window is a model of communication that can help people build trust and confidence
by facilitating open self expression as well as feedback from peers (Harris 2008, p.18). This will
eliminate potential conflict and enable the group to engage in productive work.

Pareto’s 80/20 Rule

Pareto’s principle was invented by the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto who made the
observation that 80% of the wealth in his country was owned by only 20% of the people. From
this, the 80:20 Rule which sates that we can often achieve 80% completion with 20% of the
effort was come up with.

Pareto’s principle can also be applied to prioritize on the activities to undertake. By identifying
the key 20% activities that generate 80% of the results that a person wants to achieve, one can
make sure that they prioritize these activities. From Pareto’s rule, a manager can analyze and
identify the activities that produce the 80% results that are desirable.

From this, more time can be allocated to these productive activities at the expense of the time
wasting activities. From Pareto’s principle, it is possible to free up a lot of time (up to 80%) which
can then be used for other productive activities.

Assertiveness
In order to use ones times more effectively, we need to be able to say no to additional tasks
from other people that stop us from completing out tasks. To do this, a person needs to be
assertive.

Turner (cited in Cole 2003, p.235) defines assertion as “the capacity to express our ideas,
opinions or feelings openly and directly without putting down ourselves or others”. Assertiveness
leads to a person taking responsibility for their actions (Butler & Hope 2007).

In many instances, people find it difficult to say “no” since they feel that doing this is being
uncooperative or selfish. A person will therefore say “yes” to requests that require his time and
effort. This may result in mismanagement of time since lack of assertiveness lead to
interruptions being inflicted on a person (Bedell & Lennox 1997).

Practicing Assertiveness is based on the premise that a manager’s use of time can be made
more productive if they have good personal communication skills (Cole 2003, 236). Being
assertive will assist managers to better utilize their time since they will say no to non-critical
requests that derail them from following their schedule.

Action Plan: Outcomes and Measures of Achievements

In an attempt to improve my time management, I applied these theories in my every day life. My
aim was to increase my study efficiency by creating more time. In particular, I hoped to increase
my study time by at least 25%. I began by coming up with an activity log which revealed to me
that my current study time was less than 2hours a day. From the activity log, I was able to
discover that TV and the Internet were the two activities which took up a significant amount of
my time.

In week one, I made use of the Bucket of Rocks Theory to come up with a list of the important
activities that I engage in. I used this theory together with the Time management Grid.

I began by listing down the important tasks that I engaged in (the big rocks) and then the less
important things until I got to the least important. I realized that most of the times I failed to give
due attention to the big stuff since I did not recognize them. Applying the Bucket of Rocks
Theory helped me to pay more attention to these activities and give less attention and effort to
the less important tasks.

In using the time management grid, I developed a grid and filled it with the tasks that I was
supposed to accomplish. This grid enabled me to see the tasks that were of great importance to
me. By using the Time Management Grid, I was able to identify activities which fall in the first
quadrant. This helped me to overcome procrastination since this tool enabled me to see what
things I should be focusing on at the moment.

By utilizing this, I avoided the temptation to put off important things for things that is more
enjoyable or that I was more comfortable doing.

In week two, I made use of Lakein’s ABC system to come up with a list of the activities I
undertake and give them priority levels. I came up with a list of my daily tasks and assigned
them priorities A, B or C. I then rearranged them in order from highest to lowest priority.

The ABC system greatly assisted me since I could now see what tasks needed immediate
attention. In the past, I had a habit of writing down a list of things in a random order.

This move was not beneficial since it just told me what I hadn’t done and not when I should do
them. An important observation I made while using this theory was that I no longer rushed to
beat deadlines since the system helped me to complete the important tasks before the deadline
reached. This increased my productivity since I could dedicate enough time to the important
tasks.

I also came up with a list of goals to achieve in the second week. This was by utilizing the goal
setting theory which proposes that productivity is increased when a person has well defined
goals (Pynes 2008). Previously, I went through each day without any real plan and worked to
beat deadlines. Goal setting enabled me to overcome this since I now had a clear ideal of what I
wanted to achieve on each day. I discovered that the goal helped me optimize my time since I
was motivated to beat the deadlines that I had set for myself.

In the third week, I applied the Inventory System. In so doing, I reviewed the manner in which I
had been using my time in the previous two weeks and made an analysis of the same. A major
observation that I made was that I spent too much time interacting with other people. While this
can be a positive thing, Cole (2003) states that high levels of interaction between people at work
have the potential to decrease personal effectiveness.

This is because the interactions may be prolonged or involve unnecessary meetings with
colleagues. I also made use of the Time management windows principles in my group work
activities. Johari’s Window enabled me to gain deep insights into my abilities and weaknesses.

By engaging in open and non-judgmental conversations with my class mates, I was able to see
that while my colleagues do see me as competent, there are some areas where they find me
disorganized. From this feedback, I was able to make changes and become better organized.

In week three, I made use of assertiveness. This was from a realization that I At the same time, I
spent a significant amount of time taking care of activities requested by my friends and
classmates.

By being assertive and respectfully communicating that I had other obligations, I was able to
gain up to 30 minutes each day. I then came to realize that by being assertive, my friends did
not bother me unnecessarily and only asked for my help when it was necessary.

I also made use of the inventory system to review how I had been managing my time in the
past. I then made an analysis of the common behaviors that I engaged in.

It came to my attention that I was in the habit of taking many breaks while working. While I
considered this breaks healthy since they helped me to relax and therefore return to my work
more focused, I noticed that the frequency of the breaks made them more of a liability than an
asset to me. With this analysis, I made a point to reduce my break times by half.

Harris (2008, p.134) states that the goal of time management is to “structure one’s environment
and activities to live a balanced life and to work effectively and efficiently”. By doing this, I
practiced good time management which involves habit substitution where old inefficient habits
are replaced by new effective ones. By changing my habits and taking up more productive one,
I was able to better utilize my time.

The last theory that I tested was the 80/20 rule. I anticipated that by making use of this principle,
I would be able to identify the critical activities that give me 80% of the result that I desire and
capitalize on them. I also hoped to free up a lot of time from the unnecessary activities and
channel the same to the 20% tasks.
In reality, this principle did not help me to free up as much time since I could not isolate 20% of
the tasks that result in 80% of what I desire. I therefore concluded that this theory was not
applicable to me at the time and it did not enable me to better manage my time.

Conclusion
Time management is a fundamental component of effective job performance. From my personal
analysis which ran for five weeks, I discovered that using time management theories helped me
to better manage my time.

I was able to better maximize my time and prioritize on activities which resulted in higher
productivity from me. Even so, not all the theories were applicable to me and the 80/20 rule
proved to be impractical for me to use.

An important truth that I discovered from the exercise was that effective time management is a
continuous process and one has to invest considerable effort to develop time management
skills. Even so, these efforts are worth the while since they result in self-betterment.

References
Bedell, JR & Lennox, S 1997, Handbook for Communication and Problem-solving Skills
Training: a Cognitive-behavioral Approach, John Wiley and Sons, Los Angeles.

Butler, G & Hope, T 2007, Managing Your Mind, Oxford City Press, New York.

Cole, AG 2003, Management theory and practice, Cengage Learning EMEA, Boston.

DeJanasz, S, Wood, G, Gottschalk, L, Dowd, K & Schneider, B 2006, Interpersonal Skills in

Organizations, McGraw Hill, Australia.

Forsyth, P 2010, Successful Time Management, Kogan Page Publishers, NY.

Harris, J 2008, Time Management 100 Success Secrets – The 100 Most Asked Questions on
Skills, Tips, Training, Tools and Techniques for Effective Time Management, Lulu Publishers,
LA.

Mancini, M 2003, Time Management, McGraw-Hill Professional, Canberra.

Pynes, JE 2008, Human resources management for public and nonprofit organizations: A
strategic approach, John Wiley and Sons, New Jersey.