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TIME MANAGEMENT
“Time and tide wait for none” is a common popular proverb known to all of us
from our childhood. Time is continuously flowing or passing like the flow of tide in the
ocean. Nobody can think of storing or stopping it for future. In telecommunication field,
all of us are provided with different resources to get our work done. Among all the
resources, time is a peculiar resource and limited. All of us have the same amount of
time to use it effectively to get success in our life either in our profession or personal.
“Time is precious than Gold” is a popular proverb. It is seen that Human Beings
are running after gold but never seen anybody running after Time. It is simply because
they never realize the value of Time till they reach the evening of their lives.
Time is equal to Life. Wasting of Time is as good as wasting of valuable Life.
Proper utilization of time is the cause of the steering in successful life.
TIME WHAT EXACTLY IT IS?
 Can time be seen, smelt, heard, tasted, or felt?
 Can the timeless flow be manipulated, changed or influenced in any way by any of
us?
 Can time be made to wait for any one?
 If nothing can be done by us with time, then, what is time management?
In fact time is not managed; we manage ourselves to execute the job in
available time successfully.
Following are some strategies for managing ourselves.
Clock or Compass!!
 Set your compass to the goal
 Steer the life to the goal
 Enjoy the process
 Enjoy the result
 That’s how we manage time!!!
 That’s how we manage life!!
 Time management is nothing but life management.
Check If –
 Do you feel timelessness for important things?
 Do you keep a diary for time management – for urgent tasks, important tasks,
appointments etc?
 Do you frequently postpone many tasks?
 Are many people easily taking away your valuable time?
 Do you keep other people waiting generally?
 Are others keeping you waiting?
 Do you find time to work, rest and play?
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 Do you feel stressed at any time due to lack of time?

TIME WASTING FACTORS

Time wasting factors can be divided into the following four major categories.
External Factors: Interruptions, unexpected visitors, unanticipated events, breakdown
of services, external delays etc.
 Organizational Factors: Organizational structure, culture, and communication
system.
 Managerial Factors: Poor delegation, incompetence of subordinates, poor filing
system, too much of unproductive paper work, lack of priorities and unclear
objectives.
 Personal Factors: Indecision, inferiority and fear complexes, impatience with
details, habit to defer tasks, stress etc.
The above list is not exhaustive, nor is the categorization rigid. Identification of
time wasters would always be with reference to one’s own function, work situation and
the personal factors.
PRINCIPLES OF TIME MANAGEMENT
To use or manage time (control) properly ask yourself the following questions.
 How I am utilizing my time?
 How I am wasting my time?
 In future how I can utilize my time in better way?
 How I am utilizing my time-
 with my co-workers?
 with my friends and known persons?
 for house?
BENEFITS OF TIME MANAGEMENT
 Control over your activities
 Balance between work, rest and play
 Be proactive
 A stitch in time saves nine
 Problem solving before they grow
 Time for self development
 Saving and having money
 Important tasks completed
 Time to listen to others / children
 Relieve pressure and stress
 On time everywhere home / office
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 Trusted and liked by others

 You will like yourself
TIME MANAGEMENT STEP
Time management step can be divided into the following four steps.
 Step 1: Determine your goals: Immediate, Short term and Long term
 Step 2: Prioritize as Urgent - or - Important: U+I, NU+I, U+NI, NU+NI
 Step 3: Prepare the schedule, adhere to it, Focus is: Compass, not merely Clock!
 Step 4: Achieve goals, Enjoy the effort, Celebrate the results

Figure 1: Pictorial Representation of Time Management Steps

Goal & Role Determination
 Clarify your value system
 Identify your deeper interests
 Identify your strengths & weaknesses I URGENT + IMPORTANT II NOT URGENT +IMPORTANT
 Determine your goals for a 3 - 5 year period
CRISIS LONG TERM GOALS
 Break the goals into annual goals PRESSING PROBLEMS PLANNING
DEADLINE DRIVEN TASK PREPARATION
 Break current year goals into quarterly goals
MEETINGS VALUE CLARIFICATION
 Now identify weekly goals for the currentILLNESSES
quarter RELATIONSHIP BUILDING
EMPOWERMENT
Clock & Compass Synchronization
III URGENT+Not IMPORTANT IV NOT URGENT + NOT
Grid I Urgent + Important INTERRUPTIONS IMPORTANT
 Crisis SOME PHONE CALLS TIME WASTERS
POPULAR ACTIVITIES ESCAPE ACTIVITIES
 Pressing problems SOME MAIL SOME PHONE CALLS
 Deadline driven task SOME REPORTS … SPAM, USELESS MAIL
EXCESSIVE TV
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 Meetings
 Illnesses
Grid II Not Urgent + Important
 Long term goals
 Planning
 Preparation
 Value clarification
 Relationship building
 Empowerment
Grid III Urgent + Not Important
 Interruptions
 Some phone calls
 Popular activities
 Some mail
 Some reports
Grid IV Not Urgent + Not Important
 Time wasters
 Escape activities
 Some phone calls
 Spam, useless mail
 Excessive TV

Table 1
Goal (& Role) Determination
LIFE CURRENT CURRENT CURRENT 3-5 YEAR
ASPECT WEEK QUARTER YEAR GOAL GOALS
GOAL
OFFICE 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2
3 3 3 3
HOME 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2
3 3 3 3
4 4 4 4
SOCIAL
HEALTH
FINANCE
TIME MANAGEMENT ON A DAILY BASIS
 Remember – time management without goal orientation –is not time
management but waste of time
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 Success:- plan properly + act as per plan

 Avoid urgency addiction
 Keep focus on the important
 Week’s plan is the real action plan
 Keep your (5 year) vision & be enthusiastic
 Balance your roles – at office, home & society
 Keep integrity in the moment of choice
 Beware of enemy within & enemy outside
 Think win-win
 Get info; give info; delegate; get feedback.
PIT FALLS TO AVOID
 Enemy Inside (Laziness, Ill-health, TV, Inefficiency, Indecision, Habits etc.)
 Enemy Outside (Interruptions, Phone Calls, TV, Popular Activities, Delayed
Transport, Inefficiency of Others etc.)
 Too Many Goals / Non-Synergetic Goals Spoiling Important Relationships
 Procrastination / To Many Tasks at a Time
 Unorganized (Clutter on Table / at Home)
 Planning More / Less than CAPABILITY
SOME TIPS FOR BETTER TIME UTILIZATION
 Start Early: Keep a few minutes margin of reaching earlier than the regular or
scheduled time so that in case of unavoidable delay you can makeup.
 Become Clock Conscious: Always keep your watch correct. Fix the start and end
times of various activities in advance.
 Avoid Interruption: While doing important work, do not allow others to interrupt
you.
 Assigning Work or Sharing Tasks Properly: Share the tasks properly with other
colleagues. Keep them informed in advance.
 Communicate Effectively- Be clear with words.
 Use Technology: Phone, fax, calculator, diary etc. - to reduce repetitive work and
for keeping data.
 Switch Task, or take breaks after some time & come back to them after such
breaks.
 Do not copy others’ “Loser Behaviour”.
 Discussion is OK & needed. But, avoid argument
 Gossip & Rumour- can wreck you, your home & your organization. Avoid it. It is
also a time waster.
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 Ensure Time for Play- with your spouse, with children, with parents, with friends
etc.
 Plan Day’s Work: Plan timings and sequence of various activities. Keep a list of
tasks to be done, with priority. Your plan is a guide. It need not be RIGID. Review it.
 Tighten Your Own Schedule: Keep a good habit of doing all works at right time.
Personal works may also be scheduled like, eating, going to bed, getting up etc.
 Avoid Unproductive Activities: If you know that an activity is not going to give a
useful result, better avoid it.
 Practice self-discipline: Discipline cannot be imposed from outside by others. It
comes from within. Auto-suggest yourself to be disciplined. Discipline is not only
following the rules and regulations of the office and society but also believing that
they are necessary for you.
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Table 2
Effective Time Utilization
Sl. No. Activities Aggregate Time
1. Sleep 28 years
2. Study and Education 10 years
3. Recreations/Hobby/Holidays 8 years
4. Illness and Rest 6 years
5. Travelling and Commuting 5 years
6. Eating 4 years
7. Getting ready (Transit time) 3 years
8. Effective time 8 years
Total 72 years
A Timely Call!
 We see that only 8 years time is generally used for effective work in the total life
span of 72 years.
 Can we use at least this 8 years really effectively and purposefully to achieve our
Life’s goals?
 Time Management is simply Life Management. Great and Successful People were
good Time Managers.
SOME EXAMPLES OF LACK OF PUNCTUALITY
Example No. 1 Cash Counter:
The cash counter clerk is supposed to sit at about 10 a.m. and he has not
turned up till 10:45 a.m..
The subscriber standing in a queue will get impatient; have disputes, shouting
at the counter. This directly diminishes the image and creates a sense of dissatisfaction.
Example No. 2 At SDO (P) / JTO (O/D) Office:
If the Dealing Assistants are not coming on duty in time, then subscriber has to
unnecessary wait and this creates grievances to the subscriber.
Example No. 3 Unmanning at Customer Services Centre:
It is very much important that the customer service centre should be properly
manned during the office hours. Any lack of punctuality by Dealing Assistant will create
the problem to the customers.
CONCLUSION
To have more effective control of time, one must have self-control first. If the
aim is management, it must be self-management first. Besides the task of acquiring the
ability to organize a day’s work, all else is likely to become a child’s play.
Consider and treat Time as your best companion, which is omnipotent.
Remember to keep pace with time. With its noiseless foot, it will walk past you and like
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the on-going fast current you will never be able to put your foot in the same water
again.