Information from

Time Effectiveness
Human
Environmental
Sciences
Prioritizing
Extension Ä
Ä
Your Time
Ä
Carole G. Prather, Consumer and Family Economics Specialist

&
ime is a unique resource in that

T everyone is given an equal

amount — a gift of 24 hours each
day. How you invest that gift is a major
CHALLENGES
CHOICES
Defining priorities
List five aspects of your life that
are meaningful to you —These are
your basic priorities.
factor in how you feel about your life.
1.
Think of time as one of the tools that tive with your time means you are
you have available to reach your goals. investing your time on the most impor- 2.
As with many tools, if you want to use tant tasks. Efficiency implies that you
time effectively, it may require some are able to accomplish a great quantity 3.
training (or retraining), determination of work. You evaluate efficiency by how
4.
and practice. much you have gotten done. Effective-
Even though the term “time manage- ness, on the other hand, implies that 5.
ment” is used a great deal, there really you know how to set priorities and are
is no such thing as time management. able to focus your efforts on what really effective use of your time. Your basic
Using time effectively is actually a mat- needs your attention. You evaluate your priorities provide a means for making
ter of your own personal management. effectiveness by whether what you got time choices, helping you decide where
Time goes by at the same rate no done was what really needed doing. it is important to invest yourself and
matter what you do. You can’t speed it where you can let go.
up or slow it down. Unlike the other Learning to set priorities On a daily basis you also have to
resources that you manage, there is no Setting priorities is a matter of learn to set task priorities. Prioritizing
way to control time. deciding what is really important. In tasks includes two steps:
The best you can do is take charge this case “important” means important 1. Determining what needs to be done
of yourself in the framework of time, to you. What activities and roles give 2. Deciding on the order in which to do
investing yourself in those things that your life meaning? These are the parts the tasks
matter most in your life. of your life where you most want to How do you decide what work
succeed. needs to be done? For the most part, it
Efficiency or effectiveness Everything in your life cannot be a relates back to your basic priorities. To
Do not confuse efficiency with effec- priority. Lots of important things will be effective in your time use, you have
tiveness when it comes to developing compete for attention over your lifetime, to weed out the work that does not fit
your time use skills. Efficiency relates but there are not enough hours in any- with your basic priorities.
to doing a job right in as little time and one’s lifetime to give attention to every- Learn to say “no” to tasks that look
with as little effort as possible. Effec- thing that is good and worthwhile. interesting and may even provide a
tiveness, on the other hand, relates to Deciding on your basic priorities is a strong sense of achievement but do not
doing the “right” job right. Being effec- key exercise in moving toward more fit with your basic priorities.

University of Missouri-Columbia GH 6653 ©

 You also have to be able to sepa- some time in yourself is like refilling ■ Standard shifting is adjusting
rate out the tasks that need doing from the ice trays — there will be something your standards as circumstances
the busywork that tends to eat away at there the next time you need it. change. Your standards are what you
your time. Many tasks that fill your day use to judge whether something is
may not really need doing at all or Critical skills for good enough, clean enough, pretty
could be done less frequently. effective time use enough, done well enough.
Take note of the difference between Certain skills help in using time Perfectionists have very high, rigid
tasks you need to do and those you effectively. Most of these skills are standards, and they have trouble
want to do. Deciding the order in which mental. While it is not necessary to adjusting to the changing demands or
to do tasks means you start with the develop all of the skills, each makes a circumstances of their life. Develop the
“needs” list first and then move to the contribution to your ability to direct ability to shift standards so you can be
“wants” list. time usage. satisfied with less than perfect when
Task prioritizing means working on ■ Time sense is the skill of esti- your time demands are high, instead of
the most important tasks first no matter mating how long a task will take to feeling as if you are somehow falling
how tempted your are to get a lot of accomplish. A good sense of time will short.
less essential tasks out of the way. help you be more realistic in planning ■ Time planning is outlining
your activities. It helps prevent the ahead of time the work you need to
frustration of never having quite get done in a specific time frame.
Set yourself as a priority enough time to accomplish tasks. Sometimes time planning is as simple
You need to be one of the priorities To increase your time sense, begin as writing out a “To Do” list to ease
you set for yourself. This can feel by making mental notes of how long it your mind from holding on to too much
unnatural for many women who are actually takes to do certain routine detail.
used to thinking of the needs of oth- tasks like getting ready in the morning, At particularly stressful times the
ers. Think of meeting your own per- running a load of laundry or delivering “To Do” list may expand to include a
sonal needs as taking care of a your child across town to baseball more specific calendar of when tasks
valuable piece of equipment. practice. will be done. While a detailed time
You need routine maintenance — ■ Goal setting is the skill of decid- schedule can be too confining to use
the care and attention you often direct ing where you want to be at the end of all of the time, it is a good way to take
at others also needs to be directed a specific time period. Goal setting the pressure off at exceptionally
toward yourself. Think of taking time gives direction to your morning, your demanding times.
for yourself as comparable to chang- day, your week and your lifetime. The ■ Recognizing procrastination is
ing the oil in an automobile. Over the exercise on deciding your lifetime pri- a skill in itself because procrastinators
long haul it is an important invest- orities is a form of goal setting. Learn can do an incredible job of hiding their
ment. to write down your goals. procrastination from themselves. Pro-
Insisting on time to relax and pur- If you are like most people, goals crastination is needlessly postponing
sue some of your own, personal inter- are just wishes until you write them decisions or actions.
ests is not selfish. Rather it is like down. Keep your goals specific, as in You might disguise the procrastina-
changing the filters on your furnace. It “weed the flower beds in front of the tion response with an excuse like wait-
will keep you operating more effec- house” rather than “work on the yard.” ing for inspiration, or needing a large
tively in the other areas of your life. Keep your goals realistic or you will block of time to concentrate with your
One of the resources you bring to your continually be frustrated by a sense of full attention, or needing more infor-
life is attitude. failure. mation before tackling a project
The right attitude can make any It takes skill to differentiate
task much easier, any problem more between procrastination excuses and
solvable. It is difficult to have a positive legitimate reasons for delaying a deci-
attitude when you never seem to have sion or action. Without the ability to
time to do things you enjoy. Investing recognize when you are procrastinat-
ing there is little chance of overcoming
this immobilizing habit.

2 Human Environmental Sciences Extension

The dynamic dozen important things that will get done selecting goods and services that save
Strategies for because you used that two letter word you from investing time. Paying some-
effective time use to decline something which was not a one to mow your yard or transport your
Each of these methods can assist part of your priorities. Looking at your children to baseball practice are exam-
you in getting closer to your goal of past week, what are some things you ples of purchasing time. What are
becoming more effective with your should have said “no” to? some of the other ways you can or do
time: buy some time?
Assume ownership of your
1 time. Most people would be sur- Protect your blocks. Think of Learn to work with your bio-
prised if someone reached in their wal- 4 your day as several large blocks 7 logical clock. Each individual
let without asking and helped of time (the morning block, afternoon has a peak time of day when their
themselves to the money found there. block, after-dinner block) with the energy is at its highest and concentra-
But how different is that from letting oth- blocks separated by natural interrup- tion at its best. Determine which time
ers help themselves to your time? Take tions. Where you have control, keep of day is your peak performance time
ownership of your own time and do not your blocks whole, scheduling appoint- and plan your work accordingly. Keep
allow others to make commitments of ments and meetings, running errands meetings and routine tasks for other
your time without your permission. at the beginning or end of a block parts of the day when you have the
It is not selfish to keep others from rather than in the middle. Having an choice. What part of the day is best for
squandering your time. Give your time appointment in the middle of a block you to do a task which takes real con-
freely when you want but don’t make leaves little time at either end to tackle centration?
the mistake of undervaluing this a major piece of work. Keeping your
resource, or feeling guilty when you do blocks of time as large as possible Develop systems to keep
not allow others to waste it. Think of a gives you a sense of having more 8 things running smoothly at
time recently when someone wasted available time. home. Busy individuals often keep
your time. How could you have han- personal calendars. In a family setting,
dled the situation better? Delegate. There’s that “D” a master calendar is also useful.
5 word. Delegating means assign- Make each family member responsible
Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize. ing the responsibility for a task (not just for noting their time commitments on
2 Continually check yourself to the work) to someone else. That the calendar and consulting the calen-
see that you are working on the most means you no longer have to do the dar for potential conflicts when they
important things that need doing on job, nor do you have to remind some- make plans.
any specific day. Helping your child one else to do it. Being able to dele- After you have established the mas-
talk through a problem he/she is hav- gate some tasks is a way of freeing up ter calendar and have family members
ing or discussing the day’s events with some of your time for the jobs that only used to using it, work on a master bul-
a spouse or friend may be more impor- you can do. letin board for posting reminders,
tant than getting the dishes done or a You may have to use your standard announcements, and calling lists that
load of laundry completed. shifting skill when you delegate. As each family member might need.
Don’t think of priorities only as jobs someone else learns to do a task, do Tack up not only a list of emergency
that need doing. As you remind your- not be tempted to take over if they are numbers but also frequently used num-
self to direct yourself to the most not doing it quite right. You have to bers such as your kids’ friends, the
important tasks first, you will find your- learn that “done” may be “good favorite pizza delivery service and the
self letting go of tasks that really did enough.” school attendance office. Then move
not need doing after all. on to establishing a central communi-
Think in terms of buying time. cation center.
Learn to say “No.” It is not 6 There is an intimate relationship Family members should have one
3 that saying the word is so diffi- between time and money, where one place where they post messages for
cult. It is more the feeling of guilt that can often be substituted for the other. other family members and where they
many women experience as soon as The more hectic your schedule, the check for messages whenever they get
they use the word. Try focusing on the more reasonable it is to buy time by home.

University of Missouri-Columbia 3
 Set up a simple filing system. Work on overcoming procras-
9 At home and at work you need a 11 tination. Once you recognize For further reading on the subject of
filing system so that you can find that you are procrastinating, the next time use look for these titles at your
important papers when you need them. step is to begin overcoming this time- local library:
Trying to locate important papers can wasting habit. And procrastination is a Covey, S., Merrill, A.R., and Merrill,
be a real time waster. Keep your sys- habit, a habitual way of dealing with R.R. (1994). First Things First.
tem simple using broad categories. tasks you find distasteful or that make New York: Simon and Schuster.
For example, one file titled “Automo- you fearful of failure. Lague, L. (1995). The Working Mom’s
biles” can house everything from the When you see that you are procras- Book of Hints, Tips, and Everyday
bill of sale to receipts for auto repairs. tinating, make an appointment with Wisdom. Princeton: Peterson’s.
A simple system will make filing go yourself to take the first step toward Winston, S. (1995). Best Organizing
faster and there will be less temptation completing the task. Determine exactly Tips. New York: W.W. Norton and
to put filing off. what that first step will be and then set Co..
a specific time in the near future to
Break down large jobs into begin the work.
10 manageable pieces. One of the References
sources of procrastination is that some Reward yourself. Celebrate Covey, S., Merrill, A.R., and Merrill,
tasks can seem too overwhelming to 12 when a major task is completed R.R. (1994). First Things First.
even begin. Learn to break down a or a major challenge is met. One of the New York: Simon and Schuster.
large task into manageable pieces and problems with a hectic life is that you Ellis, A. (February 15, 1995). How to
then begin with a piece you know you can be so busy that you fail to notice overcome procrastination. Bottom
can handle. the completion of a major piece of Line Personal, p.9.
The most challenging step on major work. You just move on to the next job Erkel, R.T. (January/February, 1995).
undertakings is often the first one. without celebrating your previous suc- Time shifting. Networker, pp. 33-
Besides you will have a greater sense cess. This failure leads to focusing on 39.
of satisfaction as you complete each what is still left undone instead of Lakein, A. (1973). How to Get Control
individual portion of the task and this enjoying what has already been of Your Time and Your Life. New
can keep you motivated to the end. accomplished. York: Peter H. Wyden Inc.
Think of a major task you have ahead Set up a reward system for yourself Walker, D. (1988). Making the Most of
of you. How could you break it down that serves as both a motivator to get Your Time. Kansas Cooperative
into manageable pieces? certain difficult tasks done and an Extension Service Publication C-
acknowledgment that you are making 964.
effective use of your time. Be it a bub- Winston, S. (1978). Getting Orga-
ble bath, two chapters in your new nized. New York: W.W. Norton and
book, or a phone call to a friend, Co.
acknowledge your accomplishment by
rewarding yourself.

■ Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the
University United States Department of Agriculture. Ronald J. Turner, Interim Director, Cooperative Extension, University of
Missouri and Lincoln University, Columbia, MO 65211. ■ If you have special needs as addressed by the
Extension
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