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Personal Time Management: Develop Time Management Skills

Stokes, Rosemary T.

Department of Education, North Central University

EDU-5000 V4: Foundation for Graduate Study in Education

Dr. Lisa St. Louis

October 7, 2020
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Personal Time Management : Develop Time Management Skills

In this assignment, I discuss, and provide examples on how best to maximize time to

accomplish current and future goals. When starting new tasks such as working on a professional

degree it became necessary to make sacrifices not previously considered. Initially, I wanted to

keep secret my plan to work on a second master’s degree, but soon realized I had to inform my

family, friends, professional associates, and significant other; there won’t be a lot of time for

leisure activities. My immediate goal is not to become overwhelmed or to disappoint, but to

learn to devise and execute a plan that will limit or eliminate activities that are useless or routine.

It has now become necessary to prioritize personal, family, and community time. Making and

receiving phone calls can be as time consuming as being with people.

The purpose of the exercise and review; is to examine how I define personal time, how

scholars define time management, and inspire strategies to incorporate the two. The use of new

concepts will guide me to create change; replace old habits, schedule improved habits, and

develop an action plans to accomplish all that I learn. Saving time will produce a high value

result now and in the future.

“In order to say yes to your priorities, you have to say no to something else.” (“author

unknown” taken from the book, “Time Management in 20 Minutes A Day.” Holly Risen Hanna)

In other words, the research is intended to show how to grow personally and professionally.

It is recommended by experts like Brian Tracy from his book, “Time Management” to take thirty

minutes or more each day to dream, think, plan, take action, and review all you have done during

the day.
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When working as a “Support Coordinator” with the agency called “Professional Case

Management Services of America” for example, we presented the “SMART ” method to

formulate individualized service plans for their consumers. The technique was designed to help

staff identify and implement goals for individuals with developmental disabilities. This method

was mandated by the State of GA. Agency social workers reported they hated writing goals

because they were so hard to fit clients who could not think or speak clearly. The work in real

time, was being done by the non-professionals. They got it. Professional staff admitted they

failed to prepare in advance. In this example; the Support Coordinator, scheduled goal planning

and service plan reviews two weeks to a year in advance and the time limit for each session. We

provided printed material to assist with goal setting and service plan writing.

The ‘SMART’ approach is said to have first appeared in an article written by George T.

Doran in the November 1981 issue of “Management Review.” The Smart goal setting method

requires you to think clearly about what things you are planning to do, how much time it will

take to do them, what steps you will use to accomplish your tasks, how important/achievable

they are, and what period of time in the future it will take to arrive at them. You may have a

flight of ideas, none of which matter unless you think clearly, write your ideas on paper and seek

help from those with scholarly expertise in the field.

I favor the writing of author, Brian Tracy, who wrote, “Time Management.” “When you are

clear about where you want to be some time in the future, it is much easier for you to make better

decisions in the present. The rule is that long-term vision improves short-term decision

making.” He ends his comment with the saying, “If you don’t know where you’re going, any

road will get you there. (see Tracy et al., for more information)
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Conclusion:

As a result of my research and reading, the following concepts are ones I intend to embrace. I

must make a commitment to activate these steps to focus on what is most important for my life

and career: Steps will change over time.

1. I will identify my tasks and assignments by writing them out daily. (New appointments,

scheduled meetings, and obligations in a planner, notebook, or calendar app)

2. I will simplify my tasks by scripting these items the night before. I will decide what is

routine, urgent and what can wait. I will avoid multitasking. I will attend to tasks

earlier, by minutes hours or days. Two lists may be needed. One list will address things,

I am no longer willing to spend time on. I will look at my list at the end of each day.

3. To decrease distractions, and avoid procrastination, I will set up a study time self -

monitoring chart and review it daily. Working in intervals, setting a timer, taking short

breaks, will help to manage time.

No matter how effectively designed your tools are, they could also fail. You must think

realistically about your time by understanding there are limits. In addition to your tools, you

must apply adjustments for interruptions or a change in priorities. Of the three skills,

“Awareness, Arrangement, and Adaptation,” the benefits must supersede the cost. (Eric C.

Dierdoff, Jan, 2020.) Create a contingency plan to stay focused and go for it.
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References

Tracy, Brian (2013) “Time Management: The Brian Tracy Success Library, Amacon

Publications. American Management Association (2014), http://www.amaconbooks.org

Hanna, Holly Reisem (2019) “Time Management in 20 Minutes A Day” Althea Publishing.

Callisto Media Inc., Simple Strategies to Increase Productivity, Enhance Creativity, and Make

Your Time Your Own, http://www.ALTHEAPRESS.COM

Dierddorff, Eric C. (2020) “Time Management is About More Than Life Hacks” (article)

Harvard Business Review, Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship at the Richard H.

Driehaus College of Business at DePaul University. Associate editor at Personnel Psychology.

https://hbr.org/2020/01/time-management-is-about-more-than-life-hacks