TIME MANAGEMENT -- article compiled by me in 2003

USING TIME PROPERLY—TIME MANAGEMENT

            Time Management is one of the topics much discussed about in various circles be if official or personal.  Some people are found to be very good in the management of their time while a few others end up in misuse of their time.  Hence a discussion/study about this vital topic is quite useful for every body. 

            All of us will agree that we all get equally 24 hours in a day.   It is only for each one of us to see that we put it to proper use.  While 24 hours per day is assured for everybody, you will agree how many numbers of days each one of us will be vested with cannot be answered.  Some people live for 30/40 years only while a few others live up to 80/90.  

            Since number of days/months/years available for each one us is not known, it becomes all the more necessary for us make a proper allocation/use of everyday time.  

GOOD HABITS

            Pursuing good habits – like getting up early, regular food tastes, etc.  enable better time management .   Instead if one gets used to late night movies, going to bed very late and getting up from bed also very late, he will be losing the valuable day time which can be put into better use.

CLARITY IN THINKING

            People who aspire for more than what they really deserve and people who keep unrealistic targets before them are not able to use time properly because such circumstances result in reducing their clarity in thinking and make them a confused person.  A confused person who cannot think objectively will not be able to look at issues properly and may not be able to decide resulting in wastage of time.  

            Hence, whenever you are faced with problems, day-to-day situations requiring thinking, you have to approach them with calm and quiet mind objectively. 

PRIORITISATION

            One of the important tools for achieving effective time management is ‘prioritisation’.   It is meant that while one has to complete all the works, it may not be possible for him to attend to them at the same time.  Not all the works will be urgent.  Some of them may permit taking up after lapse of time.  

            At the start of official time, prioritise the works to be attended, after listing all ‘to do’ items.  Classify them as A, B & C.  Put items, which have to be taken up by you immediately under ‘A’.   Items which can be taken up ‘next day or after’ can be grouped under ‘B’.   Items, which can be postponed for more than two days, can be grouped under ‘C’.  

After grouping items as A, B & C steps have to be taken for attending them as prioritized.   It is not point in prioritizing and not attending to the works.  The list has to be reviewed each day at the commencement of official time.   Important items like payment of telephone bills, cell phone bills, electricity bills, statutory obligations like sales tax, income tax deducted, are to be grouped taking into account the due dates and steps have to be taken to fulfilling them immediately, 

While prioritizing care has to be taken to delete those items which need to be deleted immediately since they need not be attended at all.  This has to be done carefully and not in a hurry. 

DELEGATION

            Apart from prioritization, works that can be delegated are to be identified and delegated to suitable persons with proper instructions.   We should also note to follow up after delegating work as to whether it is being carried out properly.  By delegation while responsibility remains with the person delegating, work is done by another and hence care has to be taken about accuracy, precision, time limit set etc.

PROPER HOUSE KEEPING

            Maintenance of records, files and papers and important documents is to be given top priority for setting them in an orderly manner.  Two should know it or more persons so that in times of need another person could have an access to it.   

            Placement of files in their proper place will save a lot of time involved in searching them later.   Papers to be attended to are to clipped properly and kept in tact.   Care has to be taken about maintenance of records like bank pass book, cheque book, vehicle record books, vehicle insurance policies, personal insurance policies, house tax receipts, water tax receipts, electricity bills, ration cards etc. properly.   Duplicates keys are to be kept in a known place. 

USING OF LATEST TECHNOLOGY

            One of the important tools for better time management is using latest technical gadgets like computers, cell phones, fax, etc.   Using computer for typing and creation of documents, maintenance of documents, sending E-mails will save a lot of time. 

            While using computers care has to be taken to see that essential files are not deleted inadvertently.   Also passwords secrecy is to be maintained so that unauthorized persons are not able to access important accounts/records and tamper them.

            Video conferencing, telephone conferencing facilities can also be used saving valuable time being waste in travel from one place to another.   Computer chat messenger service like (Yahoo messenger etc.) can be used to save time and giving economy also.

AVOIDING PROCRASTINATION

            Some people have the habit of postponing doing work/executing work till the dead line set posing enormous tension in the last minute.  That will result in quality of work being affected.  

            Each one of us should be aware whether we have such a tendency and to avoid the same.   Works that can be done today should never be postponed to tomorrow.  If postponement attitude continues after a few days we will find that the workload left is very heavy and it may pose an obstacle for our achieving results. 

            It is for each one of us to cross-examine within ourselves and decide whether we have such a tendency and if so plan/take steps consciously to avoid it.

TAKING EXCESS LOAD

            We should be aware of our capacity and try to take load capable of being performed by us and not over load us beyond capacity.   This should not be taken to mean that each one should work less than his capacity. 

            Each one should continue to perform up to his level best and also perform a little more than that in the interest of the organization.   Work has to be done with full enjoyment and happiness and not taken as ‘thrust’ upon us against our wish.

PLANNING

            Certain big projects/assignments may require our planning in detail for proper execution of them.   More care has to be taken to get into all details in the stage of planning so that the project is completed on time properly.

PERFECTIONISM

            While perfection is a very good trait, excess perfection leads to procrastination and delay.   It also causes difference of opinion among colleagues/staff members.    This does not mean that work has to be done shabbily or in a wrong fashion.   Required degree of accuracy is to be    maintained and not compromised. 

SEGREGATION OF FAMILY/OFFICE TIME

            In our anxiety to please others some of us do not allot required time for ‘family’ causing avoidable tensions.  After conscious study a portion of time required family and friends is to be allotted by us in our day to work schedule.

AVOIDING TIME WASTERS

            For ensuring proper time management, besides the above points, care has to be taken to avoid the time wasters in us such as:

1.         Excess usage/talk over telephone/cell phone

2.         Indecisiveness (lacks confidence and rechecking work done more than

      What is required)

3.         Procrastination

4.         Lack of proper house keeping and maintenance of records and proper system.

5.         Gossiping tendency and indulging in rumour mongering/back biting others.

6.         Lack of confidence in subordinates/colleagues resulting as a barrier for delegation.

7.         Lack of knowledge relating to latest technology equipments and not being able to use them effectively.

8.         Lack of proper discipline like punctuality, cleanliness, orderliness of the boss or colleagues/workers.

9.         Mismanaging of time for activities for which it is not meant like going for movies, computer chats, entertainment activities.

10.       Lack of involvement in work, team spirit among colleagues and superiority/inferiority complex of the boss/subordinates.

11.       Non-maintenance of ‘appointment diary’ resulting in confusion of time allotted to various activities.  This will result non-fulfillment of agreed works.

12.       Lack of awareness that ‘time is not a replenishable resource’ and not bothering about it to the required extent.

                                                                                         

SUMMARY

            It is true that all of us whether we are students, workers, self employed persons, professionals, politicians have been adopting various strategies for time management and many points stated above are already used by us.  However, a conscious reading of the above and implementation of them (using and avoiding) will enable one to enjoy the fruits of better TIME MANGEMENT.