Introduction to Time Management

TIME MANAGEMENT

Managers utilize a lot of resources in carrying out their work, this may include people, materials, money and so on. In any particular job, one resource may predominate, but we will agree that we all have one resource in common, which is time. Time is an important resource used for the achieving personal and organizational goals. There are usually time limits for projects or jobs to be done and everyone occasionally experiences problems getting everything done just in time without extending the planned completion time.

Recognizing the impact of time in attainment of productivity, managers do not only plan their work but also their time. Time management is not optional, it is something that everyone who wants to work effectively must consider whether formally or informally. Infact everyone practices time management to some degree. The only question is how well they do it and how it affects what they do.

Modern management techniques such as organization and methods, motion study, work measurement and so on are used to reduce unproductive times for employees, which are spent on things that do not significantly contribute to the achievement of objectives. Time management can be defined as the judicious use of time to carry out assigned functions. It involves planning, organizing and controlling of productive activities within a time frame. Planning for time according to Peter Drucker involves:

• Keeping record of time
• Changing habit to make effective use of time
• Consolidating the small fragments of discretionary time into large usable periods.

Making it work

With effective time management, your job and career could be positively affected, the effect of getting into time management can be rewarding and varied. Time management can

• Condition the pressure that goes into any job.

•  Affect your efficiency, effectiveness and productivity.

•  Create greater positive visibility

Time management, must be synonymous with self management to be successful. It demands discipline but discipline reinforced by habit. The good news is that it gets easier as you work at it.

The main factors affecting the use of time includes:

• The nature of the job

• The organizational culture

• Personality and skills of the job holders
• Management style of the superiors

• Demand made by own self
• Influence of colleagues

Time management is crucial for success in an organization, lack of effective time management may result into low productivity, stress, poor uality output, disorder, low morale and so on. Some suggestions for effective time management includes:

• Assess how you spend your time

• Have a good mastery of your schedule of duties and the scope of your funding

• Have a daily work plan and adhere to it within reasonable limits of elasticity
• Never engage in an activity without planning
• prioritize jobs and goals
• judiciously allocate time for every activity and make reasonable allowances for delays and anticipated interruptions
• Avoid the bottlenecks and pitfalls of the previous day