Time Management

Time Management is a misnomer. We cannot manage time, we cannot stop it, we cannot store it, we cannot rewind it, or even change its pace. The only thing we can do is to manage our self for the best utilization of time. Perhaps this is called time management. Time is a resource given to us by God. We have water, air, land, and also time. The other resources if not used remain as such, but time is of different type. It is over whether utilized or not. So it is generally more critical, than other resources. We experience in practical life that we have to create a balance between time and other types of resources. The other material resources may be of greater value at one occasion, while time may be more valuable at other occasions, however we are focusing on time at this moment. The following ideas may by helpful in better utilization of time. This will result in better and greater output in a given time.

We should fix priority

Every thing in life is not of equal importance. But we fail to prioritize. Thus we end up utilizing time for activities which were not of real value to us. We must have at least ten priorities written in the order of importance. We must ensure that a lower order priority does not override a higher order priority. Some managers use the matrix of Important and urgent to set their priorities. Whatever way we may choose, we must be clear about our priorities.

We must plan
Whatever we decide to do, we must plan it first. Some people go for shopping without thinking what they have to purchase (perhaps they have a big chunk of time available to them). Some prepare a list of items to be purchased, while some others even write down the sequence, and time is required for each. There are many techniques available to managers for planning Tree Diagram, Gantt chart, CPM, PERT are various examples of planning tools.

We must formalize or standardize the activity

There are many activities which we do for the first time in our life. But bulks of activities are those which we do repeatedly. The activities which are done again and again can be formalized and standardized. This makes it more easy and efficient. The person who is sitting on the reception may write the messages on a piece of paper, or develop a form on which he can record the message more accurately besides saving time. Leave application form is another example.

We must Delegate the activity

The managers usually have staff available to them. There are managers who feel convenient, if they do their work themselves. But smart managers delegate non-critical, routine activities to their subordinate staff, and they are relieved to focus on more critical activities. Managers should not waste time on dialing the telephone or filing the papers in the files.

We must Empower our subordinates

It means that if the subordinate is competent and willing then we must allow him to exercise his authority. We should monitor his performance but not interfere on daily basis. If the subordinate has the authority and competence, but is not ready to exercise his authority, then we must motivate him to exercise his authority. If he has the authority and willingness, but lacks the competence we must train him to come up to the required level. If he demonstrates good performance, then we must add to his authority either by decentralization or delegation. If the subordinate is not trustworthy, then other approaches may be used.

We must build a team

God has given different qualities to different people. When we build a team, we combine different qualities at a place. This ensures accurate and speedy work. Even if we are not able to build a larger team, we should have a team of two persons at last. It also relieves the individual from tension which is perhaps the biggest killer of time.

We must redistribute the work load

In practical life workload is not evenly divided. A perfectly even workload is not possible, but we must ensure that people are not over worked and under worked, because in either case malfunctioning will occur and result in wastage of time.

We must anticipate the work

If we are able to anticipate the work, we may be able to do some portion of the work, before it is due. When the work actually reaches our hand, we are already set to handle it.

We must avoid perfectionism

In life all activities are not equally important. In some cases we require perfectionism (like a contract or employment offer) but not in all cases. Managers do develop this habit of perfectionism and they take pride in it. It actually means that you are giving lesser time where it is really required.

We must discover our Prime Time

Every human being has his prime time when his senses are fully alert and he can fully concentrate. This time must be reserved for most critical activities. The prime time of one person may be early morning, while it may be mid-morning, evening or late night in other cases. One can easily discover ones prime time by the speed and accuracy of his output.

We must start what can be accomplished

We must have our estimation of what amount of time will be required for every task, we should start that task which can be accomplished within the available time. Accomplishing a task gives you self-esteem which facilitates the next task. This does not mean that high priority work should be postponed, because it cannot be finished in the available time today.

We must use conscious mind and sub-conscious mind concurrently

H uman mind (XVII) is divided into two parts the conscious mind and the sub-conscious mind. The sub-conscious mind can perform the mastered activities without any apparent effort, so we can perform two different activities concurrently e.g. driving a car and listening to telephone, listening news while taking dinner. Negotiating with another party over lunch.

We should maintain a log our time

The log maintained for our time gives us a very good tool for analysis. We are able to identify where we utilized our time properly and where we wasted it. We can modify our behavior in its light. Once we set our daily routine in order then the log is not necessary. We may use it again for sometime, if we feel that we are wasting time.

Build a Buffer if required

The cost of time for different people is different. A buffer is built which can screen the activities which need to be undertaken at one point in time. Screening of calls, and screening of files (Immediate, Important, Routine) are examples

We must build a Network of Relationships

This is an age of specialization, but one person cannot be specialist in every thing. However we can build a network, and have an access to the right person when needed. A task which can be done by one person in hours may be handled by another person in minutes.

We must use the available Technology

The modern technology makes the task speedy and accurate. We must identify where this technology can be used to our advantage. Hard and soft technology, both must be considered.

We should say No, where no is required

Some Managers are so courteous that they will not say no, when they actually cant do the required favor. We must learn to say No politely, so that it does not hurt the other person and we are also not over burdened.

We should do away with bad habits

We have certain habits which are wasters of time. We place our belongings like keys, purse, mobile phone at random, and not at their proper place. This leads to wastage of

time while searching them. Some people have the habit of interjecting when a colleague is answering the query. In case he is short of information, I t is acceptable, hut otherwise it is a bad habit.

We must enhance our threshold

We waste our time, when we are fatigued physically and mentally. There are many ways through which we can enhance our threshold. Games, exercises, physical training enhance our physical threshold and mental exercises like self-talk, visualization, and yoga enhance our mental threshold. In this way we experience less fatigue and are able to utilize the time available.

We should achieve Mastery over the Tasks

When we achieve Mastery over any task, we start enjoying it, and are never tired. In fact we cant live without doing it. Achieving Mastery requires initial effort, but its fruits are beyond our imagination. If we know that we have to do certain tasks, we must try to develop Mastery over it. In this way it becomes our second nature and facilitates the work.

We should use the Potential of sub-conscious

The experts tell us that our mind is divided into two parts conscious and Sub-conscious. Previously the experts thought that conscious mind is bigger and has greater potential, but now they have reversed their opinion. Our sub-conscious mind is bigger, and has greater potential and it never stops working. We can utilize this potential if we wish to do so. We should concentrate on any important issue for an hour or so, and then switch over to some other activity. Our sub-conscious mind will continue working on the unfinished task, and after sometime a sudden message will be sent to the conscious mind which will be an appropriate solution to the issue. If we do this activity repeatedly, we can capitalize the potential of our sub-conscious.

We should pick a mentor

Mentor is a person whose personal behavior is a model for the learner. If we are able to get a mentor and work with him, we can learn Time Management much better. Learning from books or lectures is possible, but learning from a mentor is permanent and everlasting.