From time management to time tension

SKILL: Effective Time Management

EQF LEVEL (INTERNAL REFERENCE): 3

Keywords  

1. TENSION
2. PLANNING
3. MANAGEMENT
4. SMART
5. PRIORITIES
6. MONITORING

Introduction

In this LU, you will learn some strategies for moving from "time tension" to effective time management.

Content

We seem to be experiencing a real shortage of time these days. 

The acceleration due to technology should be accompanied by an increase in free time, which in turn should slow down the pace of life or at least eliminate or alleviate the feeling of never having time. 

Since technological acceleration means taking less time to perform a given task, time should abound. Yet  the contrary is happening nowadays and time is becoming  increasingly scarce.

All this can lead to a feeling of time pressure and the impression that time is getting out of hand, that it is too little for our daily tasks. 

This is why it is necessary to use effective planning and time management to avoid feeling overly pressured.

Why it is important to manage time

Time flows inexorably. 

This does not mean that it cannot be controlled and managed effectively,  It can actually be done through  learning to work by objectives and following processes.

Talking about time management in work as well as  in our private life, is essential because:

• You can accomplish more by putting in less effort: controlling time allows you to increase your threshold for concentration, increasing your work efficiency;
• Time is the scarcest resource there is: whether you like it or not, a day is made up of 24 hours. There is nothing that can make you increase or decrease this range and this limit applies to everyone;

• Improve your decision-making skills: When you're feeling stressed about time running out and you have to make an important decision, you'll tend to jump to conclusions without fully considering every option. This almost always leads to poor decisions;

• Increase your free time: everyone needs time to relax and pursue their passions. Time management helps you take responsibility and make time for yourself.

Time management process: strategies and exercises

Time management involves a series of well-defined actions with the goal of making you more productive. But how do these actions translate into practice? Let's see together the process for a virtuous time management using  appropriate strategies and tools.

Effective planning

The first step to not feel time pressures is to plan carefully. 

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO: Choose a planning tool that will allow you to keep track of all your tasks and deadlines.

For example, you can use a paper or digital planner that  allows you to determine the tasks to be done throughout the day, week, month and even year.

Setting SMART goal lists

Without goals you'd definitely be lost - after all, how do you know where you're starting from if you don't know where you want to go?

The most important thing is that your goals are SMART.

The acronym SMART indicates that the goals we identify should be:

S = Specific

M = Measurable

A = Achievable

R = Realistic

T = Time-Based

WHAT YOU MUST DO: Learn to give yourself goals and ask yourself each time whether they are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-based.

If your goals are SMART, put them on a list. Working  with  organised lists is the best way to optimise your time, whether it's daily or on an annual basis.

The list system will increase your efficiency by 25% from day one.

Managing priorities

After making your task list, the next step is to prioritise it.

How do you prioritise your tasks? A good system you could experiment with is the 4D system:

- Delete: can that activity be eliminated? Always remember the 80/20 rule that 80% of the results come from 20% of the actions. 

- Delegate: is there someone else who can perform that task for you? If so, you could delegate it and maximise your time on other tasks;

- Defer: some tasks can be done later, but within certain parameters. Always set deadlines and postpone what can be postponed, but don't fall into the trap of procrastinating ;

- Do: there are things that need to be done immediately and have top priority. Postponing these tasks could introduce you to a spiral of anxiety and stress.

WHAT YOU MUST DO: Analyse all the tasks on your lists and determine which ones you absolutely must complete, which ones you must eliminate, delegate or postpone.

A good system for organising your lists is the ABC method, with "A" items being the most important ("A-1" being the most important of the group), then "B" and finally "C".

Analysing  and monitoring

You can't talk about time management without talking about analysing results. You'll need to learn how to keep track, monitor your progress and practice consistently to acquire an effective method.

For truly virtuous time management in your organisation, you'll need to rely on measurement and consistency and expert guidance that can provide you with all the resources you need. And remember:

The bad news is that time flies. The good news is that you're the driver.

TEST 

item 1 - Multiple choice (find correct choice)

Acceleration due to technology should: 

1. increase leisure time
2. slow down the pace of life 
3. both of the above answers

item 2 – True/False

1. Controlling time allows you to increase your concentration and efficiency >true 
2. Time is the most available resource today < false
3. Jumping to conclusions without fully considering every option can lead to making poor decisions <true
4. Time management can help us find more time for ourselves <true

item 3 – Multiple choice (find the incorrect choice)

A smart objective is: 

1.  achievable
2.  challenging
3.  without any time limit 

item 4 (final test) – Gap fill

To order the activities you need to: 

1. determine those that you absolutely must complete, those that you must eliminate, delegate, or postpone. 
2. list them all and do them simultaneously
3. ask for someone's help   

          Language Point

Expressions with time

Read the sentence below:

1. Sometimes  you feel stressed about time running out.
2. The bad news is that time flies.

Both sentences use expressions with time, but what do they mean? Well, if we run out of time then there is no more time left. When we say that time flies, we mean that time seems to pass very quickly.

Here are some more expressions that could be useful to learn:

1. To kill time - to do something to pass the time
2. No time to lose - you must hurry as fast as you can to do something
3. crunch time - a critical moment or period when decisive action is needed