Online Time Management
Successfully Implementing Time Management
When asked what they would change about themselves, many people say that they procrastinate too often and therefore never seem to do as good of a job on a project as they would have liked. Procrastination is a very common problem.
It is characterized by putting off large projects or tasks until the last possible second therefore not completing the task or just rushing through it to get it done. This can affect everything from one’s performance at work, to a student’s grades in school. However, there are ways to end procrastination, and therefore improve one’s time management skills. There are really just two simple steps that a person can take to better time management.
Creating a Timeline
When starting a big project or task it is important to look at your schedule and figure out exactly how much time you have. If it is a school project this is easy; there is going to be a due date and your teacher will more than likely not accept it late. However, if this is a household project, there is a tendency to be more lenient. So look at how much time you have to complete the project and set your self mini goals along the way.
A little Time Management at a Time
Trying to complete a huge task all in one night can be a very stressful way to conduct time management. Instead of trying to complete a 15 page paper in two hours, try to do a little bit every night. If you create a timeline with mini deadlines, try to work for an hour every night. That way you will know exactly where you stand with your project. This also reduces stress, and allows you to get more sleep. Staying up all night is definitely not good for you and it will show in your work.
Method for setting priorities
ABC analysis
A method that has been used in business administration for a long time is the categorization of large data into groups. These groups are often marked A,B, and C, that's why the name. Actions that are perceived as having highest priority are assigned an A, those with lowest priority are labeled C. ABC Analysis can include more than three groups. ABC analysis is often combined with Pareto analysis.
Pareto analysis
This is the idea that 80% of the jobs can be finished in 20% of the disposable time. The outstanding 20% of the jobs will capture up 80% of the time. This theory is used to sort jobs into two parts. According to this form of Pareto analysis it is recommended that everyday jobs that fall into the first group are assigned a higher priority.
The 80-20-rule can as well be useful to boost efficiency: it is assumed that 80% of the efficiency can be achieved by doing 20% of the everyday jobs. If efficiency is the aim of time management, then these tasks must be prioritized higher. |
