Introduction - Our
"Hurrying@
and Time-oriented Societies:
As we look around our modern-day societies we
hear and see evidence that time is limited and we are engaging in activities
that are geared to speed-up what we get accomplished in a 24- hour day. Perhaps
two of the more frequently heard expressions across cultures are that Time
Expressions across cultures and societies:
- AThink
of many things. Do one.@ (Portuguese
saying)
- ASleep
faster. We need the pillows.@ (Yiddish
saying)
- AHaste
has no blessing.@ (Swahili saying)
- AThere
is no hand to catch time.@ (Bengali
saying)
- AToday
can=t catch tomorrow.@
(Jamaican saying)
Vivid evidence of the hurrying and time-oriented
nature of our society is evidenced by the following factors:
-Increasing use of and travel by airplanes;
- The rushing at airports;
- Increasing traffic jams, traffic speed and road
rage; and
- The increasing use of convenient modern-day
structures as jiffy lube stations- to service our cars quicker; ATM Bank
machines so that we can access our funds quicker and more conveniently, and
pharmacy drive thru windows so that we can drop-off and pick-up medications
quicker, to only give examples of a few.
What is Time Management?
In its basic form, time management means making
the best use of the time you have available. How many times have you heard it
said that Atime is money - and
there is never enough of it.@ Time
is a fixed asset. There is only so much of it regardless of what we do. Because
time is such a valuable commodity, and when there doesn't seem to be enough of it, many people can experience stress. Therefore, since we
cannot change the various boundaries associated with time, we must learn to work
within them. Because there are only 24 hours 
in
each day, you have to plan to structure your activities wisely. In many cases,
the stress associated with having too many tasks has less to do with a lack of
time as it has to do more with the poor use of time.
Undoubtedly, you have
heard people making the statement made that AI
just didn't have enough time.@
The truth of the matter is that they did! They had all the time that there is
and will ever be within a defined period of time. The fact of the matter is that
they had the same 24 hours, the same 1,440 minutes that everyone else did. But
the fact is that they did not have the SKILLS to manage the time that was
available to them.
While I will later point out that time management
is a misnomer, time management can basically be defined as self-management. That
is, managing yourself with respect to your prioritized and planned activities in
the context of a moving and irreversible phenomenon called time. Another way is
to see time as a forward-going continuum, from the past, thru present on to the
future, on which 
we
engage in selected activities based on their predefined priority, which is
usually defined in terms of the urgency and importance of these activities.
While the term Atime
management@ has been in existence for
more than 100 years, for many people the term Atime
management@ creates a false impression
of what a person is able to do. Others even argue that the very notion of time
management is a misnomer. Why? Because we cannot manage time. We can only manage
ourselves in relation to time. We cannot control how much time we have; we can
only control how we use it. We cannot choose whether to spend it, but only how.
Once we have wasted time, it is gone -- and it cannot be replaced. Therefore,
because we can only manage ourselves and use of our time, it is best to view
time management as basically self management. It is interesting that the skills
we need to manage others are the same skills we need to manage ourselves: the
ability to plan, delegate, organize, direct and control.
Time management training will help increase workers=
effectiveness, efficiency, productivity and health. By accomplishing these
outcomes, workers are able to have greater control over daily activities and, at
the same time, overcome work and non-work stressors.
Why Is
there Never Sufficient Time For Daily Activities?
Although various answers can be offered for this
question, one very important answer has to do with having inadequate time
management skills or, better still, "self-management@
skills. The fact of the matter is that, whereas many people have been
successfully trained in their areas of work expertise, they have not been
exposed or balanced, for that matter in, the ABCs of self-management.
Source
of the Problem
Why do people feel they never have enough time?
Why do they feel both overworked and unproductive? The answer is quite simple.
Although most of us have been formally educated to work in our respective
professions, few of us have been taught to work efficiently and effectively. Too
many professional and other workers are at a loss as to how to organize
themselves and how to best process their work. Whereas these professional
workers may know how to read maps, draw architectural plans, negotiate deals,
paint buildings, they find it very difficult to effectively organize their week,
delegate responsibilities and/or cope well with interruptions and unexpected
opportunities.
How Do
We Cope?
Because most of us are clever people, we cope, at
least initially, by getting a quick fix or education on the problem at hand. For
example, we may see a colleague with some sort of calendar or organizer, so we
enquire about it and later purchase one. In essence, however, most people learn
simply by trial and error. Because these skills and materials we acquire were
not fully taught to us, we sometimes fail to know to modify them to accommodate
changing circumstances and environments, e.g., when there are job changes.
Are
You Your Worst Enemy?
Given that time management is really self
management, it means that we play a very important role in how we relate to and
use time. This being the case, we have to be aware of how we view ourselves, our
resources and capabilities.
Main Time Wasters For Most People
Although people are as varied as the things they
do to waste time, many authors have identified at least five factors that seem
to be somewhat consistently found among various people across several cultures.
The five factors are listed below:
Attempting too much at once
Procrastinating
Doing
too many things by themselves (i.e., not delegating)
Not
saying NO
Personal
disorganization (e.g., cluttered desk)
Why
People Do Not Manage Their Time?
Although the answers to this question can be
varied, the following reasons are usually offered:
O They were
never trained to do so;
O They do
not know how to plan;
O They
enjoy the surge of excitement or adrenaline of meeting close deadlines; and
O They
enjoy crisis management.
In the case of the last two answers, while
progress is seemingly being made, a host of other problems are likely to be
experienced. For example, both crisis management and rushing to meet tight
deadlines, can both lead to excessive feelings of stress, tiredness and, in some
cases, unsuccessful work-related assignments or projects.
The
Benefits Of Time Management?
The answer to this question is clear Ayes,@
especially when it is based on the following achievements:
@
Controlling the distractions that waste your time and break your flow of
activities;
@
Determining which of the things you do are important, and which ones can be
eliminated;
@
Increasing your effectiveness and reducing your stress;
@ Allowing
yourself to accomplish a great deal more of your prioritized daily tasks;
@ Being
more in control of your activities;
@ Being
more focused of your activities;
@ Being
more in organized in your work and related activities;
@ Using
your time in the most effective way possible;
@ Enjoying
what you do;
@
Increasing the time that you can work; and
@ Allowing
yourself more quality time to relax and enjoy the beauty of things around you.
Time
Management and Workers
Learning to manage your time is fundamental in
succeeding in any job. Everything that is done is governed by time. limitations
and organizational demands. Demands on an employee=s
time can come from a multitude of directions, e.g., from managers, colleagues,
subordinates, etc. It can also come from family, society, etc. Undue stress can
lead to workers= inability to control,
organize and coordinate their activities in relation to time. In a related
manner, understanding how to achieve organizational goals, as well as personal
and professional goals is directly related to the manner in which workers manage
their time.
Results of Poor Time Utilization
; Weak job
performance
;
Organizational inefficiency
; Limited
upward mobility
; Strained
manager-staff relations
Tyranny
of the Urgent
Have you ever wished for a thirty-hour day?
Surely this extra time would relieve the tremendous pressure under which we
live. Our lives leave a trail of unfinished tasks. Unanswered letters, unvisited
friends, unwritten articles, and unread books haunt quiet moments when we stop
to evaluate.
But would a thirty-hour day really solve the
problem? Wouldn't=t we soon be just as
frustrated as we are now with our twenty-four allotment? A mother=s
work is never finished, and neither is that of any manager, student, teacher, or
anyone else we know.
When we stop to evaluate, we realize that our
dilemma goes deeper than shortage of time; it is basically the problem of
priorities. Hard work does not hurt us. We know what it is to go full speed for
long hours, and the resulting weariness is matched by a sense of achievement.
Not hard work, but doubt and misgiving produce anxiety as we review a month or
year and become oppressed by the pile of unfinished tasks. Demands have driven
us onto a reef of frustration. We confess, quite apart from our sins, Awe
have left undone those things which we ought to have done; and we have done
those things which we ought not to have done.@
We live in constant tension between the urgent
and the important. The problem is that the important task rarely must be
done today, or even this week. The urgent
task calls for instant action - endless demands, pressure, every hour of the
day.
Even a home is no longer a castle; no longer a
place away from urgent tasks because the telephone breaches the walls with
imperious demands. The momentary appeal of new distractions seems irresistible
and important, and they devour our energy. But in the light of time=s
perspective their deceptive prominence fades; and with a sense of loss we recall
important tasks we have pushed aside. We realize we=ve
become slaves to the Atyranny of the
urgent.@
Edited from Tyranny of the Urgent, by Dr. Charles
E. Hummell (Downers, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1967).
Misconceptions
About Time Management
Time management is nothing but common
sense. I am doing well at my job, so I must be managing my time just fine.
I work
better under pressure: time management would take away that edge.
I use an
appointment calendar and a to-do-list. Is that not enough?
People
take time management too seriously: it takes the fun out of life.
Time
management takes away your freedom - and I am a spontaneous sort of person.
Time
management might be good for some kinds of work, but my job is very creative. I
can=t be tied to a routine.
The
stuff they teach you in time management is a lot of work. I don=t
have time to do all that.
Our Hurry
Sickness Society: Implications For
Health
Hurry sickness is a term first introduced from
the work of Dr. Larry Dossey. In his book, ASpace,
Time & Medicine,@ he writes the
following:
Hurry sickness is basically a metaphor for all
those illnesses brought on or exacerbated by stress, rush, and constant
pressure. Tension headaches, ulcers, and some form of arthritis can be linked to
the flood of adrenaline that results from interpreting life as over-lapping
crises that demand a heroic response from us without rest or joy. In short,
hurry sickness is habitual, unnecessary, or compulsive rushing that leads to the
speeding up of our natural body functions, ultimately damaging our health. For
many of us, we are caught in an epidemic of rushing as an end in itself and, no
longer aware of other options, so we cannot escape.
Apart from Americans who show important signs of
hurry sickness, the Japanese society is literally bending under the reality of
this phenomenon. It has been reported that a new legal battle is moving to the
front of Japan=s national concerns.
Widows are bringing lawsuits against their husband=s
employers for karoshi, a term meaning death from overwork. Simply
put, while the Japanese have spent many years improving their economy, the price
that the population, especially managers and other white collar workers, is
hurry sickness and a variety of health-related problems. It is clear that how
workers manage their goals, objectives and priorities with respect to available
time, is a very important contributing factor to the emerging and real problem
of hurry sickness. On the next pages a specific look is taken on what hurry
sickness looks like and some tips to improve the condition.
Common Time Wasters
Everyone wastes time. It is part of being human.
Some wasted time can be constructive, because it helps you to relax or otherwise
reduce tension. Other wasted time, however, can be frustrating. This is
especially true when time is wasted because you are doing something less
important or less fun than what you might otherwise be doing.
The key question is, What might you be doing that
is of a higher personal priority? Taking a break, communicating with associates,
talking on the telephone and reading are not time wasters unless they keep you
from higher priority activities.
Why People Procrastinate
People procrastinate for lots of reasons. Psychologists often
say it=s because of frustration,
insecurity, or fear of failure. But those are just a few of the things that can
bring on delays and postponements. Sometimes a subconscious fear keeps people
from taking action. Especially when they know they should be doing something,
but are unable to do it and can=t
figure out why.
Many people think procrastination is no big deal. Accordingly,
they don=t worry about what causes it.
They think they can break the habit whenever they want. However, any reason
should be considered serious if it keeps people from reaching their dreams of
success.
If you=re like most
procrastinators, you=re actively
concerned about the things you do. And you=d
like to do better than you=re doing
right now. You recognize and understand some of the major causes of your
procrastination, but there are others that you just can=t
put your figure on. T includes the most common causes, not necessarily the
prizewinners.
Setting
Priorities
When opportunities exceed resources, decisions must be made.
Nowhere is this more apparent than in the use of time. Since time cannot be
manufactured, you must decide what to do and what not to do.
Setting priorities in the use of time is a two-step process:
1) Listing things that need to be done and
2) Prioritizing items on the list.
Use the ABC Method to determine your priorities by placing each
item on your list into one of the following categories:
L Priority A
- AMust
do:@ These are the critical items.
Some may fall into this category because of management directives, important
customer requirements, significant deadlines or opportunities for success or
advancement.
L Priority B - AShould
do:@ These are items of medium value.
Items in this category may contribute to improved performance but are not
essential or do not have critical deadlines.
L Priority C - ANice
to do:@ This is the lowest- value
category. While interesting or fun, they could be eliminated, postponed or
scheduled for slack periods.
Your A=s, B=s
and C=s are flexible, depending on the
date your list is prepared. Priorities change over time. Today=s
B may become tomorrow=s A as an
important deadline approaches. Likewise, today=s
A may become tomorrow=s C if it does
not get accomplished in time or circumstances change.
Obviously, it is not worthwhile to spend considerable time on a
task of modest value. On the other hand, a project of high value is worth the
time invested. Only good planning will allow you to reap the benefits of time
wisely invested.
Managing Yourself in Relation to Time
In an effort to
address this complex, yet important question, I have suggested the following
5-Step Approach. A brief discussion follows each of the steps. 
Step#1:
Having a change in attitude;
Step#2:
Defining and setting realistic
goals;
Step#3: Prioritizing goals and related
activities;
Step#4: Planning and scheduling activities;
and
Step#5: Taking action.
Step#1: Having a change in attitude One of the
reasons why many people find it difficult applying the skills of good time
management is that these skills run counter to their personal habit patterns,
which for many people, are hard to break. How we think, or the attitudes we
have, are a major influence on the habits we maintain. This being the case, to
be more successful in managing our time, we have to first of all, change how we
think - or simply, our attitudes. Going back to the issue of self-management,
which was mentioned before, it means, therefore, that getting more control of
our time means accepting the fact that we are usually the problem, not someone
else.
Once we realize this, we have to work on realizing two
fundamental rules: Rule#1: You should not be our worse enemy Rule#2:
You don't have to be your worse enemy Many people spend their days in a flurry
of activity, but achieve very little because they are not concentrating on
and/or doing the right things. Some of the main outcomes of having a change in
attitude that would allow for greater use of your time are: being able to say
"NO" to unacceptable demands; accepting the importance of setting,
planning, prioritizing and acting on goals and related activities. Another
important outcome of having an attitude change has to do with the Pareto
Principle or, simply, the 80/20 Rule. This rule states that 80 percent of
unfocused effort generates only 20 percent of results, and the remaining 80
percent of results are achieved with only 20 percent of the effort. Therefore,
by changing your attitude to incorporate greater planning, you can increase your
use of time by concentrating your efforts on the high payoff tasks, i.e.,
achieved by the 20 percent of your efforts.
Step#2: Defining and setting realistic goals By
defining and setting realistic goals, you are determining the "directional
map" for your life and the ability to tolerate as few detours and
time-consuming distractions. It is important to remember that "goals are
essentially dreams with deadlines." Goals also help you to schedule your
time more appropriately. Try identifying the activities you value the most,
along with your main goals in life, including those involving home and work.
Then, try breaking down your goals into: smaller and more manageable tasks,
short-term and long-term, and group them regarding their levels of importance
and urgency. Therefore, by knowing precisely what you want to achieve, you know
what you have to focus on and improve, and what activities are time-wasting
distractions. Goals-setting benefits include the following: improving your
performance, increasing your motivation to achieve, increasing your pride and
satisfaction in your achievements, and increasing your self-confidence.
Step#3: Prioritizing goals and related activities It is very important
that you rank-order, or prioritize, your goals and related activities. By asking
yourself how important and urgent a goal and related activity are, you place
some high[I] on the list (example, being both important and urgent, and others
low[II] (example, being unimportant and non-urgent) on the list. When these
goals and related activities are prioritized, less time is wasted pursuing goals
that are not important and urgent for you.
Your prioritized activities should always be clearly written down on paper so
that you can see them
. These
activities should be in a "ranked" manner on a "to-do-list,"
which is a laundry list of the activities you want accomplished each day. To
make it simple, your prioritized "to-do-list" should be further ranked
in three categories:
A= the things you must do,
B= the things you should do, and
C= the things that are nice to do.
Based on this ranking, your efforts should be spent focusing on activities
first in A, then in B and lastly, in C.
Step#4: Planning and scheduling activities
Allocate undemanding tasks (e.g., tasks that fall into category C, or things
that are "nice to do") when your energy level may be low.
