article on time management

wrote this article for a library website, but adapted it for a potential AAWE audience who is now going to publish it in october/november!

Where did the time go? : Some time management suggestions


Wikipedia, the internet encyclopaedia, at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page defines time management as “a number of techniques that aim to increase the effectiveness of a person in getting the things done that need to be done. “ It also points out that time management should rather be called self management, as “time passes without regard to what we do; the only thing we can manage is ourselves.” Therefore time management is really about self management, which can be facilitated by a number of different “tools, techniques and attitudes”.

Check this list of frequently cited time wasters and negative attitudes to discover your weaknesses and strengths regarding time management:

answering e-mail or returning phone calls

too much socializing

lack of daily plan and/or self discipline

attempting to do too much at the same time and unrealistic time estimations

poorly organized space

unrealistic goals

inability to say “no”, too much of an ego (thoughts like “no one can do this as well as me”)

poor communication, lack of information



Stephen Covey suggests in his hugely popular book and best seller “The 7 Habits of highly successful people” writing a contract with yourself

Although much has been written on time management in general, Wilcox Johnson points out two major flaws in commonly recommended techniques for managing time: delegating (whereas most of us are not in a position to do this.) She suggests it should rather be called: get someone else to do it (e.g. spouse, kids). The second flaw being a too linear approach, first do this, then this, whereas life does not work this way.




Strategies, attitudes and techniques for managing time

setting goals or setting priorities: first you decide what you want to achieve, then It might also become necessary to “stop doing something”, a phrase coined by Debra Wilcox Johnson, meaning e.g. stop doing low priority items= things least noticed by your environment, getting someone else to do it

· eliminating time wasters

· being pro-active, an attitude of ”highly successful people” according to Covey, meaning you anticipate things and don’t wait for them to happen to you

· analyze how you do things, look at the sequencing of things

· adopting the attitude “no one (including myself) is irreplaceable”

Wilcox Johnson also recommends the following techniques:

· Self awareness – this means being aware of what motivates you, how orderly needs your space to be for you to function optimally, knowing your energy level highs and lows and try to arrange your schedule accordingly

· being kind to others and respective of their time, e.g. being on time when meeting someone else

· make use of time fragments, such as waiting for the computer to boot or in a waiting room, through portable activities, e.g. going through mail, writing a note



Recommended reading or viewing:

Covey, S. R. The seven habits of highly effective people: Restoring the character ethic. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1989
Wilcox Johnson, Debra: Time Management: Getting things done. Presented by Debra Wilcox Johnson. College of Du Page. Glen Ellyn, IL. 2003. 1 videocassette (2 h)

Author: Andrea Delumeau. She can be contacted at apd41@free.fr.