Time management is very important in order to be successful in life.

As a college student time management is extremely important in order for me to get my work to get done but also to make time for leisure activities. The most common motivational cold is the lack of interest in certain subjects. The heart of effective time management is a weekly and daily schedule. Also long terms goals must be determined in order for short term goals to be established. Be proactive means taking initiative, not waiting for others to act first, and being responsible for what you do. The opposite of proactive is reactive. Reactive people tend to react to what goes on around them. Proactive people act based on principles and purpose. So think with the end in mind when establishing your schedule. Gathering necessary information is an important factor in time management. Write all of your assignments down so that you know how much time you have to do it, and when it is due. By doing this you will be able to work your schedule around your study time. Also not only do you need to write down your assignments but also leisure activities. Such as after sport team meetings, social club meeting, and even vacations. Planning ahead is another key factor in managing your time. Consult your things to do with a monthly schedule and hang it up in your room. Be sure while you are making a schedule of things to do, you take into consideration how long it takes you to complete certain task. Also figure out how much time you have to do certain assignments and break them up into several days if that works best for you. By dividing up your assignments it takes the stress off of you and gives you extra leisure time. When planning ahead use some type of calendar or monthly planner to keep track of your things and also to keep them Prioritizing work assignments is crucial to successful time management. Some people do not know how to prioritize and become procrastinators. Deciding which tasks are the most important, and then setting aside time to complete them, while leaving time to deal with unplanned interruptions, is one way to manage time while aquiring more. Many time management experts recommend only handling a piece of paper once - act on it, file it, or toss it, but do not allow it to sit and wait. Plan time in your day to complete the most pressing projects, but leave time for unforeseen developments. Always carry a calendar with you so you can schedule meetings and appointments once, and only once. Working with a realistic schedule is very important in time management. You have to be realistic when making your schedule. Monitor and analyze how you spend your time. Take into consideration when your best time for studying is, your sleep patterns, your leisure activities, your eating patterns and even your due dates for certain assignments. By doing this you are making a schedule that is ideal for you and not anyone else. It will be easier for you to fit this schedule because it works with your schedule. Also when making your schedule set priorities of things that must be accomplished each day, and build flexibility into your schedule. It is essential to build flexibility into schedules incase an emergency comes up. Additional things that you might want incorporate into your schedule are study routines, places to study, leaving yourself enough time to complete projects, breaks, and time to review studied material. All of things are very important. Developing a study routine makes it easier on yourself and you can get into the habit of studying on a regular basis. Determining a place to study is essential to how well you will study. The place that you study must be somewhere that you can focus on your work without and distractions. Also when studying take breaks in between whenever you feel the need to or even when you are getting frustrated, bored, hungry, or even

tired. Be sure to review material that you have read so that you completely understand it. And lastly be sure to leave yourself a vast amount of time to complete projects and labs. There are also simple ways you can make use of time by making waiting productive. You will literally spend years of your life waiting in line, for appointments and meetings, to catch the bus or train, between classes, the list is endless and the time adds up. By keeping note cards handy for review, touch up your lecture notes, continue with a reading assignment or work on a problem set, you can make this time productive. Remember that most tasks aren't done completely in one sitting. Make incremental progress whenever possible. Organizing you space can also save you time. Even a brilliant time management plan will run high and dry if you find yourself constantly looking for misplaced text books, lecture notes, car keys, meal card or student ID. This is not to say that your room must be spotless, but there is a certain level of freedom in knowing where important things are without having to look. By keeping your space organized in a way that makes sense to you, you can free yourself from interruptions in creativity and those annoying last-minute searches that make you late. By staying organized you are freeing up some time on yourself and also keeping yourself stress free. After scheduling becomes a habit, then you can adjust it. It's better to be precise at first. It is easier to find something to do with extra time then to find extra time to do something. Most importantly, make it work for you. Your schedule will not work unless it is made to fit your everyday routine. The schedule must also be flexible in order for it to be a realistic one. A time schedule that is not personalized and honest is not a time schedule at all. If you control your time, you control your life.
(2008, 04). Time Management. StudyMode.com. Retrieved 04, 2008, from http://www.studymode.com/essays/Time-Management-143289.html

Running Header: TIME MANAGEMENT Time Management David Boehm Mid-Continent University English Composition II ENG1203 Ms. Darlene Gibson 01/29/2007 Time Management for Managers Time is fleeting. If there are only twenty-four hours in a day, how can one find time to do more? One could hope for more time or accept the fact that everyone needs some type of time management tool, especially those in positions with numerous tasks that demand their time. Whether using a simple process of writing down a list of necessary tasks to complete each day, a calendar or some form of elaborate time management software, time management is an essential part of everyday living. Managers in particular have a duty to manage the time spent on even the most mundane tasks. Managers must master the art of time management. How can one begin to manage time? The truth according to the University of Minnesota Duluth Handbook (2006): "Time really can't be managed. You can't slow it down or speed it up or manufacture it. It just IS. Time management is MANAGING YOURSELF." Time management is a skill that can be taught and learned. It need not be difficult to learn nor all to time consuming. It is not an elusive trait that some people are born with, while others must flounder in an ocean of incomplete tasks. The first and best place to begin is to begin. The University of Minnesota Duluth Handbook (2006) provides a place to start and the tools to begin. "One of the first things people need to do to manage their time is to determine how they spend their time now." For this a Time Inventory Sheet is suggested. The Time Inventory Sheet, as illustrated in Appendix A, divides a day into 30-minute sections, to be filled-out throughout one's day. It is suggested one fill the Time Inventory throughout the day as opposed to the end of the day for more accurate results. The Summary of Time Sheet, included in Appendix B, is used to assess and evaluate where time is actually being spent. Like a budget for money, this Summary of Time can help one determine which activities are taking more time than necessary, and which activities need more time spent on them. Especially useful for managers, these two tools can help find activities that are time consuming for removal or delegation. Barry J. Izsak (2007) states that, "80% of the things you get done are accomplished in 20% of the time you spend working." If managers can manage their time more efficiently, they will find the amount of wasted time from their Summary of Time will decrease. For the Manager, meetings are a place where efficiency and productivity should especially be considered the cornerstone of their leadership responsibilities. Joseph and Susan Berk state, "Our experience shows that on any given day, most managers spend between 25 and 50 percent of their time in meetings." (1991, p.136) Candie Perkins writes, "Meetings are a vital part of the organization of work and the flow of information. They act as a mechanism for gathering together resources from many sources and moving them towards a common goal." (2007) The importance of meetings for managers cannot be stated strongly enough. Perkins

goes on to say, "A meeting is the ultimate form of managed conversation." Preparation before a meeting is the key to determining its tone and worth. "Meetings should be planned before hand, monitored for effectiveness, and reviewed afterwards for improving the outcome." (Perkins, 2007) With this understanding, one must first decide if the meeting is necessary. "The first thing to consider when calling a meeting is whether the meeting is necessary, and what you hope to accomplish as a result of the meeting." (Berk, 1991) "Consider cancelling a meeting that has little tangible value." (Perkins, 2007) According to Managing Efficiently: A Handbook for First-Time Managers, there are four general activities for accomplishment at meetings: Information Giving, Information Collecting, Problem Solving, and Decision-Making. If one believes their meeting has tangible value, and is necessary, they should ask themselves which of these general activities they hope to accomplish and structure the meeting accordingly. Regardless of purpose, every meeting should come with an agenda. "The purpose of an agenda is to inform participants of the subject of the meeting in advance, and to structure the discussion at the meeting itself." (Perkins, 2007) Agendas normally are made of four distinct elements: title, time and place, purpose, and a list of covered topics. All of these elements help keep a meeting focused and on topic from the beginning, and serve as a roadmap of the meeting. (Perkins, 2007; Berk, 1991; McKew, 2000) Joseph and Susan Berk also suggest listing those expected to be principal sources next to their topic, so they may be fully prepared to present their information at the meeting. They also recommend contacting sources beforehand to inform them of the exact information needed. (1991) Distributing the agenda to invited meeting participants is as important as the agenda itself. It would be a bit difficult to come prepared to a meeting without knowing the purpose, or time and place of the meeting. Once agendas have been distributed to everyone who is attending the meeting and primary sources contacted, one should make sure the meeting place is ready and the room is available. No one likes showing up to meeting that have been relocated with little or no notice. Have copies of the agenda available, as some may forget to bring them. A sample agenda has been included in Appendix C. When all preparation is said and done, "Be on time. There are few things as annoying (or rude) as managers who are late to their own meeting." (Berk, 1991) Kevin Blanchard also has a strong feeling on persons not showing up for meetings on time he wrote in his acclaimed work The Leadership Pill. High-Performing teams cannot slow down for those who fail to live up to their commitments. "We all agreed to be here this morning. People who don't do what they say they are going to do are showing a lack of respect for the rest of us." Their integrity is essentially at stake. (2003) It would also seem beneficial to keep the meeting to no less than one hour in length. (Perkins, 2007; McKew, 2000; Berk, 1991) Meetings are known to lose effectiveness after on hour, and can be scheduled to end as something else is beginning to keep the ending time in check. (Berk, 1991) Managers should also take it upon themselves to manage the meetings with more efficiency and time-management skills. During the meeting there are several suggestion to keep everyone on task and following the agenda. Joseph and Susan Berk suggest reviewing the agenda at the very beginning of the meeting. "If it's likely that action items will be assigned during the meeting, ask someone to act as recorder." (1991) McKew suggests always assigning a person to complete the action item and document a completion date. (2000) Key thoughts and decisions

should be summarized often to "keep the meeting moving and prevents discussion from drifting back to previously covered topics." (Berk, 1991) McKew recommends keeping the meeting minutes to two pages. This allows for quick copying so no one returns to their office without a copy of the minutes in their hands. One of the hardest things to control at a meeting is straying off topic. If managers find their meeting straying from topic or off agenda they should ease everyone back. For confusion with information or presentation, clarity should immediately be applied or interest will be lost. (Perkins, 2007; Berk 1991) "Be an alert listener and give others the opportunity to develop their thoughts," states Joseph and Susan Berk. (1991) Perkins adds that, "all ideas should be welcome. Even bad ideas should be treated seriously and at least merit a specific reason for not being pursued further." (1991) Asking others for their opinions helps get rid of one person dominated meetings, as well as bringing disagreement to light. (Berk, 1991; Perkins, 2006) At the close of any meeting, the discussion should be summarized, with main points and decision restated, as well as reviewing action items and their completion person and date. (Berk, 1991; McKew 2000) As McKew has suggested earlier, handing out meeting minutes before everyone leaves the meeting (2000), it has also been suggested that setting up a follow-up meeting specifically for action item completion will also keep everyone accountable. (Berk, 1991) "Managers owe it to themselves (and others) to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of meetings" (Berk, 1991) While managers spend the majority of their time in meetings, the rest of their workday, and lives, can be run more efficiently through time-management. The infamous "To-Do List" has its very own place among time-management experts. Barry Izsak says, "If you make a "To Do" list you're ahead of the game, but that isn't enough. A "To Do" list is not a commitment to do anything just a list of tasks you need to complete." (2007) He further states, "You will not be committed to completing [tasks] until you schedule time in your planner to actually do it. This is one of the most overlooked principles of time management and the key to your success." Regarding the planner and scheduling, Julie Morgenstern suggests, If you have tried using a planner in the past but abandoned it because it didn't work for you, chances are you made one of these three common mistakes: 1. You didn't pick a planner that was right for you. 2. You didn't take time to master its features and make it yours. 3. You didn't make it the one and only place to record your appointments and to-dos; you didn't rely on it. (2000, p.109) Barry Izsak has another suggestion for the scheduling of everyday tasks. "Schedule appropriate tasks to the time you have allotted. Use smaller chunks of time to take care of short easily completed tasks like returning telephone calls, opening the mail, filing, checking email and so on. Save the more important projects for times of the day when you experience fewer interruptions." (2007) Being aware of one's personal energy level will also make scheduling more productive. (Morgenstern, 2000) One should schedule arduous tasks for times of the day when their energy cycle is at its highest. Without a core of self-discipline, time-management skills are meaningless. If one is not willing to expend the effort of evaluating their time, scheduling all daily activities, preparing for meetings rather than showing up, one cannot possibly expect time-management to work. Arterburn defines self-discipline as The ability to delay gratification. Winners are able to put off doing what would feel good so they

can do what is needed. This talent isn't to be confused with rigidity. That is a stifling and confining trait. Self-disciplined people know how to set a goal, define the steps to accomplish the goal, and take each step, even though each one might be more painful than the one before. (1995) Time is indeed fleeting. There are only 24 hours in a day with no way to slow them down, speed them up, or manufacture more. Using a Time Inventory Sheet, and Summary of Time Sheet, one can begin to understand where their time is currently being spent. Research has shown the majority of a manager's time is spent in meetings. (Berk, 1991) With a few minutes of preparation and controlling the meeting, as well as follow-up on action items, meetings can become more efficient and productive. Agendas, meeting minutes, completion dates and followup meetings are all tools that can lead to fruitful working environment and open up additional opportunities to save time. Meetings, however, are not the only tasks managers have to complete most managers have a full plate of tasks waiting for them when they arrive at work. With meetings being more efficient, time during the workday is freed-up for other managerial tasks. Tasks that in the past would have been rescheduled or not dealt with do to time restraints should now be able to be dealt with in a timely manner. Scheduling a "To-Do" list and organizing small tasks can help the rest of a manager's day become more proficient. Time- management requires self-discipline and a commitment to one's self and daily life. With a little effort and a sound and effective time management plan one can expect more control over time. References Arterburn, S. (1995). Winning at work without losing at love. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc. Berk, J. & Berk, S. (1991). Managing effectively: A handbook for first-time managers. New York, NY: Sterling Publishing Company, Inc. Blanchard,K. (2003). The Leadership Pill. New York Simon & Schuster Izsak, B. (2007). Managing your time when you don't have the time. Retrieved January 18, 2007 from http://www.amanet.org/editorials/editorials.cfm McKew, H. (2000, December) Take these seven steps to master meeting minutes. Engineered Systems Magazine, (, Vol.17 Issue12, pp. 26). Morgenstern, J. (2000). Time management from the inside out. New York, NY: Fitzhenry and Whiteside, Ltd. Perkins, C. (2007). Preparing for meetings. Retrieved January 27, 2007 from http://www.myorganizedlife.com University of Minnesota Duluth. (2006). Time Management. Retrieved January 18, 2007 from http://www.d.umn.edu
(2007, 04). Time Management. StudyMode.com. Retrieved 04, 2007, from http://www.studymode.com/essays/Time-Management-113228.html

Time Management and Family Issues Upon returning to college, the mature student (any student over the age of 24) soon realizes that their ability to manage time effectively directly impacts their learning experience and their family life. Unlike traditional students, the mature student may have a spouse, children and a full-time job that is necessary for them to survive financially. Adults with families will readily agree that their family alone places serious demands on their time. When adding the responsibility of school, it becomes even more difficult to make time for family, work and personal time. Enough time needs to be spent on these three major facets of life. Too much time spent in one area usually means to little time spent in another, which usually leads to stress. Time management professionals say that stress is usually the result of poor time management. Effective time management has to be the foundation of any successful and productive life. There are 1,440 minutes in a day. If one is employed full-time, then about nine hours (540 minutes) of the day is spent at the office and commuting. The time left in the evening for family and self is very limited. Some companies allow their employees to telecommute, in which the company's network is accessed from the employees' home, usually via a high-speed or broadband connection. Telecommuting increases available time for family and self by eliminating the employee's commute. Along with telecommuting, some companies offer FlexTime. Flex-Time allows the work schedule to be configured differently from the typical Monday through Friday, 9am-to-5pm workweek. One will still work a total of 40 hours that week only one day may be shorter than the rest. Flex-Time is basically a flexible work schedule. Flex-time and telecommuting are examples of Flexible Work Options (FWO). FWOs allow employees the opportunity to find time for their families and selves by introducing a time management element that "bends". Along with the changing nature of office-hours via telecommuting and Flex-Time, there is a need for employees to be more efficient at work. Companies are implementing the "virtual office" which partly entails telecommuting but with the main focus being a more efficient, yet mobile workforce. With the virtual office, traditional office setups such as permanent workspace and a personal telephone become a thing of the past. An employee can either telecommute from home or come to the office. Once at the office, they can check out a computer and a cordless phone and proceed to log into the company's network from any number of places in the building. Employees can log in from the cafeteria, conference rooms or their favorite place in the building. Once they log in, a central computer routes phone calls to the cordless phone that was checked out at the beginning of the day. Other companies are making the office more accessible by having satellite offices, wherein employees can work from any number of offices spread throughout their particular city or region. Literally, the employees can be anywhere and still perform their work duties. To the customers or clients they do business with, their location is seamless. Companies like IBM and Apple have reported increases in productivity and morale since they went to the virtual office format. Corporations are finding creative ways to yield more efficiency from their associates while giving them more time for family and personal life. When adults with a family and a career decide to continue their education, the demands on their time and energy increase dramatically. Along with re-entering college come the requirements of attending class, studying, homework and team research projects. If one has to attend class for four hours a week, spend an additional 8 hours for homework and studying, and three hours on

team research then he or she has to somehow find an additional 15 hours in a week to perform those duties. Since it is impossible to put more time into a week, one is left with only one option devise a system of creative and thoughtful time management. When embarking upon the implementation of a successful time-management system, one has to deal with the irony that it takes time to create an effective time management system. It is suggested by many time management professionals that one must first begin by making a list of priorities and keeping a daily log of his or her activities hour-by-hour for one week. Many people are not aware of how they are spending their time; therefore the idea behind keeping a daily log is to gain a clear idea of exactly how your time is being spent. There are usually blocks of time revealed in a person's day or week that are not being used optimally, i.e., time that is not being used to address priorities. If one is spending time on activities that do not rank highly on his or her priority list then he or she should start replacing those activities with ones that do. If the time log only reveals eight hours that could be used differently during the week, then in effect one has gained eight hours for that week. It may not seem like much time, but if looked at over a four-week period, then thirty-two hours have been gained for use on priorities. Other suggestions for better time management include keeping a journal, using a day-planner or breaking big projects into smaller projects so that the rewarding sense-of-accomplishment is felt more often. Take, for instance, Jane, a wife and working mother of two that decides to go to college at night in order to earn her degree and get ahead at the office. Let's say her husband also works fulltime and her children attend public school. Before noon, her lunch hour at the office, she must accomplish the following: shower, get ready for work, get the kids up and dressed for school, do a load of clothes, get breakfast on the table, kids to school, meetings at 9 am and 11 am, check voicemail and email, get draft of proposal to boss, call restaurants for business luncheon that's in two days. She has about three and a half hours at the office, but only about one and a half hours to get the proposal done, check voicemail and email and call the restaurants. Managing her time correctly will keep this day from running away from her. Let's see how she does it. She's up at 6:30 am in order to shower and layout her and her children's clothes and get dressed herself. She then wakes the kids at 7 and puts the clothes in the dryer while they're getting dressed (her husband put the clothes in the wash before he left at 6). She then heads to the kitchen where she lays out bowls, spoons, cereal and milk, organizes the kids' lunches and sits down with her cup of coffee (again, her husband made it before he left for work) while waiting for the kids. The kids finish breakfast and rinse their bowls and spoons and within fifteen minutes of getting to the kitchen table, they're all heading out the door. Kids are dropped off promptly at 8:15am and Jane arrives at work at 8:30 am. From 8:30 am until 8:50 am, Jane checks her voicemail and email and organizes her files for her 9 am meeting, then heads over to the conference room. She completes her proposal, calls the restaurants and grabs another cup of coffee on her way to her 11 am meeting. Meeting is over lunchtime, time to relax that's what you think. Jane has a to-do list that's going to take at least two hours to complete or will it? She has to get these things done and back to the office in one hour: pick up cash for sitter tonight, pick up three birthday gifts, buy her daughter a notebook, pens and a new backpack for school tomorrow, eat, get oil changed and pick up son's asthma prescription. Well, Super Jane is at it again, she headed to the grocery store/pharmacy and picked up her

son's prescription, three gift cards for various stores to be given as birthday gifts, a salad and enough money for the baby-sitter to take her daughter to the store tonight to get her pens, notebook and new backpack. Now, off to Jiffy Lube where she will eat her salad while waiting for her oil to be changed. In summation, the benefits of time management can be life altering. As one finds ways to get more done with the time available to them, it can lead to an increase in overall self-confidence and a more positive outlook on life. Effective time management is also a very useful tool that can help to reduce stress in day-to-day life. If effective time management becomes a part of one's life then he or she can find ways to juggle family, career, personal time and education. In essence, effective time management can lead to success.
(2005, 02). Time Management & Family Issues. StudyMode.com. Retrieved 02, 2005, from http://www.studymode.com/essays/Time-Management-Family-Issues-46393.html

Time Management ABSTRACT Time management is about taking control of one of the most valuable resources we have, our time.It is an essential tool for stress reduction, success, and perhaps even survival, especially in today's society of increasing demands on a much leaner workforce. This increasing workload is not hypothetical, but, is in fact, a reality. Time management also proves to be beneficial to individuals outside of the workplace, given the fact that most employees have just as many or more demands on their time away from work. Developing and utilizing good time management skills is key to managing personal stress levels. Mastering time management skills results in less stress by allowing individuals to regain a sense of control over their environment. There have been numerous time management techniques developed over the years. It is really up to each individual to determine which one best suits his or her needs and expectations. The key to being successful with any time management technique is that it must be used on a daily basis. CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION The idea of time management has been in existence since long back. Unfortunately the term "Time management" creates a false impression of what a person is able to do. Time can't be managed, time is uncontrollable we can only manage ourselves and our use of time. Time management is actually self management. It's interesting that the skills we need to manage others are the same skills we need to manage ourselves: the ability to plan, delegate, organise, direct and control. Time management has been a bigger challenge in today's world where life seems to be a speeding train that stops for no one. Keeping up with that train becomes ever harder each day and is up to us to plan properly to catch and board that train. One author states that "the absence of proper time management skills and the accompanying mental and physical clutter can be, at best, frustrating and, at worst, debilitating, it is as curable as a toothache" (Dlaboha, 2002:28). The importance of time management is a key goal in the success of our life today and gives us the opportunity for improvement .

CHAPTER 2 TIME MANAGEMENT For some managing their time is a way of life. For others time management is an afterthought.There are many factors that need to be considered when incorporating effective time management into our lives. Some of these factors include evaluating how effectively we use our time. Other factors include being able to recognize obstacles, identifying and managing stress, and employ specific time management tools to help in successful time management.

There are several specific time management tools such as journaling that includes, time tables, action plans, activity logs, time estimates, and prioritised to do lists. To start we want to list all the things we need to get done for the upcoming day or week, keeping in mind that any appointments that we may already have scheduled. Obviously all tasks are not created equal, some tasks are going to be a higher priority than others so we should make sure to prioritize the tasks. A to do list doesn't do any good if we don't refer back to it, so it is necessary to carry it with us and get the satisfaction of marking off completed task. We should review our list at the end of the day and make any adjustments that may be needed. Setting goals, either short term or long term is essential for time management. Often we can get so caught up in the day-to-day minutia that we forget about the big picture, our goals. Goals can be as simple as getting to work on time or as complex as starting your own business. Short term and long term goals should always be a part of our lives, to imagine individuals' going through life without goals is unimaginable. Goals should be personal and obtainable. We may have daily goals, for instance, I will be on time to morning staff meetings. Then we should establish shortterm goals, which are goals that we want to achieve in a year or less. Long-term goals are normally goals that we would want to achieve in five years or less. What does goal setting have to do with time management? Everything if we want to ever meet those goals! If we don't properly schedule the time to accomplish goals or keep our goals in the fore front of our life they can get put on hold or even lost in the day-to-day hassles. We must break our goals down into doable chunks so we can see progress. It is important to keep the big picture of what we want to achieve in sight. As a part of effective time management, reviewing and evaluating both our short and long-term goals needs to be frequently accomplished. (Mind Tools, 2005) Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto understood the importance of prioritizing: His Pareto Principle, or 80-20 Rule, suggests that individuals should concentrate 80% of their time on the top 20% of their priorities. In doing so, he argued, individuals would complete at least 80% of what needed to be done. (Gregg, 1991) . (The Teal Trust, 2002) While the ability to organize and to prioritize various tasks is simple enough as shown in the figure 2.1 above, yet the capability to initiate and implement such a series proves to be difficult for most. The unconscious menace of procrastination is a constant variable eventually leading to the demise of a triumphant time management system. To counteract this often troublesome barrier, one must make a, "To do" list with prioritise variables, as shown in figure, illustrating the importance of each task listed in the series, using "Quadrant 1" for Urgent and Important, "Quadrant 2" for Important but Not Urgent, "Quadrant 3" for Urgent but not Important. ,"Quadrant 4"for neither Urgent nor Important. (The Teal Trust, 2002). Following this system of prioritising tasks can help overcome time wasters and make our tasks go on smoothly. Most importantly, the realisation must be that, procrastination may be deeper than the lack of ability to organize the day, says Elizabeth Coote Weymann, an associate professor of management at Loyola University in New Orleans, who has conducted research on what causes people to procrastinate. According to Weymann, time management seminars may not be the answer for those people who always put things off until later. And she advises those who

manage procrastinators to involve these staff members in all phases of the planning and execution stages of a project. Management must consider this to motivate employees that tend to be procrastinators; this will increase their need to function at desired levels established by the company. They should be made responsible for as many decisions regarding the project as possible since they are put charge of their time; if a procrastinator understands that timeliness of performance is directly tied to the company's reward structure [praise, positive performance reviews, promotions or raises], they will want to plug into the department's agenda much more consistently. (Weymann,1988) Taking special attention to your time and creating a good schedule can help overcome stress and procrastination and help motivate you as well. One must take notes on how we currently manage our time. If one hits the snooze button more than twice when he wakes up in the morning. He should notice the number of times he checks what time it is. One must take note on how many times one reviews something before turning it in as a final project. Getting an idea on one's current strategies can help to improve and polish those skills. It can help to revise one's schedule and allot more time to important tasks. As an inference, good time management skills can help us succeed in life. We need to keep good schedule habits and develop techniques to overcome stress and procrastination. We can use various strategies new and old to accomplish our goals. It must be remembered that we can overcome failure and stay motivated to complete our tasks. Keep from procrastination, avoid stress when ever possible, stay motivated on accomplishing our goals, and believe in ourselves that we can achieve our goals. If we take our time and focus on these things, we can catch that runaway train, we call "time", climb aboard, and relax in a nice comfortable seat while we finish our trip to success. CHAPTER 3 CONCLUSION Time analysis will provide the seasoned manager or professional or an individual to identify certain aspects in his/her daily business as well as personal routine, enabling time efficiency to be utilizing to the maximal. Some of the direct, "benefits of conducting a time analysis are (a) improved time management skills, (b) improved services, (c) evidence of effectiveness, and (d) enhanced professional image." (Fairchild, 1994:273) The significance in this type of analysis is to realign or setup a plan of action when it comes to managing time wisely and keeping one on task. In essence, " Using time analyses, can improve the quality and quantity of their service relatively quickly." (Fairchild, 1994:273) Time management or self management is not a hard subject to understand, but unless one is committed to build time management techniques into one's daily routine one will only achieve partial or no results. The lesson to learn is that the more time we spend planning our time and activities the more time we will have for those activities. By setting goals and eliminating time wasters and doing this everyday we may find we will have extra time for recreation and for the

things we have always wanted to do. In conclusion, time analysis identifies strong and weak points in ones daily life cycle to enable one to develop an appreciation for prioritizing responsibility, in respect to time. One will be successful in time management if the different skills and techniques are used in complete confidence and constant practice. REFERENCES Dlaboha, I. 2002, Managing your time. The Information Source for Managers and DSRS, 38(2), pp28-34. Fairchild, Thomas N. and Seeley, Tracey J. 1994, Time analysis: Still an important accountability tool. Vol. 41 Issue 4, p273, 8p. Gregg, E. 1991, Getting a grip on time, Black Enterprise, Vol. 21 Issue 6, p59, 2p. Mind Tools. 2005, Personal Goal Setting-Planning to Live Your life Your Way',online, date accessed: 30th June 2005.Available from: http://www.mindtools.com/page6.html The Teal Trust. 2002, Time Management',online, date accessed: 5th July 2005.Available from: http://www.teal.org.uk/EasyPrint/eptime.htm Coote-Weymann, E.1988, Procrastination in the workplace: Dispositional and situational determinants of delay behavior at work'. Paper presented at the Academy of Management Proceedings licensed to University of New Brunswick. BIBLIOGRAPHY Fowler, Kelie, It's Goal Setting Time Again' Mind Tools, 30 December 2004. Lakein, Alan. 1973, How to Get Control of Your Time and Your Life, New American Group Library a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., New York, New York. Morgenstern, Julie. 2000, Time Management Inside Out, Fitzhenry & Whiteside Ltd, Ontario,Canada. Sibler, Lee. 1998, Time Management for the Creative Person, Three Rivers Press, New York, New York.
(2007, 07). Time Management. StudyMode.com. Retrieved 07, 2007, from http://www.studymode.com/essays/Time-Management-118723.html

Procrastination refers to the act of needlessly delaying a task until the point of some discomfort, which is a behavior problem that many adults experience on a regular basis (Ferrari, Johnson, & McCown, 1995). Procrastinators may let pleasurable activities get in the way of high-priority tasks. They may socialize instead of studying, or watch television instead of researching and writing that paper that's due next week. Most people who procrastinate do it to escape tasks that are unpleasant, difficult, or boring. For example, you may start cleaning out your closet to put off studying for an upcoming exam. People who procrastinate tend to have poor timemanagement skills. Let's say you have a 10 page term paper due in a month, and you have no idea what you're going to write about or how you'll do the research. You can't imagine how you'll ever finish, so you put off starting. Psychologists believe that procrastination may be due to a combination of anxiety and false beliefs about productivity. Procrastination is not just an issue of time management or laziness. It's about feeling paralyzed and guilty as you channel surf, knowing you should be reading, or working on that investment strategy. Tim Pychyl, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, conducted a study and found that students with procrastination problems first reported anxiety and guilt because they didn't start their projects but reported more positive emotions once they began their work. Pychyl also found that procrastination is detrimental to physical health. College students who procrastinate have higher levels of drinking, smoking, insomnia, stomach problems, colds, and flu (Szalavitz, 2003). The idea that time pressure improves performance is the most common myth among procrastinators. "Many procrastinators are convinced that they work better under pressure, or they'll feel better about tackling the work later. But it seems like tomorrow never comes and lastminute work is often poor-quality," according to Joseph Ferrari, associate professor of psychology at Chicago's De Paul University. Also "the main reason people procrastinate is fear," says Neil Fiore, Ph.D., author of The Now Habit. Procrastinators fear they'll fall short because they don't have the talent or skills. "They get overwhelmed and they're afraid they'll look stupid." According to Ferrari, "Procrastinators would rather be seen as lacking in effort than lacking in ability", (Szalavitz, 2003). For example if you flunk a calculus exam, it seems better to blame it on the fact that you only had a half hour to study, than to admit that you could have gotten tutored since the beginning of the semester. Another reason of procrastination is people who are perfectionist. Procrastinators tend to be perfectionists and they're in overdrive because they're insecure. People who do their best because they want to win don't procrastinate; but those who feel they must be perfect to please others often put things off. Self-control is another issue of procrastination. People who are impulsive may not be able to prioritize intentions, says Pychyl. So, while writing a term paper you break for a snack and see a spill in the refrigerator, which leads to cleaning the whole kitchen. Some view procrastination as thrill-seeking and enjoy the adrenaline "rush". These people find perverse satisfaction when the finish their taxes just minutes before midnight on April 15 and rush to the post office just before it closes. Task-related anxieties also contribute to procrastination. It can be associated with specific situations. "Humans avoid the difficult and boring," says Fiore. Even the least likely individuals to procrastinate, put off taxes and visits to the dentist. Ambiguous directions and vague priorities increase procrastination. The boss who asserts that everything is high priority and due yesterday is more likely to be kept waiting. Supervisors who insist on "prioritizing the Jones project and using the Smith plan as a model"

see greater productivity. Lastly, several symptoms of depression feed procrastination. Decisionmaking is another problem. Because depressed people can't feel much pleasure, all options seem equally bleak, which makes getting started difficult and pointless (Szalavitz, 2003). Procrastination doesn't start when you become a college student or are in the work force, it starts in childhood. It's normal to occasionally have to remind kids to get themselves ready, feed the pet or do their chores and homework on time. Children are considered procrastinators if they frequently need to be reminded, yet they still don't do what they are supposed to do or finally do it after a nightmare of tears, arguments or some other kind of emotional upheaval. The five year old who dawdles getting ready for school in the morning or the teenager who can't get started on his or her homework are each wrestling, at their own level, with some of the same kinds of issues-being unmotivated, uninterested, feeling overwhelmed, not knowing where to start and, sometimes, delighting in pushing some adult's anger button (Emmett, 2004). Some causes of procrastination in children are, fear of failure, fear of being judged, criticized or punished, fear of being rejected, of not living up to expectations, always wanting to excel and never wanting to make a mistake. Another cause of procrastination in children is perfectionism. Everything has to be perfectly in place before these children start on anything, or their work is never good enough to be considered finished. Fear of success is also another big cause of children procrastinating. In many schools, if you're smart, you might be thought of as a nerd; if you're a hard worker you may be called the "teacher's pet". Some children fear that if they succeed at something, they will be expected to do it again. There is also the fear of the "unknown" or change. Dawdling before going someplace may be a sign of fear, especially in young children. For example, children may put off packing to go to Grandma's house because they don't know who they'll be able to play with while there or if the uncle that teases them will be there (Emmett, 2004). Lastly, children of authoritarian parents are prone to procrastinate. Pychyl speculates that children with such parents postpone choices because their decisions are usually criticized, or made for them (Szalavitz, 2003). Most research on procrastination had focused on college students. Researchers have estimated that anywhere from 46% (Solomon & Rothblum, 1984) to 95% (Ellis & Knaus, 1977) of college students regularly procrastinate on academic assignments. Research finding suggest that, the longer students are in college, the more they tend to procrastinate (Semb, Glick, & Spencer, 1979), although most students perceive such behavior as a problem that they would like to eliminate (Solomon & Rothblum, 1984). In addition, procrastination has been associated with a variety of difficulties, including test anxiety, missed deadlines for assignments, poor semester grades, depressed affect, low self-esteem, and social anxiety (e.g., Beswick, Rothbun, & Mann, 1988; Ferrari, 1991; Ferrari et aL, 1995; 1986, 1987; Lay & Burns, 1991; Solomon & Rothblum, 1984). In one article I read, the authors investigated the effects of locus of control expectancies and task difficulty on procrastination. Locus of control refers to a generalized expectancy reflecting the degree to which individuals perceive consequences as contingent on their own behavior and abilities ( internal control) rather than on some external force such as luck, chance, fate, or powerful others (external control; Rotter, 1990). In the experiment, Forty-two college students were administered an academic locus of control scale and a task that was similar to a typical college homework assignment. The students were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 task difficulty levels. Although none of the results involving task difficulty was significant, several results

involving locus of control were significant. Specifically, analyses revealed that students with internal locus of control expectancies tended to begin working on the assignment sooner than the students with external locus of control expectancies. In addition, students with internal locus of control completed and returned the assignment sooner than students with external locus of control. Research has indicated that procrastination involves more than poor time management skills. Rather, it involves a combination of affective, behavioral, and cognitive factors (Ferrari et al.,1995; Solomon & Rothblum, 1984). The results are consistent with the predictions based on Rotter's (196, 1975, 1982) social learning theory for behavioral differences between individuals with internal or external locus of control expectancies. The individuals who perceived a contingent relation between their behavior and environmental consequences procrastinated less than the individuals who perceived consequences as contingent on external factors such as luck, chance or fate. Given that locus of control expectancies can be measured reliably by the time children are of preschool age (e.g., Mischel, Zeiss, & Zeiss, 1974; Skinner, 1986; Stephens & Delys, 1974)- and probably before procrastination habits develop- one can conclude that locus of control precedes and contributes to procrastination. In another article I read it said that about 20-30% of college students and the general population consider procrastination to be a significant problem related to impairments in personal, occupational, and financial well-being (e.g. Ferrari, Johnson, & McCown, 1995). Procrastination may impede academic performance in several ways. First, some procrastinators cope with the anxiety and threat of initiating tasks by actively avoiding them until there is insufficient time to perform optimally (Schouwenburg, 1995). Second, procrastinators might underestimate the amount of time required for specific tasks; consequently they may not invest the time and effort necessary for performing well (McCown, 1986). Moreover, procrastinators may perform less well due to unforeseen obstacles or delays. Compared to non-procrastinators who are more likely to have sufficient time to complete tasks to a satisfactory extent when setbacks arise, such delays may result in failure among procrastinators (Ferrari et al, 1995). Finally although procrastinators often assert that they work best under pressure, the stress associated with attempting to meet a fast-approaching deadline can also impede optimal performance (Tice & Baumeister, 1997). In a longitudinal study, Tice and Baumeister (1997) found procrastinators had the short term benefits of decreased stress and fever illnesses early in the semester but reported higher levels of stress and illness later in the semester and received lower grades on a term paper and two exams compared to non-procrastinators. Aside from its negative impact on performance on specific assignments, preliminary evidence suggests procrastination also affects overall academic performance in college (e.g., Ferrari et al, 1995; Wesley, 1994). For example, in Wesley's (1994) study, procrastination accounted for significant variance in college grade point average, after controlling for SAT scores and average grades earned in high school. How can procrastination be overcome? First of all, increased awareness of the behavior is a starting point, as in any behavioral change. Second, to overcome avoidance behavior, anything that can help to make a task less threatening or more pleasant may help. Planning may help to make a distant outcome more tangible through the mental representation of processes that lead to the outcome (Pham & Taylor, 1999). This may help to strengthen volition that is, consciously choosing to act according to the longer term outcome rather than distracting oneself (Van Eerde, 2000).

Some more tips for conquering procrastination are 1) to have a time plan. You should write down everything you have to do and an estimated time to complete the task. 2) Prioritize your list. The assignment due tomorrow would come first, practicing an instrument might be in the middle, and dusting the living room comes last. 3) Break the jobs into manageable parts. This lets you concentrate on one small step at a time. Then the task won't seem overwhelming. Divide your term paper into research, organizing notes, first draft, second draft, and final draft. 4) Give yourself a goal and deadline for each task. Make sure your goals are realistic, like if you got a D on the last test, work for a C not an A. 5) Tell someone what your deadline is. Most people don't want to disappoint others, so once you tell your friend or your parents that your paper will be finished in two weeks, you'll strive to reach that goal. 6) Reward yourself. When the paper is finished, go to a movie with your friends (Gard, 1999). When it comes to children you can help them talk about procrastination and try to uncover what they might be afraid of. For example, many people confuse a standard of perfection-if something isn't perfect it's worthless-with a standard of excellence that values high-quality results. Explain to the child that excellence is achievable, perfection seldom is. Show your child how to identify negative messages that are part of his of her "self-talk" such as "everybody must love and approve of me all the time." This contributes to procrastination and sabotages fun and a sense of joy or achievement. Also deal with the "unknown." With younger children especially, take them for visits to strange places ahead of time, show them where they will eat, where the bathroom is and how they can reach you, and talk about how normal it is to be afraid of change and the unknown (Emmett, 2004). Lastly, some time management tips specifically for students, according to Muskingum College's Center for Advancement of Learning are to 1) Set priorities- school and your classes should be your first priority and should come before any other activities like going to the movies or partying. 2) Take responsibility- be proactive and divide your tasks into two groupsoverwhelming and small. Do the small tasks first and work your way up to the more difficult ones. 3) Be realistic- don't get involved in too many organizations or activities where you're spreading yourself too thin. 4) Make a schedule- use organizers, calendars, planners, or "to do lists" to set schedules and list all your schoolwork and the date it's due. Having an organized workplace or desk area also helps you to get things done effectively. And 5) get motivated- work with a friend to motivate each other. Sometimes working with other students can help you get your work done on time (Holder, 2003). In conclusion, procrastination can take a surprisingly high toll on your life, causing stress, illness, or low self-esteem. It can also keep you from attaining your goals and fulfilling your dreams. Procrastination uses up emotional energy that could be put into doing work. You feel guilty when you're not working because you know there's so much work to do. Once you start procrastinating, it's hard to get started on task. If you follow the tips given above for time management you will reduce your stress levels, become better organized, and have higherquality work. We can be thankful that procrastination isn't fatal. It has nothing to do with intelligence or ability. As stated by the author of an article, Carolyn J. Gard (1999) says, "Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday. Wouldn't you rather keep up with tomorrow?" (Gard, 1999). References:

1) Szalavitz, Maia; Stand and Deliver; Psychology Today. New York: August 2003. Vol.36, Iss. 4; pg 50. 2) Ellis, A., & Knaus, W.J.(1997). Overcoming Procrastination. New York: Institute for Rational Living. 3) Ferrari, J.R. (1991). Compulsive procrastination: Some self-reported characteristics. Psychological Reports, 68, 455-458. 4) Lay, C.H. (1986). At last my research article on procrastination. Journal of Research in Personality, 20, 474-495. 5) Lay, C.H. (1987). A model profile of analysis of procrastination: A search for types. Personality and Individual Differences, 8, 705-714. 6) Lay, C.H., & Bums, P. A(1991). Intentions and behavior in studying for an examination: The role of trait procrastination and its interaction with optimism. Journal of Social Behavior and Personality, 6, 605-617. 7) Rotter, J.B. (1990). Internal versus external control of reinforcement: A case history of a variable. American Psychologist, 45, 489-493. 8) Semb, G., Glick, D.M., & Spencer, R.E. (1979). Student withdrawals and delayed work patterns in self-paced psychology courses. Teaching of Psychology, 6, 23-25. 9) Solomon, L.J., & Rothblum, E.D. (1984). Academic procrastination: Frequency and cognitivebehavioral correlates. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 31, 503-509. 10) Ferrari, J.R., Johnson, J.L., & McCown, W.G. (1995). Treatment of Academic Procrastination in college students. In J.R. Ferrari, J.L. Johnson, & W.G. McCown, (Eds.), Procrastination and task avoidance: Theory, research, and treatment.(pp.187-208). New York: Plenum. 11) Schouwenburg, H.(1995). Academic procrastination: Theoretical notions, measurement, and research. In J.R. Ferrari, J.L. Johnson, & W.G. McCown, (Eds.), Procrastination and task avoidance: Theory, research, and treatment. (pp.71-96). New York: Plenum. 12) Tice, D.M., & Baumeister, R.F. (1997). Longitudinal study of procrastination, performance, stress, and health: The costs and benefits of dawdling. Psychological Science, 8, 454-458. 13) Emmett, R. Why Children procrastination and how to cope. Work and Family Life. New York: Oct 2004. Vol.18, Iss. 10; pg. 3. 14) Holder, Sherie. This Can't wait. Black Enterprise. New York: March 2003. Vol.33, Iss. 8; pg. S12. 15) Gard, Carolyn J. Getting over the "I'll do it tomorrow" blues. Current Health 2. Stamford: Oct 1999. Vol. 26, Iss. 2; pg 22. 16) Pham, L.B., & Taylor, S.E. (1999). From thought to action: Effects of process versus outcome-based mental stimulations on performance. Personality and Sociality Psychology Bulletin,25, 250-260. 17) Van Eerde, W. (2000). Procrastination: Self-regulation in initiating aversive goals. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 49, 372-389.
(2005, 12). Procrastination and Time Management Skills. StudyMode.com. Retrieved 12, 2005, from http://www.studymode.com/essays/Procrastination-And-Time-Management-Skills-75007.html