What is Time Management

What is time management?

When I ask this question in time management workshops or seminars, many people say that they think time management is about about planners, a time management system, or a technique.

While these can be important tools for time management, time management is something quite different.

To answer the question: "What is time management" requires us to look at what is time and the activities that are managed with respect to time.
A definition of time management may change for people in different workplaces or with different work requirements.

Here I discuss what is time management, and time management resources to reap the benefits of time management.

What is time management?

It can't be gained or saved. Once it is gone, it is gone forever!

Irrespective of who we are or what we do, time marches on at 60 minutes and hour, 24 hours a day.

So what is time management?

Time management is really SELF management or LIFE management.

It is about managing ourselves and our activities in relation to time.

This raises the stakes of time management.

Rather than viewing time management as managing "to do lists" and other organizers, our response to the question "What is Time Management" is that is actually about managing your life in the most effective manner possible.

Is it time that we need to manage?

Time management statistics show what many have all felt - stressed and overwhelmed.

The time management industry has worked hard to sell us time management techniques that save time.

While they may shave seconds off here or hours off there, to benefit from these time management techniques requires discipline and a change of personal habit.

Richard Koch in his book the '80:20 Principle' argues that by adhering to a time management system can give you time savings up to 25%

So we may use a time management system only to become more efficient in the 80% of time that yields 20% of results.

This can be like climbing the ladder, only to reach the top and realize your ladder is leaning up against the wrong building. If this sounds familiar - personal goal setting will be beneficial for you.

The real problem is that 20% of our time yields 80% of results, and that 80% of our time yields only 20% of results.

This means that a large slice of the average work week may be wasted.

If you are working 40 hours a week and struggling to get through your tasks then it is important to find the 20% of time that is spent on tasks that contribute to 80% of your results.

So when we talk about what is time management it is more about trying to spend more time doing doing those activities that yield 80% of results.

This means that a lack of time may not be the real enemy but rather a lack of priorities or how you devote your time to these priorities. These time management activities can help you to ensure you spend more time on tasks that yield good returns.

Time management exercise: How much is your time worth? We feel that time is more important than money, but putting a cost on your time can be beneficial. How much is procrastination or other timewasters costing you? What are dollar benefits from a time management system or delegation?This time management exercise puts a dollar cost on your time.

The clock and the compass

In Stephen Covey's book 'First Things First' he talks about the clock and the compass.

The clock are the activities, the appointments and the tasks that fill up our day.

On the other hand, the compass is the importance that tasks take on and the direction that we want our lives to take.

A tension occurs when there is a gap between the compass and the clock - when we spend our time doing what isn't an important contribution to our lives. In short when we spend time on wrong tasks - our less important tasks.

So to answer the questions "what is time management?" may require a change in the way that you view time.

Rather than trying to shave off seconds on tasks and schedules, greater benefits of time management may come from using your compass and lining up your top priorities and ensuring you spend your time in these areas.

These time management videos and time management powerpoint presentations are good sources of time management information that you can use to ensure you are doing your most important tasks.

To manage your activities in the most effective way possible, we believe you need to make a conscious decision about how best to use the time that you have.

But perhaps more important is where you choose to spend your time.

Importance of Time Management Articles

Time Management Sheets: Time Management Templates to Record Your Time Management Goals

Books on Time Management: Time Management Books for Time Management Information and Practical Time Management Tips