We asked 283 students; it seemed that 43% just didn’t have enough hours in their day. And another 38% had so much time in the day that they felt bored. Only 19% were making the most of their time; they were in control of their time. What about you? Which category do you fall in most of the days?

Have you heard Time = Money? Do you believe it is true?

Imagine that a Genie gives you Rs. 86400 every day. What will you do with it? Think. Think. The only catch is that you can’t save this money. You can’t even loan it to anybody else. You can definitely not borrow it from others. But people can steal or rob you of your money. You may even waste your money. How will you handle the money you get every day?

Similarly, we all get 86400 seconds every day. Isn’t it? Each one of us. Some of us make the most out of it on some days, and some don’t. Would you like to use this unreturnable gift of 86400 efficiently and effectively? Please read on.

Time management is all about managing yourself and your tasks in the time on hand. It is the process of organising and planning how to divide your time between specific activities.

Good time management enables you to work smarter, so that you get more done in less time, even when time is tight, and pressures are high.

It can also provide a sense of achievement from fulfilling goals. For example, you might plan to complete an assignment by Friday so that you can spend more time with your friends on the weekend. Failing to manage your time damages your effectiveness and causes stress.

Time Management is a skill that helps you to:

• Plan your tasks well: You know how your day looks by way of a calendar or Do List – You have a picture of how most of your day is planned.
• Complete Tasks on time – This allows you to complete more in less time because your attention is focused, and you are not wasting time on distractions like social media, overthinking etc
• Reduce stress: Those last minute struggles of completing your school projects, prep for tests, and homework can be pretty draining. Effective time management can reduce these occasions, help you enjoy learning and stay energetic throughout the day.
• Use your time productively during daily chores and schoolwork: It helps you stay engaged with training and complete your study assignments well within timelines.
• Have more time for your Hobbies: You will have more time free for pursuing activities that are important to you, such as sports, hobbies and spending time with friends and family.

Good time management requires a significant shift in focus from activities to results: being busy isn’t the same as being effective. Following quick and impactful tools can help you plan your day well and enjoy your activities:

A lot can be learnt about time management. Let’s begin with the basics—the 3 Ps of Time Management.

Plan in advance:

• Create your own Weekly & Monthly Calendars:

Adding your school and after school activities to a virtual or physical calendar will help you see what your days will look like. The earlier you start learning about calendaring, the more independent and organised you will become.

• Create a Daily To-Do list:

The best thing to reduce stress during the day is to create a daily to-do list. Daily, you generally follow the same routine, so why not make a To-Do list. Hold yourself responsible for finishing off the tasks. Strike out what’s done and carry forward the rest to the next day. When you forget any of your daily activities go back to your to-do list and do it.

• Set Reminders for important Tasks: Exercise, Learning, etc.:

Get into the habit of setting reminders for essential tasks by ways of an alarm clock, phones, calendars etc. Make time for essential tasks like physical activity on a daily basis.  A healthy body and mind help us stay energetic, focussed, active and vibrant the entire day to complete all our daily tasks. So take at least 60 minutes out for exercises of your choice.

Prepare for success:

• Designate a Study Zone:

Designating a study zone will help you complete your studies, projects, homework etc., without being distracted. It will make your studies more fun.

• Arrange resources for Important tasks in advance:

If you plan in advance, you can even arrange resources for important tasks or hobbies, friends, family etc… Keep weekends for an extended time with your hobbies, friends and family – Ensure these are part of your daily calendar.

• Create your strategy to handle time stealers & robbers:

The best way to eliminate wasting time (stealing/robbing the time not to perform an activity) is by developing a strategy or routine. You should get organised, plan the day and use reminders and timers.

Practice a routine:

• Take regular and timed breaks:

Breaks are essential to keep you active, focussed and energetic. You can decide and time your Breaks by putting reminders using alarms. It’s important to get your well-deserved breaks.

• Establish a Meal and Sleep discipline:

Setting regular meal times will not only help you become more aware of time, but will also ensure time spent together as a family. Meal and sleep times should be an important part of your calendar.

• Establish rules for Screen time, interactions with Friends and Family & hobbies:

We all know it’s not good to be glued to a screen all day. You can decide and stick to rules for the use of phones, TV, music devices and social media. You can even pledge to stop using all screens at least 30-45 minutes before bedtime. Time for Family, Friends and Hobbies can also be planned and plotted in your calendar.

Case Study:

It’s Sunday evening, and you are just back from a family outing. Tomorrow a new week is starting – Monday indeed looks very busy, and you have a lot of things to do. You don’t want to miss any of the activities but are a little worried that you may fall short of time.

You have school classes for 3 hours in the morning, from 10:00 a.m.

You have promised to go shopping for books and clothes along with your mom. In addition to it, you have a close friend’s birthday party in the evening and a family dinner to attend.

You also have enrolled yourself in the robotics class, which is at 4:00 p.m.

As part of sports, football is a daily activity for you. You usually play football with your friends in the evening.

So, with all these activities, how would you plan your day effectively? (Select any tools/tips from THE 3 P’s of Time Management you wish to try and make a plan and share with us)

1. Plan in advance
2. Prepare for success
3.  Practices a routine

Post your response in the comments below.

newadmin