Sameer was a very lazy boy and always postponed things. His father tried to make him understand the value of time. Sameer promised his father that he would never postpone his tasks. One day, he won the first prize in a singing competition. He was asked to collect the prize on the same day. He did not care and went to collect the prize the next day. But the prize was now useless for him, as it was a ticket to a circus show for the previous day.
Time management is the ability to plan and control how you spend the hours of your day well and do all that you want to do (Figure). An example of good time management skills would be when you decide to finish your homework immediately after school so you have time to watch TV later in the evening.
Example and Non-example of Time Management
Time management is the thinking skill that helps you to
- complete tasks on time.
- make a daily timetable.
- make a good guess at how long it will take you to do something.
- submit homework and assignments before or on time.
- not waste time during the day.
Four Steps for Effective Time Management
Tips for practicing the four steps for effective time management are as follows:
- Avoid delay or postponing any planned activity
- Organise your room and school desk
- Develop a ‘NO DISTURBANCE ZONE’ where you can sit and complete important tasks
- Use waiting time productively
- Prepare a ‘to-do’ list
- Prioritise
- Replace useless activities with productive activities
