Students aspiring for any professional course need to value time to reach the pinnacle of success and stay firmly entrenched at the top says Dr Tsaduk Hussain Itoo.
It is rightly said “Time and Tide wait for none”. An individual should understand the value of time for him to succeed in all aspects of life. People who waste time are the ones who fail to create an identity of their own.
Definition of Time
Management
Time Management refers to managing time effectively so that the right time is allocated to the right activity. Effective time management allows individuals to assign specific time slots to activities as per their importance. Time Management refers to making the best use of time as time is always limited. Time Management plays a very important role not only in organizations but also in our personal lives.
Time Management workflow
Effective Planning
Plan your day well in advance. Prepare a To Do List or a “TASK PLAN”. Jot down the important activities that need to be done in a single day against the time that should be allocated to each activity. High Priority work should come on top followed by those which do not need much of your importance at the moment. Complete pending tasks one by one. Do not begin fresh work unless you have finished your previous task. Tick the ones you have already completed. Ensure you finish the tasks within the stipulated time frame.
Setting Goals and Objectives
Working without goals and targets in an organization would be similar to a situation where the captain of the ship loses his way in the sea. Yes, you would be lost. Set targets for yourself and make sure they are realistic ones and achievable.
Setting Deadlines
Set deadlines for yourself and strive hard to complete tasks ahead of the deadlines. Do not wait for your superiors to ask you everytime. Learn to take ownership of work. One person who can best set the deadlines is you yourself. Ask yourself how much time needs to be devoted to a particular task and for how many days. Use a planner to mark the important dates against the set deadlines.
Delegation of
Responsibilities
Learn to say “NO” at workplace. Don’t do everything on your own. There are other people as well. One should not accept something which he knows is difficult for him. The roles and responsibilities must be delegated as per interest and specialization of employees for them to finish tasks within deadlines. A person who does not have knowledge about something needs more time than someone who knows the work well.
Prioritizing Tasks
Prioritize the tasks as per their importance and urgency. Know the difference between important and urgent work. Identify which tasks should be done within a day, which all should be done within a month and so on. Tasks which are most important should be done earlier.
Spending the right time on
right activity
Develop the habit of doing the right thing at the right time. Work done at the wrong time is not of much use. Don’t waste a complete day on something which can be done in an hour or so. Also keep some time separate for your personal calls or checking updates on Facebook or Twitter. After all human being is not a machine.
Some time management tips
for students
Students aspiring for any professional course need to value time to reach the pinnacle of success and stay firmly entrenched at the top.
Set a goal for yourself. Know what you want to achieve in life. Take a pen and paper and write down where you want to see yourself five years from now. Setting an objective for yourself gives you a sense of direction.
Organize your study space. Arrange books and study material properly at their respective places. Stationery items must not be scattered on the table.
Plan your studies. Understand what all subjects are important and need to be done first. Go through your syllabus carefully. Find out the weightage of each subject and prepare a Task plan accordingly. Jot down what all subjects you think should be covered in a single day against specific time slots. Make sure you cover important topics first and then come to relatively easier ones. Beginning your day with something which is not that important is a sheer waste of time.
Tick off subjects you have already completed. Give yourself a pat on your back.Remember self motivation is one of the greatest tools for success.
Avoid munching while studying. Prefer fruits, salads rather than calorie laden burgers, wafers, pizza etc. They make you feel sleepy and also add to your weight.
Do a SWOT Analysis of yourself
There is no harm in writing your weaknesses. Understand in which all areas you need to work hard. Ignoring difficult subjects is of no use. You have to do them anyways.Assign extra time to critical subjects. Be logical.
Remove all sources of distractions from your study zone. Prefer not to keep magazines, comics, novels, CDs, video games in your study room. Studying and watching television simultaneously is nothing but a waste of time.
Do include some time for relaxation as well. No individual can study continuously at a stretch. One needs time to relax and unwind.
Assign some time for revision as well. Revision is essential and it makes you perfect.
Do not go for long calls during study time. One needs to set his /her priorities. Understand what is more important for you? Remember you will have ample time to catch up with all your friends once you clear your entrance exams and get into one of your dream business schools.
Make sure your study space is well lit and ventilated. Dark corners make you feel sleepy and one finds it difficult to cosncentrate in studies and eventually wastes half of his/her time.
It is essential to choose the right time for studies. Exam preparation is no joke and requires focus, concentration and planning. Prefer studying in the morning hours with less or no disturbance.
(The author is a Medical Practioner)
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