Time management skills and how they influence our lives
In general, the notion of skills defines the abilities of a person to successfully perform certain activities
under certain conditions.
Time management is the process of planning and controlling the time spent in certain activities, to increase
efficiency and productivity.
We take as a starting point these two general definitions and get to the definition of time-management skills.
Depending on the field of activity we refer to, we can identify more general or more specific time management skills.
Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into visible
Good things happen when you set your priorities straight
The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities
For every minute spent organizing, an hour is earned
A vision without a strategy
remains an illusion
We can not solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them
If you really want to grow as an entrepreneur, you’ve got to learn to delegate
It's not hard to make decisions once you know what your values are
Whether we work for an employer or are self-employed, in both cases time-management skills are essential. Even in our personal lives, we can fully benefit from the benefits of time management skills. We will be more productive and efficient in everything we do, and this will have positive effects in all areas of our lives.
If we work as self-employed, we know that this implies multiple responsibilities and that very often we must work an extended program to be able to face them. Instead, if we develop time management skills, we will be able to better determine how much time you need to complete tasks and whether you can take on additional work. Together with an efficient prioritization of tasks and careful planning, we will be able to fulfill our tasks on time and to meet our deadlines without problems. Thus, we will succeed in maintaining a good balance between professional activity and personal life.
Regarding companies, it is worth mentioning that for 51% of those with less than 500 employees, time-management skills are one of the most valued soft skills. The company's field of activity or position level has no relevance, as time management skills can be applied across all industries and positions.
Although time management skills are part of everyone's personality, they can also be learned. Moreover, learning time management skills is an ongoing process.
For starters, you will need to apply some of the basic principles of time management like planning, organize and prioritize, no multitasking, or procrastinating. Moreover, for outstanding results, you will have to do this constantly. Here are some steps to get you started:
No matter what methods and strategies you choose to apply, from time to time you will need to do a self-assessment on the results of your time-management skills. Try Planned day VS Real day, an objective comparison between what you set out to do and what you did, to keep yourself on track in a timely fashion.
As you work on this you will discover for yourself what your flaws are in terms of time management and you can take the measures you deem necessary. And even if it's not about flaws, there is always room for improvement in time management skills. Here are some suggestions that will help you to constantly improve your time management skills:
