Why is time management so important

Why is time management so important? Some would say it is because their teacher  assigned academic homework to students, then students have to manage time to finish it, but they do not like doing so! Others would say life requires meticulous plans. Before the topic, we need to know what time management is.

 

Time management is the process of planning and organizing how to allocate time effectively in order to accomplish specific tasks or goals. It involves setting priorities, creating schedules, and using useful techniques, minimizing distractions and avoiding procrastination.

 

The above are  the official definitions, which are a little bit complicated. For me, time management simply means how to get more done in less time. People will become able to regulate themselves by managing their time. For example, let’s say there are three articles you have to write. People who are able to manage time effectively can finish the work in 1 day. They get up at 7 o’clock and start conceptualizing the first article. At 8 o’clock, they start writing and they finish one article before lunch. During lunchtime, they continue, conceptualizing the second article. After lunch break, they write the second article at 1pm and finish it before 4pm. Between 4pm to 6pm, they can relax and do whatever they want. During dinner, they continue to conceptualize the third article and write it after eating. Then they will finish three articles in one day.

 

As we all know, Hermione managed her school schedule with a magical Time-Turner. Here is an interesting question that can help you understand the concept of time more clearly: if you have a time machine, what do you want to do and why? Let’s imagine that you have the power to fix mistakes, redo missed deadlines, or add extra hours to your work that hasn’t finished yet. How will you manage your time?

 

I think most of you want to make an effort to go over your notes before exams (I want to do this as well), or finish your homework before the deadline as soon as possible. The reason is that you didn’t get good grades in your previous exams. Maybe you want to review more for your exam. 

 

Anyway, you can see that you will manage your time very effectively in this game. That is the purpose of this question. If you can manage your time efficiently like this in reality, you will do well in exams or other situations.

 

Time management also offers a wide range of benefits that positively impact both personal and professional life. Increasing productivity is one of the main advantages. According to a study by McKinsey & Company, employees who use effective time management strategies are 25% more productive on average than those who do not.

 

Secondly, time management helps you build a healthy mind. For instance, when you have an assignment due tomorrow, you will feel anxious if you don’t have a plan. Therefore, a plan that involves clear time arrangement is important.

 

I also interviewed my parents about the reason for managing time. The common thread in their answers was that a planned day leads to efficiency and managing time can save our time in order to do more meaningful things. One of them mentioned that a lot of great people manage time effectively, so time management can help to improve ourselves. So we can see, the most significant effect of time management is increased productivity, creating better people.

 

Now, as you understand the definitions and advantages of time management, let’s move on to the actions we can take.

 

First of all, we have to assess the task and set realistic goals that we want to achieve in the short-term and long-term. For example, when I have two English assignments, one formative and the other summative, I think about the two at the same time, considering the connection of the two assignments. I will definitely finish the formative first and try to incorporate some of its ideas into the summative.

 

The next step would be to create a to-do list. Researchers from the Dominican University of California found that people who write down their goals are 33% more likely to achieve them compared to those who don't. A to-do list helps translate goals into actionable steps. What’s more, A study published in the Journal of Organizational Behavior revealed that setting clear, specific tasks improves productivity by up to 20%. Therefore, to-do lists can improve productivity and save time. I recommend using an online calendar, such as the Apple Calendar. Keep in mind that we need to prioritize different tasks. For me, I always rank things in order of difficulty and I will finish the easiest one or the task that takes the shortest time first. 

 

Having restful breaks is as important as planning ahead. I recommend a way that reminds us of the time, which is called Pomodoro. People do 25 minutes of focused work followed by a 5-minutes break). Pomodoro was invented by Francesco Cirillo, an Italian author, to improve focus and productivity. Time-blocking methods, such as Pomodoro, are associated with 20% greater efficiency in task execution, according to research by Stanford University. Today, the Pomodoro method is widely used in many areas of study, work, and creative projects. So, I believe that this kind of tool will probably help you manage your time better.

 

In today’s fast-paced world, mastering time management is no longer an objective that we do not need exactly – it’s a necessity. By creating a to-do list and, setting goals, you can achieve more in less time while reducing stress. Time management helps you set a healthier mind.

 

Remember, effective time management is the cornerstone of success. Whenever you work, please use effective tools like the Pomodoro method to finish tasks that can help you become more disciplined!