Qatar Monitor
Shaji T. Nair TKM Engineering College Alumni says Time and Tide Wait for None Doha- October 19, Common sense tells us that, Time- unlike space- extend only in one direction, forward. Shaji T Nair an illustrious alumnus of TKM Engineering College, Kollam tried to simplify this vast topic into a few concise points, providing tips on effective Management of Time through its proper utilization. On completion of his graduate degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Kerala, he joined the Central Public Works Department.
After a brief stint at CPWD, he joined his alma mater, TKM Engineering College as a faculty member of Civil Engineering Department. He then went on to complete his Master's Degree in Compute Applications (MCA), one among the very first MCA batch to pass out from the University of Kerala.
He then shifted to the Computer Science Department and later better job opportunities took him all the way to the Arab land, where he, still pursued the teaching career in the Skyline Academy of Sharjah Government. Shaji moved to Doha to join RasGas as Senior Systems & Planning Analyst in their Human Resources Department. Therefore, who better to give us, the solution for "how to optimize our use of time"? - Sapna Anu B George. KM Correspondent, Doha. More from Doha
TIME MANAGEMENT TIPS & TECHNIQUES
Presented by: Shaji T NairTime
o Passes Quickly
o Most important asset at one's disposal
o Will not wait for anybody
o Once lost it is lost for ever or never found again
o Most valuable
o Is Uncontrollable
Time Management
o False impression of what a person is able to do
o Time can't be managed
o Can only manage ourselves & our USE of time
What?
o Is setting and following a schedule of study/work in order to organize & prioritize your studies/work in the context of competing activities
o Self Discipline and Practices, which will give you greater control over the use and allocation of our primary resource (time)Why? o
Proper time management means effectively using time to produce results - a measure
"CONCENTRATE ON RESULTS not on being busy
" Pareto principle - 80: 20 Rule"
o 80 % unfocussed efforts -> 20% results & the rest 80% results
" OPTIMIZING EFFORTS to ensure achieving greatest possible benefits from available time"Techniques:
o Identify time stealers/ wasters - Evaluating use of time
o Costing your time / How much your time is worth
o Deciding work priorities -concentrate on right things
o Action Plans
o Prioritized to Do Lists - tackling right tasks first
o Personal Goal Setting - deciding personal priorities
o Avoiding Distractions
o Combining activities
o Don't be perfectionistIdentify time stealers/ wasters:
o Interruptions - Phone, Visitors
o Indecision & Procrastination
o Acting with incomplete information
o Unclear communication
o Inadequate knowledge
o Lack of planning
o Inability to say "No"
o Stress & Fatigue
o Desk management & personal disorganization
o Crisis management
o Unclear objectives & Priorities
o TV, Videogames, PC,
Record (Activity logs) - Analyze - Identify - Plan - CorrectionsDeciding work priorities -concentrate on right things :
o Clarify What you enjoy
o SWOT - What do you do well?
o Job Clarification - Ensure doing job precisely the RIGHT WAY
Ask questions & refer to them frequently
Ø What is the purpose of the Job ?
Ø What are the measures of success ?
Ø What is exceptional performance ?
Ø What are the priorities & deadlines ?
Ø What resources are available ?
Ø What costs are acceptable?
Ø How does this relate to other people ?Action Plans:
o A brief list of tasks that one has to carryout to achieve an objective
o It differs from a to do list - it focuses achievement of goal while to do list focuses on goals to be achieved over a period of time
Simple Plans
CPM
PERTTo do lists & Prioritized To do lists:
o List of tasks to be carried out to achieve goals
o Goals must be SPECIFIC TARGETS
1.Write down the tasks that face you
2.Break them down into component elements
3.Break them down to the level of independent simple tasks
4.Number each task
5.Assign Priority (A-F Imp. - Unimp.)
6.Rewrite the list in priority order
7.Eliminate waste & renumber
o Separates Important and Time consuming jobs
oDay - whenever things get out of controlCreating more time:
o Getting up early
o Using traveling time
o Using waiting time
o Proper delegation
Avoiding Distractions:
o Avoiding phone calls & improving phone skills
o You do not always need to be welcoming casual visitors
o Letting people know not to distract you
o Getting rid of unwanted jobs
o Drop tasks that do not benefit youImproving Quality of your time:
o A person function at different levels of effectiveness at different times of dayTIME MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES FOR STUDENTS:
Study When:
o Plan 2 study hours for every hour you spend in class
o Study difficult subjects first
o Avoid marathon study sessions (30-45 Min)
o Be aware of best time of your day
o Use waiting time
o Use a regular study area
Study Where:
o Choose a place that minimizes visual & auditory distractions
o Avoid noisy areas
o Don't get too comfortable - remain awake & attentive
o Find a better place when productivity falls
You and the outside world:
o Pay attention to your attention
o Agree with roommates about study time
o Avoid noise distractions
o Learn to say no
o Get off the Phone / visitors
o Notice how others misuse your time
o Fix "What to accomplish out of the session"
o Have a clear mind while you studyOther study tips:
o Use regular study areas
o Keep things in one place - study desk
o Try to find time saving in each activity
o Use last minutes of the day to prepare for next day's schoolEffective use of Time management skills will ensure:
o More successful in your study/job as you know exactly what is expected of you and concentrate explicitly on those things
o Can become more in control of what you do
o More productive, result oriented and therefore secure
o Can plan and move into areas you enjoy
o Avoid staying late at work
o Reduce stress and gives more quality time to enjoy" TIME MANAGEMENT is SELF MANAGEMENT"
Reference books for Advanced Study
To learn more about Time, younger readers may wish to consult from Sundials to Atomic Clocks. For, simple reading one may refer to books such as, "Understanding Time and Frequency" by James Jesperson and Jane Fitz-Randolph (1977). More advanced books for older reader's include "A Brief History of Time" by Stephen Hawking (1988) and Time the Familiar Stranger" by JT Fraiser (1987).--keralamonitor.com More News from Qatar
