TIME MANAGEMENT


WHAT IS TIME MANAGEMENT?

Time Management and Efficient Planning skills are aimed at
- managing time effectively so that the right time is allocated to the right activity;
- planning you actions according to your own goals.
Have you ever wondered why some people seem to have enough time to do everything they need, while you always rush through your days never seem to finish that is on your list? It is certain that each of us is given the same amount of time in one day (24 hours) or in a year (365 days). We do not have control over this. However, what we can manage is the way in which we use this predetermined amount of time.

WHY IS TIME MANAGEMENT IMPORTANT IN MY PROFESSIONAL LIFE?

Time management and efficient planning are widely considered the key skills of successful people. Those capacities are in high demand across all industries and jobs. Employers and recruiters are expecting strong capacities in the management of the work from their employees or future colleagues. They require the achievement of great results in less time: the ability to use time makes the all the difference in the choice of a good employee or associate, and in the success of your own business. Therefore, the ability to efficiently use your time is critical for professional success.

Being one of the most accredited ‘soft skills’ required in the professional environment, time management is indeed one of the most important capacities each individual should learn in order to have a happy and successful existence. Self-realization and wellbeing are strongly developed if a person is able to fulfil goals and achieve results, and more generally to build his or her life according to his or her own expectations. Time is an instrument and is also an element that cannot be ignored, since it inevitably affects daily activities. To take control of your own time means, in the end, to take control of your own life.

Learning time management skills as a student allows to consolidate effective capacities before accessing to the labor market, other than enhancing academic results that increase their chances of better job-placement. Having the possibility to acquire and learn those skills enable students to develop a consolidated personalized method, that can easily be applied in the future.
Learning time management skills produces positive effects in the general wellbeing and happiness of people. It increases the capacity to work efficiently and effectively, as well as the capacity to conquer balance between personal and professional life, because people might be put in a position to accomplish more with less effort. This results in positive effects for the society as a whole.

WATCH VIDEO LESSONS ABOUT TIME MANAGEMENT

THE BASICS OF TIME MANAGEMENT IN PRACTICAL TERMS. This short video presents the basics of time management, starting from its definition and from the reasons why this soft skill is of crucial importance in life. Time management is presented as a knowledge that, although providing several techniques, enables the individual to find the best tools that suit his or her needs. From this perspective, several tools of time management are presented as the fundamental knowledge that is necessary to master this soft skill. Those techniques can be immediately applied by individuals in everyday life.

Lecturer: Stefano Dominelli, Ph.D, Researcher at University of Genoa, Italy

ELEMENTS OF EFFICIENT PLANNING. This short video presents the most important tools and technique in order to acquire efficient planning skills. The users will learn to translate and split goals in a series of actions, and to identify priorities that are aligned with the settled goals. They will learn how to distinguish between urgent and important tasks and how to manage deadlines. Moreover, students will be able to develop an action plan that is flexible and takes into account unexpected events.

Lecturer: Stefano Dominelli, Ph.D, Researcher at University of Genoa, Italy

THE LINK BETWEEN TIME MANAGEMENT AND WELL-BEING

A good time management not only enables us to produce a high quality performance at work, but permits us to avoid stress, anxiety and burnouts. Several studies highlighted the importance of time management to increase our overall wellbeing, finding that a good command of our daily life is strongly related to our sense of purpose, self-esteem, general health, and optimism.
If we consider that college students generally have higher stress levels than the general population, we can affirm that learning time management and planning methods during the academic year will enable us to gain precious abilities for the following years, without compromising our health and our happiness.

HOW DO I BECOME A BETTER TIME MANAGER?

Like every other soft skill, the ability to manage time can be learned and trained, until it becomes an automatic and consolidated habit.
There are many time management and planning resources available, offering tips and strategies applicable to different environments. However, in order to effectively improve our productivity and efficiency, it is important to understand that every method is effective only if applied to our own personal needs. Time management strongly depends on each individual’s personal approach towards work and life.

Here you can find excercises which can be used by teachers or by students individually to train time management skills.

Download leaflet about Time management HERE

 

PRESENTATION "TIME MANAGEMENT"

Presentation of Laura Strazzeri, Lecturer of Department of Law, Department of Economics and Business Studies, University of Genova, Italy.

Presentation was developed for Teachers training which took place in Krakow, Poland, September 2021.
In this presentation you will find information about time management as one of very important soft skills. You will learn how to go from thought to action, optimisation, Pomodoro technique and other methods.

Like every other soft skill, the ability to manage time can be learned and trained, until it becomes an automatic and consolidated habit!