Many people feel overwhelmed by daily responsibilities and duties. One way to handle these tasks is by implementing time management skills. Time management is comprised of several tools and techniques that allow a person to prioritize, organize and execute tasks. These tools can be used in both business dealings and personal activities. Time management training teaches people how to plan, set goals, delegate responsibilities, organize and make schedules.
There are many time management training classes that focus exclusively on planning. Good planning skills enable a person to visualize all of the necessary steps to reach goals. Making lists is a major component of this type of training, because it teaches the person to write down all upcoming responsibilities in order to plan for them. An example of planning with lists is an employee writing down his daily “to do” items and crossing them off one by one as they are completed. Another example is the grocery list, which ensures that no items will be forgotten while shopping.
Learning how to set goals is another important feature of time management training. Some of these types of tools include creating deadlines, timelines and reward systems. For example, if a person wants to get in shape, he or she must set an end weight goal or a clothing size goal. After the end goal is set, he or she can create a plan that will help accomplish the goals, such as working out four times a week for an hour at a time. He or she can plan to lose a specific amount of weight each week for a certain time period in order to reach the goal.
Time management training also teaches how to delegate responsibilities and when that type of action is appropriate. One common pitfall many people face is trying to take on too many tasks. Learning how to assess others’ skill sets and delegate responsibilities to them is taught in these types of courses. For example, if a subordinate employee is a whiz at spreadsheets, her manager might delegate all weekly department reports to her.
Most time management training courses teach organizational skills. These skills typically encompass both physical and mental organization. Physical organization might include cleaning the work areas and creating efficient filing systems. Mental organization, such as creating processes and work systems, also helps to ensure that projects are completed in a timely manner. Many organizational systems also include a quality control process.
Making schedules is another basic feature of most time management training courses. There are many types of schedules, including project schedules and employee work schedules. Project schedules are created based on what items need to be completed first, and they incorporate how long the activities will take. Employee and daily schedules allow time for vacations and breaks. They also ensure that administrative duties, such as checking emails and returning voicemails, are completed.