Time management can help you achieve your goals in a more efficient way and increase your
participation in different daily situations.
What is time management?
Time management is the process of being aware and mindful of how you spend your time so that you are more productive and efficient. Time management requires planning and often involves using different types of tools.
You can think of time management as being both a thought process and an action. It is athought process because you have to think about what your tasks are for a particular period, whether you are planning how you want to spend your day today or how you will finish a large project for school that is due next week. Once you have thought about your tasks and your timeline, you have to put your plan into action and stay on task as much as possible. This is not always easy as there are distractions and unpredictable events that can disrupt your plan. The good news is, there are many tools and techniques that you can easily use that will support you.
Using time management tools and techniques:
Some common tools that help with time management include pen and paper or an electronic device (e.g. cellphone, tablet, laptop, alarm clock). Examples for some of the tools:

1. To-do lists are great for organizing your tasks, big and small. The lists can have tasks that are unrelated to each other (i.e. “things I need to do this week”), or for breaking down large tasks into small steps (i.e. lunch party to-do list). You can make to-do lists on paper or on your electronic devices. There are many to-do lists apps available for download or you can use features already available on your electronic device.

2. Planners or agendas are often in the form of notebooks that have organized pages where you can write in important upcoming events, meetings, assignments, etc. Planners are helpful because you can buy them online, at local bookstores, art stores, etc. You can write daily or weekly checklists or to-do lists in your planner.

3. Calendars are useful when they are displayed on your wall, but they can also be very usefulwhen used on your phone or on paper. As a calendar on your wall, you can write in important events or notes that act as reminders. Some examples of events or notes that can be helpful to
write down are birthdays, medical appointments, meetings, deadline and holidays.

4. Timers and alerts are useful tools in every smartphone. You can use them in order to remember something important such as waking up in the morning or meeting a friend for lunch.
You can use them for a specific task or for managing your daily routine. You can use a few alerts if it helps you pursue your goal.
Overcoming time management barriers
Improving your time management takes practice – but with a good attitude and motivation, you can make a change to your habits. Small shifts in the right direction can help you with your time management. Here are some examples for common themes and barriers that keep us from feeling organized and in control of our schedules – and strategies for overcoming them:
“I’m always running late to appointments and activities.”
Are you distracted and unaware of the time? You can try setting an alarm on your phone and putting more clocks around the house.
Are you leaving early enough to get to where you need to go?If you need 15 minutes to get somewhere and give yourself 13 minutes, you might not be giving yourself enough time. There are events that we cannot control, like the traffic, or stopping to chat with your neighbor.
Are you giving yourself enough time to finish your current task before you start your next one? Whatever the task or activity may be, it is important to leave time to set up your materials and time to clean up.
“I always start tasks at the last minute.”
How do you feel about the activity or task? Perhaps you are leaving things to the last minute because you are uninterested or perhaps it feels too big and difficult.
The best strategy to combat this is to break the task down into smaller, more manageable parts and to start tasks earlier. Rather than doing it all at once, try to do a little at a time over several days.
“I have a lot of free time and I don’t know what to do with it.”
Do you have trouble identifying what to start with? Try to prioritize, and think about the things that you would like to be doing. Then compare your priorities with what is happening in your daily life. You can think about the activities you would like to add, while perhaps taking away those that are not meaningful, necessary, or important to you.
Do digital media easily distract you? The digital world is constantly seeking our attention, whether we are aware of it or not. Social media apps, the internet, and television shows can be both a source of enjoyment as well as a source of stress. Think about whether you are being
negatively affected by these “digital distractions” and see if you can decrease the amount of time you are distracted.
“I don’t know how to enjoy all of the activities in my busy schedule.”

 Is your schedule packed with too many activities? Think of the phrase, “quality over quantity.”
If you find that you are not able to enjoy all of the activities that you’re doing because you don’thave enough time to fully enjoy each one, then try to identify which activities you’re most passionate about and which activities you could do less of. This way, you can focus your time on several meaningful activities. It is okay to make changes to see what works best for you!