GROUP ONE BETTY NJOROGE -16-0482 LINDA ACHIENG -10-1101 SALOME OGOLA – 12-0380 JANUARY WANGUI – 14-2017

WHAT IS TIME MANAGEMENT The Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary defines the word Manage as ‘to succeed in doing something especially one that requires a lot of effort and skill’. To manage can also be said to be ‘to organise and control an available supply of something such as time or money.’ Time management can therefore be said to be a means of controlling and organizing your time for maximum efficiency through careful planning. Time management can also be defined as a set of principles, practices, skills, tools and systems that work together to get more value out of your time with the aim of improving the quality of your life.

EFFECTIVE TIME MANAGEMENT In her 1994 book, Thinking Smarter, Carla Crutsinger defined effective time Management as the process of setting Goals, prioritizing those goals, deciding how much time to allocate to specific tasks, adjusting plans as they change, revisiting the goals and priorities regularly and observing results. Good time management therefore requires self awareness, organization, the ability to delegate; to Prioritize as well as to complete tasks and review the Pattern of work to ensure that all tasks are done.

STEPS TO EFFECTIVE TIME MANAGEMENT Set goals and plan early enough. Have a vision Know, understand your goals and implement them Use every available minute to your advantage Differentiate between urgent and important Identify and avoid Time Wasters Get started, set deadlines and achieve closure Know and identify your most productive part of the day

STEPST TO EFFECTIVE TIME MANAGEMENT Delegate as much as possible Be flexible. While interruptions and distractions can be reduced, they cannot always be avoided. Set time for them Be assertive. Learn to say NO politely Avoid wishful thinking – ACT Avoid procrastinating Avoid burn out Avoid perfectionism

WHAT IS A GOAL A goal is an aim, an objective or a purpose. A goal can also be said to be a purpose toward which an endeavour is directed. It can also be defined as an observable and measurable end result having one or more objectives to be achieved within a fixed time frame (goal setting). It is very important to have a goal before you begin to perform a task. A goal will give you direction and focus as you go about the task.

SETTING GOALS Goal setting is the process of deciding on something you want, planning how to get it and then working towards the objective. It calls for you to gear up your attitudes and habits towards achieving the set goals. This process can vary from one person to another or from one goal to another. To be useful and achievable, a goal must describe specific measurable outcomes. As earlier stated, lack of clear specific goals is often a cause of procrastination. A time management plan comprises both long term and short term goals. Short term goals help one to achieve the long-term goals. Specific deadlines help to meet goals and thus avoid procrastination. They also give one the inspiration to get to work.

WHY SET GOALS CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD GOALS Effective goals have the following characteristics (Zoldak) S – Specific M – Measurable, Motivational, Methodical and Meaningful A – Achievable and Action oriented R – Realistic and Reliable T – Time bound and Tangible. WHY SET GOALS To get direction and focus in our tasks For motivation To separate important tasks from distractions To build confidence To avoid procrastination To achieve closure

TIPS FOR ACHIEVING GOALS Prioritize your goals Have a focus Develop will power Evaluate your goals Increase your internal motivation Reward yourself when you achieve a goal Make changes in your life if need be. Apply self talk Get an accountability partner. Have a positive attitude Keep the company of people who will encourage you to achieve your goals.

TIME WASTERS A time waster is any activity, habit or person that takes time away from the tasks and activities that are meaningful at the moment. Time wasters steal the time that has been scheduled for a particular task in the implementation and achieving of goals thus making it difficult for one to manage one’s time effectively.

EXAMPLES OF TIME WASTERS Procrastination Excessive resting Too much sleep Jumping from one task to another Internet e.g email, facebook, twitter, skype, whats up, gossip sites Unhealthy relationships e.g. some friends Gossip Hobbies i.e Overindulgence Addictions e.g Substance abuse, Gambling Traffic jams

HOW TO AVOID TIME WASTERS Identifying the time wasters in your life Setting goals Having a personal time schedule. E.g. breaking commitments into week long spans often makes them seem achievable. Being disciplined in following your time schedule Not leaving too much free time in your time schedule Having an accountability partner

PROCRASTINATION Procrastination refers to the habit of putting off or postponing tasks to a later time. Dictionary definition of the verb procrastinate – “To delay doing something until later, usually something that you do not want to do.” The truth is that everyone at one time or another procrastinates on a task and feels guilty as a result. If one’s schedule is not flexible, it will lead to overloading and consequently procrastination sets in.

CAUSES OF PROCRASTINATION People, students included, procrastinate for various reasons. Some of them include: Setting unrealistic goals. Fear of the task - Spending more time worrying about the task than doing it. Overwhelming workload – Having too much to do within a short time. Being a perfectionist – having the fear of getting less than 100% in a task, setting too high standards, refusing to recognize when a task is completed. Indecisiveness – Inability to make a quick decision regarding a situation may cause one to put off a task. Lack of motivation - if no motivation in terms of rewards is forthcoming, one tends to delay in tackling the task.

CAUSES OF PROCRASTINATION CONT’ Coercion – having the feeling that you are being forced to do what you do not like. Lack of interest or desire to perform the task. Waiting for the right mood or the right time to perform a task Inability to concentrate – Your working / studying environment may not be conducive to study e.g. your study table may too cluttered. Poor organizational skills. Failure to distinguish between what is urgent and what is important. Not prioritizing Unassertiveness – giving in to the interests of others Fatigue, Laziness, Anxiety

DEALING WITH PROCRASTINATION Admit that you are procrastinating. Pinpoint where your delays typically start and find out why. Get started. Use others to brainstorm on topics that you feel you have little knowledge in. Consult your instructor and seek help from classmates where necessary. Time yourself as you start on a particular task and keep track of your progress. Make the task/assignment fun and enjoy yourself as you do it. Set deadlines and ask someone to hold you accountable for them. Set specific goals. Discipline yourself to use your time wisely. Set priorities by making a list. Keep a journal where you tick off your tasks as you perform them.

DEALING WITH PROCRASTINATION Break large tasks into manageable parts. Work on difficult or unpleasant tasks first. Eliminate distractions as much as possible. Remind yourself constantly of the consequences of not performing tasks at the right time. Beware of inaction which may lead to exertion. Do not postpone a task and then later become so immersed in accomplishing it that you get burnt out and postpone the next task. Believe in yourself. Motivate yourself. Learn to achieve closure Take breaks as you work and do not wait until you finish a task to reward yourself. Avoid burnout.

BURN OUT Burnout is a state of emotional, mental and physical exhaustion caused by excessive or prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed and unable to meet constant demands. Burnout results when you work without breaks. It is quite often a cause of procrastination.

SIGNS OF BURN OUT The symptoms of burnout may include: Fatigue Irritability Anxiety attacks Weight gain / loss Sleeplessness Depression Frequent headaches, back pains and muscle aches Boredom

CAUSES OF BURNOUT Lack of clear goals Procrastination An overloaded social calendar Last minute rushes Information overload Frustration at failing to complete tasks Not getting enough sleep Lack of rewards or recognition for good work done.

TIPS TO AVOID BURNOUT Plan your time well Balance between break time and work time Set clear and effective goals Allow flexibility in your daily schedule Do something interesting and relaxing. For instance watch a movie, have lunch with a friend, indulge in a hobby Take a break and rest.

NOTE You do not have to plan for each minute of each hour. You do not have to stick to you schedule like glue. Allow yourself the flexibility to relax and enjoy life. Reward yourself when you accomplish your tasks.

REFERENCES Allen, D. (2003). Getting things done; the art of stress free productivity. New York: Penguin books Forster, M. (2008). Do it tomorrow and other secrets of time management. Hodder & Stoughton Goal Setting. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.nervana.com: http://www.nervana.com.au/goal-setting Zoldak, A. (n.d.). 5 Characteristics of Successful Goal Setting. Retrieved from www.chron.com: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/5-characteristics-successful- goal-setting-22892.html