The Successful Person’s Guide
To TIME MANAGEMENT
Reflection on the Past
The sands of time fall steadily through the
hourglass — whether we use our time
wisely or unwisely.
You and I are exactly one day older and
closer to our inevitable deaths than we
were yesterday at this time.
The question is:
Are we spending our time, today,
the best way we can?
Time…
Time is one of the deepest mysteries
known to men and women.
No one can say exactly what it is, other than we
pass it, make it,
take it, spend it, crave it, kill it, and enjoy it.
Although most of the planet's resources and wealth
are distributed unequally to earthlings,
of daily time we each have 24 hours.
What is Good Time Management?
"Good time management simply means deciding
what you want to get out of life and efficiently
pursuing these goals. Time management does not
mean being busy all the time. It means using your
time the way you want to use it - which can include
large doses of daydreaming and doing nothing.“
– Dorothy Cudaback, Family Life Extension Specialist
How Do We Spend Our Time?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Working
Sleeping
Leisure & Sport
Other activities*
Caring For Others
Eating & Drinking
Household Activities
8
7.6
2.6
2.5
1.2
1.1
1
NOTE: Data include employed persons on days they worked, ages 25 to 54, and who lived in households with children under 18.
Data include non-holiday weekdays and are annual averages for 2005.
From the 2005 American Time Use Survey conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, found at
http://www.bls.gov/tus/charts/home.htm
*Examples of Other Activities include shopping, attending school, and volunteer work.
Ask Yourself Why…
Why do you want to manage your time better?
To…
• Earn more money
• Be more productive
• Have more leisure time
• Spend more time with family and friends
Evaluate Your
Time Management Skills
Read each statement and assess how well it describes
you and your time-management practices by
writing a number in column A, as follows:
Hardly ever
=1
Sometimes
=2
Almost always
=3
Next
Read each statement a second time and
assess its value or importance to you by
writing a number in column B as follows:
Not at all important to me = 1
Somewhat important
Very important
=3
=2
Now
Multiply column A by column B and write the
answer in column C (for example, if A=2 and
B=3, then C=6).
Circle those answers in column C that are
less than 5.
Ask yourself the following questions…
• Am I doing those things that I value the
most?
• Which practices do I consider important
and yet seldom act upon?
• Which two or three would give me the
most control over my life if I did them?
(Circle them.)
Goal Setting
Setting goals is essential in good time
management practices. When setting goals,
make sure they are:
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Timely
Life Goals
Goal setting is crucial to effective time-life
management. Time-management expert
Alan Lakein says, "Failing to plan is
planning to fail."
Write it down…
Successful time-life management begins with
writing down your goals.
Use the list of questions found on Pages 6
and 7 of the publication to help you think
about and write out your goals.
Visualize Your Goals
Take time daily to form a
clear mental picture of
who you want to be
and how you want to
act in the future.
Remember, if you don't
know where you're
going, any road will
take you there.
Steps You Can Take Today
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Take responsibility
Learn to say no
Learn to delegate
Ask for help
Change habits
Simplify your life
Identify your time-wasters
Time = Life.
“Therefore, waste your time and
waste your life, or master your
time and master your life.”
- Alan Lakein
Questions
Clipart by Microsoft Word
Robert H. Flashman, PhD
Extension Specialist for Family Resource Management
Linda A. Bradley, Graduate Student
Family Studies, University of Kentucky
February 2008; revised 2010
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