If you find yourself wondering where the day went, or struggling to complete all the tasks on your to-do list, you might want to improve your time management skills. One of the first steps towards better time management is to gain a thorough understanding of your current time management, and one of the most effective ways to do that is to use a time log. If you are to improve your time management it is vital to know how you are currently spending your time. Completing a time log for a just a few days will help reveal any areas of potential development for you. HOW TO COMPLETE THE TIME LOG Complete the time log for a minimum of 3 days and a maximum of 5 days. Be as detailed and accurate as you can by recording the activities and tasks you are involved in at regular intervals during each day. Make sure you include anything you spent time on – tasks from your to-do list, when and by whom you were interrupted, telephone calls made and received, emails handled, covering for colleagues, socialising. The better your record, the easier it will be to make real, long-lasting changes in your time management and personal effectiveness.
WHAT TO DO AFTERWARDS When you have completed the time log, look back over it and consider the following questions:
1. How much of your 4. How many tasks did
time was spent on you complete as reactive as opposed to planned? planned work? 5. Any other comments 2. Is there any pattern about how you spent in the interruptions you your time? experienced and who interrupted you? 3. On any given day did you achieve what you set out to?