TIME is considered in the following terms: Time Is Money Eventually; use it or lose it forever! Time is going people, in careers, side jobs, family, household chores, studies, exercise and hobbies. Time is indeed a scarce commodity for many persons.Thus, learning to manage your time is one of the most worthwhile things an individual of any age or background can do.

Initially, time management referred to just business or work activities, but it has been broadened to mean the act or process of planning and exercising conscious control over the amount of time spent on specific activities, to increase effectiveness, efficiency or productivity.
Managing time is important because: (A) Available time is limited. (B) Time cannot be stored: If unused, it is lost forever. (C) One’s goals are usually multiple, sometimes conflict, and not all goals are of equal priority. And (D) Goals cannot be accomplished without the application of effort, which requires the use of time.
There are four major areas that need to be looked at when managing time, and these can be broken down into: (A) Creating an effective environment (B) Setting priorities, (C) Carrying out activities around those priorities, and (D) The related process of reduction of time spent on non-priorities.
There are volumes of information out there that have been written on the subject, but these tips here, are, in my humble opinion, some of the most effective.

ABC analysis techniques
By far, one of the most useful tips is to set down your tasks into categories ranging from A — most important, to C — least important. Activities are ranked upon these general criteria:
• A: Tasks that are perceived as being urgent and important,
• B: Tasks that are important but not urgent,
• C: Tasks that are neither urgent nor important.
Each group is then rank-ordered in priority. ABC analysis can incorporate more than three groups. ABC analysis is frequently combined with Pareto analysis.

Pareto analysis
This is the idea that 80% of tasks can be completed in 20% of the disposable time. The remaining 20% of tasks will take up 80% of the time. This principle is used to sort tasks into two parts. According to this form of Pareto analysis, it is recommended that tasks falling into the first category be assigned a higher priority.

POSEC method
Another method is the POSEC method, POSEC being an acronym for Prioritize by Organizing, Streamlining, Economizing and Contributing. The method dictates a template which emphasizes an average individual’s immediate sense of emotional and monetary security. It suggests that by attending to one’s personal responsibilities first, an individual is better positioned to shoulder collective responsibilities.
Prioritize – your time and define your life by goals,
Organize – things you have to accomplish regularly to be successful (family and finances),
Streamline – the things you may not like to do, but must do (Work and Chores),
Economize – on things you should do or may even like to do, but they’re not pressingly urgent (pastimes and socializing), and
Contribute by paying attention to the few remaining things that make a difference (social obligations).

Task list organization
1. To prioritize a daily task list, one either records the tasks in the order of highest priority, or assigns them a number after they are listed (“1” for highest priority, “2” for second highest priority, etc.) which indicates in which order to execute the tasks. The latter method is generally faster, allowing the tasks to be recorded more quickly.

2. Another way of prioritizing compulsory tasks (group A) is to put the most unpleasant one first. When it’s done, the rest of the list feels easier. Groups B and C can benefit from the same idea, but instead of doing the first task (which is the most unpleasant) right away, it gives motivation to do other tasks from the list to avoid the first one.

TIPS
1. Plan the night before for the next day: Make one of your final daily tasks be the completion of tomorrow’s task list. Each day should be ended with a new task sheet for tomorrow, to keep you on track. Prepare yourself first by taking 30 minutes of your time to fix yourself something to eat and relax; then make a list of the tasks you need to accomplish. Assign realistic priorities to each task.
2. Prioritize: When tomorrow’s tasks are completed, work on the other tasks due by the end of the week; and when those are completed, work on the tasks due early next week. Do today’s tasks. Concentrate on what is at hand, do not allow yourself to lose focus. Then move on to the next daily task. Once today’s tasks are completed, mark them as such, and proceed to tomorrow’s tasks.
3. Focus on your most productive time of day: Some people work better in the morning, and some are more focused in the evening.
4. Manage time in increments: Play a game with yourself by competing against the clock. Work in fifteen-minute, half-hour or one-hour intervals. (Scientifically, it is known that 45 minutes of work, followed by a 10-minute rest, is the best for the average studier!) Take advantage of all the small gaps of time that tend to go wasted during the day. Whether it’s the 15 minutes you have between class and lunch, or the twenty minutes from when you wake up in the morning to when your kids wake up, use those spare minutes to accomplish something, because little increments of time add up!
5. Use technology to complete tasks more quickly, efficiently and accurately: Today’s mobile technology features dozens, if not hundreds, of apps that will help you manage — and even accomplish —your tasks efficiently.
6. Sleep for 6-8 hours every night: Getting the proper amount of sleep will help keep you alert
7. Practise not answering the phone just because it’s ringing, and e-mails just because they show up: Disconnect instant messaging. Don’t instantly give people your attention, unless it’s absolutely crucial in your business to offer an immediate human response. Instead, schedule a time to answer email and return phone calls. Block out other distractions, like Facebook and other forms of social media, unless you use these tools to generate business.
8. Organise your office: Remove from your desk everything except the things you need for your specific job. Create folders (binders) where you can keep the documents for each task until you need them, and only put the file(s) that you need on your desk. Discard the rest.
9. Track your time: The best way to improve your time management skills is to first identify where you spend your time on a daily basis. One of the ways to do that is to keep a calendar and take note of every action. You can do that for three days, and at the end of the three days you can analyse the results and take the necessary actions.
It is very important to manage your time successfully, because:
• If you have more time for work, you have more chances for success.
• If you have more time to think, you can utilize your mind better.
• If you have more time to play, you can enjoy your life better.
• If you have more time to read, you can gain more knowledge.
• If you have more time to enjoy, the better it is for your health and soul.
Managing your time means to be in position to dominate the time and your work, rather than being dominated by them. Your time is your life. Every thought and every action you make takes time. Therefore, the way you use your time automatically determines where and how to use your life.
Sources: www.wikipedia.com, www.wikihow.com, www.entrepreneur.com, www. quick ways to manage your time better.htm
Written By Michelle Gonsalves