IMPROVING PERSONAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICE 4 Improving Personal Management Practice
Time management refers to the process of organizing, planning and having control of specific activities that are undertaken on a day to day basis in order to increase effectiveness and be more productive (Rapp, Bachrach, and Rapp, 2013). When various tasks require being done within a specific time frame, they need to be well managed so that they are all accomplished in an effective way. Time management can help in the planning, organization, prioritization, and accomplishment of personal activities.
My current personal management style is prioritization of personal activities where I consider all the activities that I need to undertake on a daily basis and prioritize which I should do based on the available time. Most of the activities require moving from one geographical location to another and therefore doing all the activities becomes a challenge due to the time wasted in traveling from one place to another. I want to improve my prioritization of activities to be based on the importance of the activities and not the time factor.
The practice of prioritizing the daily tasks enables the accomplishment of activities, but it is not effective because sometimes the movement from place to place using public means eats up the time for the activities leading to re-scheduling of the activities and ineffective accomplishment. This, in turn, affects my plans for the week. Using time management in the planning, organization, and execution of the daily activities will ensure that all activities are done on time since there will be no time wastage in moving from place to place through using a personal vehicle.
Time management will help organize the daily activities and plan them in the most convenient way they can be accomplished, and will enable me to have control over the activities. The activities will not only be accomplished effectively but timely since the time limit will guide how long they take. Each activity planned will only have the limited time available within which it should be done. No time will be wasted in between tasks, extra time created for more tasks, and more work will be done using the least time possible.
Coupled with the prioritization of activities, time management will enable me to allocate the time where it is needed most and on the tasks that will benefit me most. The need for change arises because daily activities need to be planned well based on their importance so that the most critical activities with potentially significant negative consequences are completed first, followed by less urgent tasks. Currently, limited available time causes some tasks to overextend, leaving insufficient time for others. Therefore,
combining prioritization with effective time management ensures all activities are completed efficiently and punctually.
As a student preparing to graduate and with my parents planning to gift me a car for better mobility, I face a decision among three car options: a 2-door, a 4-door, and an SUV. The effectiveness of using each varies: the 2-door is 65% effective, the 4-door is 85%, and the SUV is 60%. Given these options, the 4-door presents the highest effectiveness, making it the best choice for my needs because it will maximally support my activities while offering practicality, thereby justifying my recommendation for my parents to purchase this model.
The current management style needs improvement to ensure better prioritization and organization of daily tasks, making them more time-efficient. Introducing this change involves planning with the new vehicle to streamline movement and reduce unnecessary travel time, thus allocating more time to essential activities. I will schedule tasks with specific time frames, prioritize them based on importance, and execute them consecutively, moving from one location to another in an optimized manner.
Implementation involves preparing daily schedules where each task is assigned a defined time slot, and the vehicle is utilized for seamless movement. After initial planning, I will carry out my activities according to the schedule, monitoring and adjusting as needed. Over time, this approach will become my routine, leading to improved productivity and time management.
Objections that might arise include a lack of flexibility due to strict scheduling, which might prevent emergency activities. To address this, I will allocate buffer time for unforeseen emergencies. Weather conditions, which can cause delays, will be mitigated by starting tasks early and reviewing weather forecasts. Fatigue from driving is another concern; this can be managed by ensuring adequate rest before activities. Limited knowledge of routes might hinder timely completion, which can be solved by familiarizing myself with the area and using navigation tools.
The effectiveness of this change can be measured by evaluating whether tasks are completed on time and with quality. Success indicators include smooth process flow, fewer delays, and achieving planned activities within scheduled time frames. Additionally, measuring the total time saved and the number of tasks successfully completed offers tangible metrics of improvement. A practical example would be executing activities like going to the gym, shopping, swimming, and attending classes—all completed within scheduled time, contributing to overall satisfaction and effective management.