Introduction
The term time management means the effective organization, scheduling, budgeting of a person’s time for creating more effective work and output. It is also a unique skill to manage or utilize time. Time management among the adolescents constitutes various layers of meaning and wide range of activities such as planning, analyzing, setting aims, monitoring, and organizing of his or her activities in both homes and in classroom environment.
In today’s world of modern scientific technology and knowledge explosion, it is clear that an effective time management is essential for the success of an adolescent student. When analyzing various studies about time management for adolescents one can understand that time management plays a vital role in the present scenario of adult education.
The biggest problem that time management affects a person’s life is that he or she cannot satisfy the demands of the workplace. It will affect the smooth functioning of a person’s life. Mismanagement of time leads an individual to the world of crisis, both social and financial. Lack of work-life balance is also another major problem and this becomes a reason for a person’s failure to satisfy his social, personal, emotional and intellectual needs.
The web article entitled Personal Time Management for Busy Managers by Gerard M Blair gives informative comments about the problem of time management. It says “The absence of Personal Time Management is characterized by last minute rushes to meet deadlines, meetings which are either double booked or achieve nothing, days which seem somehow to slip unproductively by, crises which loom unexpected from nowhere.” (Blair, n.d).
The above mentioned environments lead a person to a state of distress and degradation. Set goal programs, scheduled activities and education programs are specific areas, by which one can control the problem of time management.
First Topic
At first, determine the specific field or area that a person needs to focus. In case of an adult student various learning procedures such as making projects, conducting seminars and preparing drafts are much time consuming. Official works, educational issues, and health problems demand high energy and it takes more time. Family matters and other entertainment programs claim less energy and are not time consuming. Programs related to primary needs, education, health care and activities at workplace are the various works, which demand priority.
Second Topic
Time management assumes predominant roles not only in the studies but also in family/career responsibilities. If one applies time management in family responsibilities, one can use it as a factor that helps to alleviate work-family conflict. Many organizations implement different policies based on time management in lessening the workload of their employees. Time management is helpful for the employees in meeting all their work and family responsibilities. The implementation of the time management in family responsibilities includes, “on-site child care, maternity, and paternity leave, child sick days, flexible scheduling, and the like.” (Miller, 2003). The effective implementation of time management will be helpful in decreasing familial as well as social problems.
Third Topic
Goal setting can aptly be regarded as the prominent step in time management. Regarding the goals of time management, one can see that they differ in arrangements of time and importance. It has been identified that time management varies in duration that some of them are short-term and others take months or years. When long-term goals aim years to complete the desired project, short-term goals are generally the steps for the long-term goals. In other words, one can regard it as the motivating factor that enables students to aim greater heights. Another important preliminary step in goal setting is immediate goals, which are a series of practical steps that one should take to acquire short-term and long-term goals.
It will be better for the students to attend their classes, complete the assignments in time, and prepare a time schedule for their studies. Arranging time schedule for a day at the beginning includes in the immediate goals and planning for a week in short-term goals. If one achieves the first two, that is, immediate and short-term goals, one will gradually acquire long-term goals.
Achieving goals depends on the proper organization or how one schedules one’s time. It is possible for one to arrange his/her time by using three steps. Step one includes the scheduling of time in activities concerned with studies and other fixed-time activities. Organizing of work schedule, commuting time and extra-curricular activities are included in the second step. Step three covers the organization of house chores, sleeping, eating, leisure activities, and anything that operates on a flexible schedule. (Learning center: Time management strategies: Three easy ways to organize your time, 2008).
Fourth topic
Effective time management helps students, especially adolescent students, to acquire learning outcomes and academic achievements. With the help of an effective timetable, a student can do his homework, projects and other learning activities. Adolescent people need stability in learning and self-esteem. In case of a non-traditional student, effective use of time management promotes balance the responsibilities of family, school and career. It will help a person to develop flexible lifestyle and financial stability.
Conclusion
Adolescent period is the most problematic stage in a person’s life. Effective time management is essential for an individual to balance the needs of his academic, social and career requirements. Time management constitutes both immediate and long-term achievements for adolescents. Good academic career, working relationships, and financial stability help a person to become a role model.
References
Blair, Gerald M. (n.d.). Personal time management for busy managers. Web.
Miller, Julia R. (2003). Encyclopedia of human ecology. ABC-CLIO. p.716. Web.
Learning center: Time management strategies: Three easy ways to organize your time. (2008). Lake Superior state university. Web.