Time Management is a journey that requires thought, time, and change. We become creatures of
habit and what we do and how we do things often becomes a pattern of “how we do things”.
We have all heard “old habits are hard to break”. Time management requires looking at what we
are doing, how we are doing it, and how we could do it better...both with time and with quality.
Time management is a set of principles, practices, skills, tools, and systems working together to
help you get more value out of your time, with the aim of improving the quality of your life.
If you don’t learn how to manage your time well, you will be far less productive than you could.
You will also feel much more stressed and overwhelmed, as you struggle to find time to spend
with the people you care about or to do the things you enjoy. Benjamin Franklin said, “Do you love life? Then do not squan-
der time, for that’s the stuff that life is made up of.” Effective time management is beneficial to self-esteem, relationships
with others, life balance, work, and most other aspects of life. By evaluating various time management tips, one can design
an effective, individualized time management system.
There are six truths about time. These truths apply to everyone and we cannot change the facts. What we have been
taught about time and how well we organize and spend our time can differ greatly among us. Taking more control of your
time allows you more control of your life!
What is Time Management?
What is Time?
Before you can begin to manage time, you must learn what it is. A dictionary defines time as “the point or period at
which things occur”. Basically this means: time is when stuff happens. There are two types of time: clock time and
real time. In clock time, there are 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour, 24 hours in a day, and 365 days in a
year (366 in leap years, of course!). All time passes equally. When someone turns 40, they are exactly 40 years old,
no more no less. The specific actions you choose to take each hour, each day, each week, throughout the year, define
your life. Your moment-to-moment choices accumulate to determine whether you succeed or fail in accomplishing
tasks and goals you have set for yourself.
In real time, all time is relative. Time flies or drags depending on what you are doing. Two hours in the doctor’s wait-
ing room can feel like 10 years, but our 10 year-old children/grandchildren seem to have grown in only two hours.
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NOR T H W ES T HEA L T H
CON N E CT I O N S
Time Management
B U S I NE SS N A M E
Six Truths About Time
Nobody can manage time. But you can manage the things that take up your time.
Time is expensive. As a matter of fact, 80% of our day is spent on those things or people
that only bring us 2% of our results.
Time is perishable. It cannot be saved to be used later.
Time is measurable. Everybody has the same amount of time, pauper or king. It is not how
much time you have; it’s how much you use.
Time is irreplaceable. We never make time back once it is gone.
Time is a priority. You have enough time for anything in the world, so long as it ranks high
enough among your priorities.
Disclaimer
The information presented in this home study i s intended to provide education and ideas to promote the heal th and well being of people with intellectual
and developmental disabilitie s; it is in no way meant to replace a doctor’s orders or your agency’s polici es.
