Sample Essay On Principles Of Time Management

Many businesses struggle to maximize efficiency and productivity through a focus on time management. They seek to accomplish more tasks in every working day (Mankins, Brahm, & Caimi, 2014). The paper explores the importance of time management in maximizing business productivity. It also focuses on the utilization of time management strategies in businesses.

Importance of time management in maximizing productivity

Time management involves the systematic prioritization of tasks and competing demands; this occurs to complete the important tasks within the available time. It seeks to reduce distractions that decrease the number of tasks completed by the business’ employees. The practice of time management is important to businesses because it enhances the use of limited resources and increases the accomplishment of tasks in a work day. It also helps in identifying tasks for delegation and critical areas needing attention. It also allows the managers to monitor the business’ progress towards goals. Employees become more focused on key tasks, organized, and less stressed. They also have more personal time for family and friends. Time management thus benefits the business’ productivity and employees.

Utilization of time management

There are various strategies adopted by businesses in the promotion of time management. The businesses construct time management plans to guide the employee activities. The plans exist in writing and contain a list of prioritized tasks; this can occur on a weekly, daily, or monthly basis. The plan focuses on the principles discussed below.
Delegating- through delegation, the person in charge can have more time to accomplish important tasks. The process follows certain guidelines and ensures the task is assigned to an employee with the skills to accomplish it successfully.
Prioritizing tasks- the business must encourage the elimination of procrastination habits in the workplace. Many employees procrastinate due to an unwillingness to do a task, lack of knowledge and fear of failure. The employees should prioritize and accomplish the difficult tasks; this allows them to devote time and mental energy in accomplishing the tasks. It ensures the meeting of deadlines.
Setting goals- goals help employees in organizing their daily and weekly tasks better. The goals should be challenging to motivate employees in accomplishing them within the allocated timeframe. It gives employees a realistic comprehension of the amount of work they can accomplish in a day. It encourages them to maximize their capabilities.
Meeting deadlines early- though some people work better under the pressure of deadlines, it is important to meet deadlines early. It facilitates appropriate time management and reduces stress related with work schedules. It also maximizes productivity by giving the employee time to detect and correct ant errors with the accomplished task. Employees take advantage of the principle by breaking down larger tasks into small ones that can undergo prioritization (Reference for Business, 2015).
Staying organized- the practice avoids a waste of time in looking for messages, documents, and information necessary for the completion of various tasks on time. Thus, employees arrange their workspaces in a manner that allows easy access to various things. Documents filing should occur systematically. The employees should discard any unnecessary documents. The employees can also use day planners and calendars to document important times and dates.
Minimizing stress- stress hinders effective time management as it distracts the employees from work. By minimizing stress triggers and adopting effective ways to manage stress, employees remain focused on their tasks.
The progress of any business depends on its ability to maximize the hours in each working day. It helps in the early and effective achievement of goals. A clear understanding of time management and maximizing efficiency can occur through a focus on various time management principles.

References

Mankins, M. C., Brahmn, C., & Caimi, G. (2014). Your Scarcest Resource. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved April 5, 2015 from https://hbr.org/2014/05/your-scarcest-resource/ar/1
Reference for Business. (2015). Time Management. Encyclopedia of Business (2nd ed.). Retrieved April 5, 2015 from http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/management/Str- Ti/Time-Management.html