PPE1B – Spring 2009

Anna Šedivá

                                          Time management


Time management is a complex of principles that promotes effective time employment at work and also
in free time. The most important principles are setting some long term objectives, planning and
prioritizing.


Some long term objectives should be identified in order for people to be motivated in fulfilling of
daily tasks.


Planning is a key principle. According to time management approach, daily, weekly and monthly plans
should be made. As far as a daily planning is concerned, it is worthy to start early in the
morning, to have a check list prepared from a previous day. And it is vital to have the activities
on the list assessed. In weekly planning, it is important to start with difficult tasks because to
fulfil the problematic task is the only way to eliminate it.


Time management trainers highly suggest prioritizing and task assessing. They suggest learning to
decide which tasks are important and urgent, which are important, which are urgent and finally
which are unimportant and not urgent at all.


All these time management principles can be applied to all key areas of life. In this case, job of
the teacher need to be assessed. A job of the teacher could be divided up into the key areas, e. g.
lesson planning and other duties with the time distribution being checked. Exercise 1 on page 88 in
the textbook English for the Teacher can be of help for this activity.


In order to work effectively, “time stealers” need to be identified and dealt with. Distraction,
interrupting at work should be mentioned. According to time management concept, it is also
essential to learn to refuse some not so important requirements.


Successful professionals tend to follow this pattern. Many time management trainings organized by
different companies are offered on the internet.


Bibliography

Knoblauch, Jörg and Högler Woltje. Time management. Prague: Grada, 2006.

Masterton, Alice: Getting Results with Time Management. London: Library Association

Publishing, 1997.