Time lost is time wasted. Everyone has the same 24 hours a day, but how wisely we spend it makes the difference!

The simplest definition of ‘Time Management Skills’ is the ability to use or manage one’s time effectively and productively. Instead of procrastinating work and getting stressed out, it is wise to make better use of time.

Time Management is a necessary skill and one of the most desired qualities in everyone, irrespective of their age or profession. The skill to manage one’s time effectively is the key to efficient working. It includes proper planning and controlling one’s work or activities and enables one to complete more in less time.

Time Management - A Vital Skill for Learners

Managing the academics, projects and extra-curricular activities along with exam preparation can sometimes become stressful for learners at school. It leads them to stress and anxiety as they find it difficult to divide the time equally between studies, and other activities, hobbies and interests that they want to pursue. Due to this, it is seen that learners often opt for last-minute preparation which largely obstructs their learning capability. 

Teaching learners the art of time-management can therefore help them achieve more with fewer efforts. It is critical for learners to realize the worth of time and utilize it effectively to accomplish their goals within time. Managing their time in a productive manner enhances their decision-making capability and eliminates the negative features like stress and anxiety in  young learners. 

Benefits of Time Management Skills for Learners

Managing time effectively is even more important for learners to study with focus and complete assignments on time and strike a balance between academic and non-academic activities. Effective Time Management Skills for learners have the following benefits like:

• Shapes their mindset and lifestyle towards a disciplined routine and sense of duty. 
• Enables them to develop the habit of spending time wisely.
• Gives them a competitive edge as they accomplish more in the class than others.
• Aids in prioritising their tasks and find time for other activities 
• Keeps them stress-free and become more productive
• Helps them understand the significance of goal-setting
• Overcome procrastination and laziness
• Makes them more confident and prepared for 
• Improves concentration, focus and attention time-span

The art of Effective Time-Management Skills for Learners

Some of the ways in which learners can develop effective time-management skills can be:

Set Goals -  Learners must always set realistic goals that help them identify not only what they want but also what they can achieve. Realistic goals help one stay motivated; remember small steps when taken consistently lead to big achievements.

Stay organized - Organizing work makes life much easier and saves time. Make a calendar or list of tasks with their deadline and date when it is to be done. Schedule the date and time to work on a particular task. This helps in pre-planning and comes in handy in the long term. 

Prioritize - Learners should prioritize tasks according to their importance and urgency. Finishing the time-consuming, lengthy work / task first reduces stress to a great extent. It helps in finishing the next task with more attention and makes one efficient in multitasking. 

Set time-limit - Setting time-limits or deadlines for completing a particular task can help learners become more focused and efficient. Scrutinize time for every activity or work, then decide and allot time as per the task or work. This trick is most commonly used by learners during exams, for example, how much time one should spend in solving a 5 marks question? Now challenge yourself and try to complete the work within the timeframe. One tip here - finish the task within time but never compromise on the quality of work!

Follow The Pareto Principle or the 80/20 rule - The Pareto Principle states that “80% of results come from 20% of the effort put in”. By following this principle, one can eliminate the unimportant work by putting effort into things which are important and will give maximum results.

Beware of the Planning Fallacy - When scheduling or planning the tasks, one tends to be overly optimistic and excited to accomplish it and falls under the planning fallacy i.e. underestimating the time needed which means that one might need more time to accomplish a task than what they presume. Hence, to counteract the Planning Fallacy, one must include buffer time in their schedule, especially when the work is time-consuming. One can also plan for alternatives in case the task remains unfinished on time. This helps in being consistent in working towards our goal.  

Hence, it is critical for learners to understand that effective time management leads to accomplishing half of the work, even before starting it. Learners must remember that Time Management Skills can only be harnessed with continuous practice and dedication to implement in life. There is plenty of time in a day to do everything that we want - all it takes is making conscious choices and prioritizing tasks.