FCS7-101

The Successful Person’s Guide to

Time Management
There Is Enough Time!
Too little time and too much to do is a common condition for many “Good time management
of us. Everyday demands or chores seem to engulf the day, leaving
little time to pursue those things you enjoy. But you do have choices
simply means deciding
about how you spend your time. Balancing what you need to do with what you want to get
what you want to do can lead to happiness and success. Many of us out of life and efficiently
complain, “There just isn’t enough time in the day!” But the truth is
that we have enough time to do what is important in our lives. You
pursuing these goals.
can always make time for the people you value and for the activities Time management does
worth doing. All you need do is become a master of how you use not mean being busy
your time.
all the time—it means
Turning time-management skills into habits will take time—but
using your time the way
what better way to spend it? With the help of this workbook and two
or three hours, you can learn valuable techniques for managing your you want to use it—which
time and your life. By the end of the exercises, you’ll know yourself can include large doses
better, have a map of goals for the future, and maybe fulfill a few
of day dreaming and do-
dreams.
ing nothing. Good time
What Is Good Time Management? management brings with
Strictly speaking, we cannot really manage time—we can only man- it increased relaxation,
age ourselves. As we acquire new skills in time management, we gain
control over our lives. A key to managing yourself is to know who less stress, more sat-
you are and where you are going. isfaction, and greater
The following exercises will help you evaluate your current time accomplishment.”
management practices. You will explore how and why you want to —Dorothy Cudaback, Family Life
manage your time better and discover what your time-management Extension Specialist
priorities are. You will learn to determine the time of day you have
the most energy for accomplishing important tasks, as well as what
your life goals are and what steps you need to take to accomplish
them.
 Evaluate Yourself
A good way to begin taking charge of your life is to give yourself sev-
eral good reasons for wanting to manage your time better (for exam-
ple, to earn more money, to increase productivity, to free yourself to
find the kind of idleness that fosters cultivation of the mind, to spend
more time with family and friends). List your reasons below. Focus
on what you want and need most in your life.

1. ____________________________________________

____________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________

____________________________________________
Time management is
“a vehicle that can carry 3. ____________________________________________
you from wherever you ____________________________________________
are to wherever you want
4. ____________________________________________
to go.”
—Brian Tracey, author of Time Power ____________________________________________

The first step toward turning your desires into reality is to evaluate
your current time-management behaviors to give yourself a baseline
for change. Knowing where you stand is a powerful tool; without
that you cannot plan where you are going.

Assess Your Behavior

Use the Time-Management Behaviors matrix (Table 1) on page 3 to
assess your current time-management skills.

Instructions
1. Read each statement and assess how well it describes
you and your time-management practices. In the sec-
ond column (How often?), indicate how frequently you
practice each behavior.
2. Read each statement a second time and assess its
value to you. In the third column (How important?),
indicate how important each practice is to you.
3. Multiply the second column by the third column and
enter the results in the fourth column (Rating).
4. Circle the values in the fourth column that are less
than 5.
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Table 1. Time-Management Behaviors

How often? How important?

Behavior
I have three or four clearly established personal and career
1 = Seldom 1 =Not at all
2 = Sometimes 2 = Somewhat
3 = Frequently 3 = Very Rating
goals that I am striving to reach.
I use a “To Do” list daily.
I make use of a daily planner or calendar to record important
events and tasks.
I rank my priorities daily from most to least important.
I delegate as many responsibilities as I can.
I have adequate time to be with friends and loved ones.
I am aware of my daily energy levels.
I complete my most important tasks when I feel most
energetic.
I work on my most important tasks before I work on the easy
ones.
When I face an unpleasant task, instead of procrastinating I
break the task into manageable, bite-sized pieces.
I plan ahead by setting aside time on my calendar to complete
major tasks.
I schedule time for interruptions.
I take good care of myself by rewarding myself for completing
realistic objectives.
At the end of most days, I look back on my To Do list and find
that I have accomplished the most important tasks.
I take good care of myself by rewarding myself at least twice a
week.
When necessary, I set limits by saying, “No, I just don’t have
time right now to do that.”
When waiting for a stop light or for an appointment, I take two
or three deep breaths and relax deeply.
I schedule and limit the amount of time each day that I devote
to phone calls and e-mail.
I strive to handle each item in my mail only once.
I am organized well enough that I can find my bills or an
important letter in less than five minutes.
Each member of my household has clearly defined household
duties.
I ask for help when I want it.

Key: A score of more than 5 on an item suggests that you value that time-management practice and do it
frequently. The circled items describe practices that you do not find important or have not found time to
implement.

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Ask Yourself
Am I practicing the time-management behaviors that I value most? What am I doing right in managing
my time? Which practices work best for me?

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Which practices do I consider important and yet seldom act upon? What are the possible reasons for my
lack of action?

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Which two or three new behaviors would give me the most control over my life?

New behavior Desired result

__________________________________ __________________________________

__________________________________ __________________________________

__________________________________ __________________________________

4
Find Your Prime Time
Everyone’s energy timetable is different. Some are morning people. “Know and use your
Others do better in the evening. One key to better time management
is to find your high-energy periods and schedule complex tasks when
prime time, that time
you are likely to be at your best. To discover your high-energy “prime during the day when you
time,” complete the following exercise. are most likely to be
Instructions alert, enthusiastic, and
1. Choose a typical day to graph your energy level. Be creative.”
prepared to spend a few minutes each hour evaluat- —Dorothy Cudaback, family life
ing your energy level and recording it on the chart. Extension specialist

2. Above each hour of your day, place a dot in the box

that best represents your level of energy for that hour.
3. At the end of the day, draw a line to connect the dots.
4. Examine your peaks and valleys of energy as repre-
sented on the graph. Note your high-energy periods.

You may want to repeat this exercise several days in a row, or on days
with varying levels of activity to get an even better picture of your
energy levels. In the “Time-Management Steps You Can Take
Today” section on page 9 you will find tips for taking advantage of
your prime energy times.

Energy Graph
ENERGY MORNING AFTERNOON EVENING NIGHT
LEVEL 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4

Very High
High
Medium
Low
Sleep

5
 Set Short- and Long-term Goals
Goal setting is crucial to effective time and life management. You
set yourself up for failure with vague, changing, or impossible goals.
You must guarantee your own success by learning to construct a goal
with meaningful parameters.
Your goals become more powerful when you put them into writing.
The more specific, realistic, measurable, and achievable your goals
are, the greater your chance of reaching them. Write your goals
down, and refer to them often. Decisions are easier to make when
you know what you want.
Chose only a few goals to begin with. Too often people try to change
too much at once and become discouraged because they are too
overwhelmed by their plans to put them into action. Following are
tips for setting achievable goals.
To accomplish each goal, you must perform a series of actions,
so make the language of your goal reflect action. Start with “to”
and include an action verb: to climb, to build, to learn, to find, to
travel.
Give specifics. Add details to your action statement. “To com-
plete hair and nail design courses”; “to climb Mt. Everest”; “to
Examples study forensics and investigation.”
My goal is to + action verb + Note how you will measure your success. “To walk four times
specifics + measure of success
+ key result. around the walking track three times a week”; “to lose 14 pounds
by March 1”; “to continue cooking until all children are fed.”
My goal is to reward myself with
four hours of pure relaxation Make sure that your goal is realistic and achievable and that it
every weekend so that I will be does not depend on factors beyond your control. Revise if
refreshed and ready to start a
new week. necessary.

My goal is to successfully
State the end, outcome, or key result of accomplishing your
complete ten or more semester goal—what you are working toward. “So that I have enough
hours of college credit each physical stamina to complete the city marathon”; “so that I can
year until my degree is complete
so that I can advance myself spend more time with my family”; “so that the neighborhood
professionally. medians are maintained with city funds.”

“Failing to plan is planning to fail.”

— Alan Lakein, time management expert

6
What Do You Want to Change?
What do you want to change about the way you manage your time (for example, to establish three reach-
able personal and career goals, to learn to set priorities, to learn to say no tactfully, to take better care of
yourself)? List below no more than five objectives that you will commit to.

1. ____________________________________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________________________________

3. ____________________________________________________________________

4. ____________________________________________________________________

5. ____________________________________________________________________

Life Goals
List your four or five most important lifetime dreams, values, and goals (for example, to have three close
friends, to make $80,000 per year, to get all your kids through high school):

1. ____________________________________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________________________________

3. ____________________________________________________________________

4. ____________________________________________________________________

5. ____________________________________________________________________

List the three or four goals you want to accomplish in the next five years (for example, to develop one
close friendship, to complete business school, to prepare your children to further their education, to be
better prepared for retirement):

1. ____________________________________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________________________________

3. ____________________________________________________________________

4. ____________________________________________________________________
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Pretend that you have only six months to live. If you knew you were going to die within six months, what
goals would you want to accomplish? List four of them below. Rank your goals in the order of importance
to you.

Order
1. __________________________________________________________ ________

2. __________________________________________________________ ________

3. __________________________________________________________ ________

4. __________________________________________________________ ________

Break your most important goal into manageable, bite-sized pieces. List the specific steps you will take in
the next six months to help you accomplish this goal. Rank the tasks in order.

Goal: _______________________________________________________________

Steps: Order
1. __________________________________________________________ ________

2. __________________________________________________________ ________

3. __________________________________________________________ ________

4. __________________________________________________________ ________

You are on your way to reaching your most important lifetime goal. Proceed.

8
Visualize
Your Goals
Take time during each day to form a clear mental picture of who you If you don’t know where
want to be and how you want to act five years from now. If your goal
is to be confident, use your imagination to see yourself walking, talk-
you’re going, any road
ing, and acting confidently. Formulate "self" statements that strength- will take you there. Con-
en your positive image: "I feel calmer and stronger every day." Your versely, if you do know
mind is a very powerful tool. By taking the time daily to relax and
visualize yourself accomplishing your goals, you prepare yourself to your destination, you can
act upon them. Get so excited about reaching your goal that it seems quickly determine which
real to you. Behave as though you have already reached your goals.
route is best for you.

Time-Management Steps
You Can Take Today
Take Advantage of Your Prime Time
You have already learned when your prime energy time is. Use the
following tips to make the most of those periods.

tasks that require greater effort and attention.

completely.

concentrate, particularly if you must structure your day around

the needs of work, children, spouse, elderly parents, and others.

as a result of meeting others’ needs. (See the Kentucky Extension

publication Saying No to Negative Stress [FAM-QS.101]).

and stores are open and you are able to contact workers, supervi-
sors, and colleagues to help you with information, consultation,
and problem-solving.

9
 Take Responsibility
Many of us blame others for wasting our time. “It’s not my fault I’m
late—that child of mine absolutely refused to hurry up!” “Everybody
is always asking me to do more things when I already have too much
to do!”

“If it wasn’t for _____________________ , I would

be able to ______________________ .”

“Families will have more As long as you blame others for your time management choices, you
will have little opportunity to improve your life. Accept responsibil-
time for activities and
ity for how you spend your time, and you gain the power to direct
special interests” if all your own life. When you can look back and connect your choices
members share house- to the outcome of those choices, you can look ahead and use what
you’ve learned to make better choices and shape your life in positive
hold chores.
ways.
—Ann Fremion, Ohio Extension Agent
Learn to Say No
Learning to say no, as simple as it sounds, is the most difficult aspect
of time management for many of us. But you must develop this skill
because without it all other time-management behaviors are of little
value. The ability to say no permits you to exercise greater control
over your own life.
1. Be clear about what you want and what you do not want to do—
in your own mind and in your communications with others.
2. Evaluate requests: Do you have time to participate? What will
you have to give up to take on this new responsibility? Will this
activity get you closer to accomplishing one of your goals? Do
you want to accept this request?
3. Tactfully accept or reject requests as soon as possible. Avoid
giving answers such as “We’ll see” or “I’ll get back to you.” These
responses guarantee that you will be forced to deal with the ques-
tion again in the future.
4. Trade satisfaction for a feeling of guilt. By not being overcommit-
ted to a variety of tasks of little importance to you, you can spend
your time productively on activities that have meaning to you.

10
Learn How to Delegate and Ask for Help
If you find delegation difficult, evaluate your reasons. Check any of For Women
the following that apply to you: Studies indicate that,
although the amount
☐ I can complete the task better than anyone I can call upon for help. of household work
☐ I am too busy to delegate. performed by men
☐ I feel guilty for dumping work on others. has increased in re-
☐ I don’t believe I can depend on others to help me. cent years, women
☐ I don’t like to ask. still carry the primary
☐ I’m afraid I may become dispensable. load in managing a
household. And today
☐ I don’t want to be perceived as weak and in need of help.
more than 60 percent
☐ I don’t want to seem as though I can’t handle my responsibilities. of women older than
When you receive a new assignment or request, evaluate it by age 16 also work
answering the following questions: outside the home,
according to the US
Department of La-
bor. This leaves many
women struggling to
fulfill dual roles as
else do the job just as well? wage earners and
homemakers—and in
need of assistance.
the project? Learn how to ask for
help.
To improve your delegating skills and make others want to work
with you again:

When you delegate activities to others, you “free yourself to focus your time
and efforts on those tasks where you can make your best contribution.”
—Julie Morgenstern, author of Time Management from the Inside Out

11
 Consider This
You will never be considered weak if you manage your time to
achieve maximum results. With the proper approach, you may be-
come indispensable to your organization and a role model to others
who admire your effectiveness. Remember that delegatees benefit
from assisting you. Research has also shown that children who are
assigned household chores develop self-confidence as well as impor-
tant life skills. Supervisees learn new skills and gain confidence and a
sense of accomplishment from helping you. If you assign tasks based
on an individual’s strengths and preferences, they are likely to enjoy
the work and complete it in a timely manner, ensuring your success
as well as their own. They will be likely to want to assist you again.
Fostering a sense of teamwork will strengthen your personal and
“Work expands to fill business relationships. You will save—not waste—time by delegat-
the time available.” ing; if you take the time to teach someone to handle a particular task,
—Northcote Parkinson’s Law they will soon be ready to take responsibility for that task, helping
you not one time but continuously. Examine and conquer your own
reasons for not delegating so you can master one of the essential
tools in effective time management.

Change Your Habits

All of us develop habits that are supposed to save time, but sometimes
we take the behavior too far and it becomes a detriment. Some of us
retain habits long after they serve their purpose, blow good habits out
of proportion, or hold on to time-wasting habits. For example, if you
take a few minutes each day to order your desk at the beginning or
end of the day, that is a positive behavior and can save you valuable
time in a crunch. But if you spend the whole morning organizing your
work area, you have now let a positive skill became a compulsion or a
means of procrastination.

Evaluate your habits. Which ones save time, and which ones waste
it? Lifetime habits are very difficult to change, as any of us who has
attempted to lose weight, stop smoking, or begin exercising knows all
too well. There are two keys to success in changing lifetime behaviors:

want that prize. For example, if you walk two miles a day, you will
boost your fitness level. Do you want that boost badly enough to
do the walking? If so, you are on your way to achieving your goal.
If not, search for a benefit or reward that will make you want to
change.

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 old habits. The positive new habit can become a substitute for the
less effective old behavior. You may find that you are very attached
to your old habits, even when you can see the benefit of changing.
You may also find that family and friends are disoriented by or
resistant to the change you are trying to make. Acknowledge the
difficulty, and work toward the prize you have waiting for you.

Simplify Your Life

De-clutter
Most time management experts agree that, to be effective at time Are you willing to
management, we also need to learn how to organize and de-clutter
the spaces where we live and work. Studies have shown that we waste
pay the price to get
valuable time each day searching for items that get lost in the shuffle the prize? If so, you
of our lives. are ready to exchange
Begin de-cluttering your life of things you no longer need or use.
Jamie Nowak, author of 1,000 Quick and Easy Organizing Secrets,
your old time-wasting
offers the following tips to help conquer the clutter challenge: habits for good time-
Make a plan – Make a list of every area in your home or office that management behavior.
you need to tackle.
Pick a target – Start with the area that will have the biggest im-
pact in terms of time saved.
Make a date – Set aside a specific day and time that you are go-
ing to tackle a particular area, mark it in your calendar, and follow
through. It only takes a few minutes to organize a drawer or closet,
so don’t fall into the trap of thinking you have to set aside large
blocks of time.
Get support – If you are having trouble staying on task to com-
plete a big project or to make a major habit change, share your goal

on your progress and also celebrate your success helps motivate

you to make changes.

13
 Technology Time-wasters
Every day new technology is introduced that is supposed to save us
time or make us more efficient in the things we do. Keeping up with
changing technology can be a full-time job in itself. Television, cell
phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), notebook and handheld
computers, mp3 players, and video games allow us to communicate
and be entertained 24 hours a day. This might prove useful in some
situations, but keep in mind that using these devices also consumes
large chunks of our personal time, which we might otherwise use in
more productive and satisfying ways.
Outside of work-related The US Census Bureau, in their Statistical Abstract for 2007,
duties estimate the time predicts that in the coming year adults and teens will spend:
(in minutes) you spend
each day on:

phone _____________

TV ________________
mindful of the amount of time these activities consume so you can
Internet ____________ make informative choices on how you want to invest your time. You
can learn more about simplifying your life in the Kentucky Exten-
sion publication Choosing the Simply Beautiful Life (FCS7-178).
Total minutes _______ Handling Big Jobs
Some projects or tasks seem so complex, it is easy to feel over-
whelmed or unable to start. Julie Morgenstern, author of Time Man-
agement from the Inside Out, suggests adopting a motivating phrase,
such as “Just Do It,” that you can repeat over and over to get moving.
Dorothy Cudaback, Family Life Extension specialist, offers several
practical suggestions:

tasks.

blocks of time. Do at least one instant task to give you the momen-
tum you need to get started.

project today.

14
Increasing the Payoff
Following are a few suggestions to increase the payoff for complet-
ing those overwhelming or unpleasant priority tasks that come up at
work and at home.

or family member to help with a specific task. Offer a tradeoff by

helping them with a task they need completed.
-
mates to chip in with household tasks.

task, as well as completion of the entire task. By doing so, you may
be motivated to get the task done in a shorter period of time.

Time-management Tools
A wide variety of time-management tools are available today. But
with all the choices—planners, calendars, PDAs, handheld com-
puters, computer software, and even your cell phone—how do you
decide which device works best for you?
Morgenstern suggests that you follow your natural preferences. Are
you someone who thinks and plans better when writing things out? To do li
st plann
If so, a calendar or paper planner might be best for you. If you are
1_.__W __r_it___
i ng
used to typing things, are computer savvy and comfortable around e d_o_w_n___
electronics, a PDA or computer program might be a better choice. ___I_h_a_ve t wh__a_t
___o__d_o.
2 ______
Regardless of which type of time-management tool you choose, it __. _D_e_c_ide
___i_n__wha
is best to select one method and stick to it. That way you won’t risk o rd __ t
overlooking important information as you attempt to transfer things ______ to do it ____
er
from one planner to another. 3. Deleg _______.____
_
______ ate tas
that _c_a_n_____k_s
be d ___
s_o_m__eo_n___ one
___b_y__
e e_ls_e_._
4__
. _B_e_g_i_n__
w_i_t_h_t_h___
___jo_b__that e _
____h_a _s__the
h
____i_g_hest prior ____
______ ity.
____ __

15
 Increase Your
Efficiency by 50
Percent or More
In a society enamored Would you like to learn a time-management technique that will
increase your efficiency by at least 50 percent? Use the “To Do” list
with efficiency and pro- at the end of this workbook. Print or copy several weeks worth of the
ductivity, it is vital that we list and start mapping out your tasks.
manage our time and our 1. List the five most important things you have to do tomorrow.
lives so that we, as indi- (These items are often steps of a larger project.)
viduals and as communi- 2. Rank the tasks in order of their importance to both you and any
other involved party, such as family, company, or school (1 = most
ties of men and women, important; 5 = least important).
live healthier, happier,
3. Indicate whether you would be better off completing the task dur-
more peace-filled lives. ing a high-energy period of the day or a low-energy period.
4. Indicate how much time you will spend on each task.
5. Decide which tasks you can delegate to someone else. Don’t hesi-
tate. Pass the job on, and note the delegatee on your list

Number 1 activity with all of your energy and concentration. Do

not even think about the other tasks. Work on Number 1 until you
complete it, or until you choose to stop. Then check the completed
column (Done!) on the To Do list or add the task to your To Do
List for the following day.
7. Go on with your Number 2 activity, and proceed in the same fash-
ion until it is time to quit for the day.
Do not hassle yourself for accomplishing only four of your five goals.
If you could not complete all of your goals for the day with this
method, you probably could not have done so with any other method
either. You worked on the most important ones—the others will wait
until you get to them. Note and enjoy what you did accomplish.
You might set up a reward system to further encourage your produc-
tivity, particularly if you tend to procrastinate. You might decide, “If
I accomplish items 1 through 4 today, then I will reward myself by
relaxing for 30 minutes to the beautiful sounds of classical music.”

16
Some of us need to remind ourselves about goals and directions. The
bottom blanks on the To Do list provide space for personal notes and
reminders.
Use this simple To Do system to list priorities daily and you will find
that you get the important things accomplished—one day at a time.
Remember:

tasks, add them to your list.

Setting aside as little
you are most alert, enthusiastic and creative. as 10 minutes per day
for yourself adds up to
more than 60 hours per
year. Make it 15 min-
utes per day, and you’ll
have enjoyed 90 hours of
“reward” time!

what you have accomplished.

A Final Warning
If you are a Type A personality who is prone to rush through caution
lights to save 5 or 10 minutes, be gentle with yourself. Slow down
and take time to smell the flowers. Keep in mind what is truly impor-
tant—the time we spend with family and friends (see the Kentucky

In a society enamored with efficiency and productivity, it is vital that

we manage our time and our lives so that we, as individuals and as
communities of men and women, live healthier, happier, more peace-
filled lives.

17
Suggested Reading and References

Crazy (2005). Pamela Dodd and Doug Sundheim. Peak Performance Press.

(Audio book).

Dawson.

classic on this subject.)

Organizing Plain & Simple (2002). Donna Smallin. North Adams, Mass.: Storey Books.
The Time Trap (1997). Alec Mackenzie. New York: Amacom.

Cooperative Extension Service.

Time Power (2004). Brian Tracy. New York: Amacom.

Extension Fact Sheet. http://ohioline.osu.edu/flm98/fs20.html.

-
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/
www/releases/archives/miscellaneous/007871.html.

18
Date: /
DAILY TO DO LIST
/ Energy
Required
TASK Time Delegated
Priority* High Low allotted to (name) Done! Reward
EXAMPLE: Write Chapter One 1 √ 2 hrs me √ Starbucks!

*1 = most important; 5 = least important

Notes to Myself: (For example, I will set reasonable and realistic goals, I will not set myself up to fail and feel
miserable.)

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________
 The original publication, “The Successful Person’s Guide to Time Management”

February 1984.

Linda A. Bradley, Graduate Student, Dept. of Family Studies, University of Kentucky.

Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work,
Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, M. Scott Smith, Director of Cooperative Extension Service, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Lexing-
ton, and Kentucky State University, Frankfort. Copyright © 2008 for materials developed by University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension. This publication may be reproduced in portions or its entirety
for educational or nonprofit purposes only. Permitted users shall give credit to the author(s) and include this copyright notice. Publications are also available on the World Wide Web at www.ca.uky.edu.

Revised 2- 2008