Time Management
Time management is the goal-directed planning, organising, and prioritising of activities in order to make effective use of the time available. It helps students keep an overview of tasks, deadlines, and responsibilities, and to make conscious choices about how they spend their time.
Several methods can be used for time management. The Eisenhower Matrix helps to prioritise activities based on urgency and importance. Getting Things Done (GTD) by David Allen focuses on systematically capturing, organising, and executing tasks. Time blocking translates priorities into concrete blocks of time in the calendar.
These methods can be applied separately or in combination to analyse current time use, identify bottlenecks, and propose improvements in planning and prioritisation. It is important to create a realistic planning, monitor progress, and adjust the planning where necessary.
Starting Points
- Allen, D. (2015). Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity. Penguin Books.
- Does Time Management Work? A Meta-Analysis
- Eisenhower Matrix Explained Plus Template
- What Is GTD?
- Plannen – Hogeschool Rotterdam
- Timeblocking – Wikipedia
Key Points
- You have insight into your current activities and how you spend your time.
- You can prioritise activities based on urgency and importance.
- You can appropriately apply the Eisenhower Matrix, Getting Things Done (GTD), and time blocking.
- You can draw up and monitor a realistic long-term and short-term planning.
- You can compare planned and actual time spent, and recognise bottlenecks.
- You can evaluate and adjust your planning, and substantiate improvements in your own time management.