ABC’S OF TIME MANAGEMENT
How’s the old saying go: “If you need something done, ask someone who’s busy”? Students who
become leaders are usually effective at getting things done. This very same effectiveness, however,
encourages others to ask leaders to “take on” new tasks, projects, or committee assignments. This is
a leadership “trap” which can result in stress, exhaustion, even burnout. Effective time management
is one strategy student leaders can use to avoid running themselves into the ground. The following
myths, strategies and suggestions are for student leaders who want to manage their time more
effectively.
1. Myths about Student Leaders:
A. “Busyness is a sign of an effective student leader”- even the best leaders will find
themselves rushing from meeting to meeting, deadline to deadline. However, the reality is
that some student leaders who look busy are, in fact, either working too hard or are not
managing their time well. Busyness does not always mean effectiveness.
B. “Good Leaders are always accessible and available.” –maintaining a “presence” in a
student organization is an important leadership trait. Yet being too accessible results in
unwanted interruptions, endless socializing and countless distractions- serious time
wasters! Effective leaders know how to keep in touch and create safe boundaries in order
to remain on top of important tasks.
C. “Delegation saves time and worry” – effective delegation requires time, practice and
sometimes a lot of worry. Leaders who delegate must carefully assign someone for a
particular task and describe what needs to be done. Delegated tasks often need to be
supervised until the job is completed well and on time.
D. “I’m the only one who can do this!” – some student leaders have illusions of their own
indispensability. They think, “This organization would be nowhere without me.” This
omnipotence can create a “work-aholic” leader who resents others who manage to balance
their priorities differently.
2. Common Time Wasters
How to avoid them:
Excessive clutter
Have a place for everything
Excessive perfectionism
Decide when something is “good enough”
Constant interruptions
Leave the area; take the phone off the hook
Lack of concentration
Focus only on one task at a time
Inadequate planning
Break huge projects into smaller tasks
Failure to delegate
Learn how...or you’ll do it all yourself
Failure to set priorities
Set deadlines on critical tasks
Inability to say “No!”
Remember...you’re only hurting yourself
3. Strategies of an Effective Student Leader
A. Get a day planner-look around—they’re everywhere. Use them to organize yourself and
reduce the stress in your life.
B. Know Your Roles- being a student leader isn’t the only role in your life. Don’t forget you’re a
student and possibly a friend, employee, partner, sibling, etc. Top leaders are those who have
found a happy balance in all areas of their life.
C. Daily “To Do” Lists- take some time in the morning or evening to plan each day. Review
your scheduled commitments, such as class periods, meetings and social events, then
prioritize which tasks need to be completed and estimate how much time it will take to
complete them. Do only those tasks which are most important. At the end of the day, review
your accomplishments and then plan ahead to be effective the following day.
D. Minimize Time Wasters- become aware of the time wasters in your life and practice ways to
eliminate those you have control over. If constant interruptions slow you down, go off to a
location where no one can reach you. Diminish sources of a distraction, such as radios,
televisions and noises in the hallway. If you like to chat a bit too much, try limiting friendly
conversations or shortening the length of personal phone calls.
E. Maximize Your Working Style- some student leaders work on projects in a systematic
fashion, while some prefer to use spurts of energy to complete a project just before deadline.
How do you prefer to work? Knowing the strengths and liabilities of your working style is the
first step to developing a time management strategy that fits your personality.
4.Useful Time Management Tips:
The following tips are advised by time management guru Alan Larkin, in his book How to Get
Control of Your Time and Life:
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Try to enjoy whatever you are doing
Don’t waste time regretting failures
Don’t feel guilty for whatever hasn’t been done
Keep your watch set at 3 minutes fast
Plan out your daily tasks either in the morning
Work smarter, not harder
Concentrate on one project at a time
Don’t waste other people’s time
Delegate tasks whenever possible
Avoid clutter; have a place for everything
If you are procrastinating, ask yourself “What am I avoiding?” and “Why”
Continually ask yourself, “What’s the best use of my time right now?”