Time management is an executive function. "Executive function" does not mean that the skill is only needed by executives or upper level management. An executive function is any cognitive activity that requires more than one mental or cognitive skill to perform.
Definition of Time Management
Time management is slightly different for everyone. The definition of time management may change for an individual based on the role that individual plays within an organization or workplace.
Generally speaking, time management is the ability to produce and follow a schedule, meet deadlines, prioritize and minimize distractions and unimportant tasks. Time management includes managing time wisely so that tasks and projects can get done efficiently and effectively. Managing time wisely requires several cognitive skills.
Cognitive Skills for Time Management
Time management requires a variety of cognitive skills:
- Visual processing
- Sustained attention
- Divided attention
- Short-term memory
- Long-term memory
Visual Processing for Time Management
Employees and individuals may manage time in different ways, but nearly every aspect of time management requires the use of a schedule or calendar. Schedule or calendars are visual representations of how time is being spent, or how time will be spent in the future.
To make the most use of these visual representations of time, a high degree of visual processing is necessary. Daily, weekly, monthly and yearly calendars are all charts of time. These visual representations of time are typical in the office or workplace.
Visual processing skills will allow individuals to decide which style of calendar or schedule is best for him or her. Upper management executives or sales people meeting with individual clients may find that a daily calendar is best as this allows them to see time in fifteen minute, half hour, or whole hour increments. Administrative assistants or project managers may find that a weekly or monthly calendar suits them best to organize their projects and deadlines.
Without the cognitive skill of visual processing, individuals may find it difficult to select the best type of calendar or planner for them. Being able to visual time allows employees to select the type of calendar that is best suited for them, as well as allowing them to see time and plan out their workdays effectively.
Sustained Attention for Time Management
Sustained attention is essential for time management as it allows individuals and employees to focus on the task at hand. The ability to focus on one task for a length of time allows projects to be completed and distractions to be minimized.
Sustained attention allows the important projects to be focused on, while allowing lesser tasks and jobs to be prioritized for later completion or delegated to a colleague or co-worker.
While multi-tasking is an important skill for many employees there are many projects that require sustained attention to complete. Without the cognitive skill of sustained attention tasks may go uncompleted and projects may go unfinished.
Sustained attention with time management helps provide follow through, thoroughness and completeness to an employee's tasks.
Divided Attention for Time Management
While some individuals and employees benefit more from sustained attention, some roles demand divided attention to be used for better time management. Project managers overseeing several concurrent projects, as well as receptionists and administrative assistants creating documents, monitoring phones and greeting visitors need divided attention to proceed through their workday efficiently.
Using divided attention to improve time management in these roles is critical. Divided attention allows an employee to multitask while still prioritizing and meeting deadlines.
Divided attention is the cognitive skill or ability to focus on more than one task at a time and simultaneously complete both tasks.
Short-Term Memory for Time Management
Short-term memory is the ability to remember information over a brief period of time. This cognitive skill is crucial to time management because it allows an employee to remember the details of a new task, meeting or deadline for long enough to add it to his or calendar.
While the cognitive skill of short-term memory may not seem important, keep in mind that it is extremely difficult to improve time management without an accurate schedule or calendar. If items are left off of the calendar, projects may not be completed and deadlines may be missed.
The short-term memory cognitive skill is absolutely essential for improved time management.
Long-Term Memory for Time Management
Long-term memory is yet another important cognitive skill for time management. Long-term memory is the ability to retain information beyond thirty minutes.
Long-term memory is important for time management because it allows an employee to remember what needs to be completed throughout the course of a day. While it is best to always have a calendar in an easily accessible or highly visible spot, this is not always an option in the workplace or office. Utilizing long-term memory to remember what is on the calendar throughout the course of a day is essential to time management.
Long-term memory is the cognitive skill that allows meetings and deadlines to not be forgotten about after the calendar is looked at in the morning.
Ways to Improve Time Management
Ways to improve time management include:
- Keeping a time journal
- Updating calendars frequently
- Setting alarms and reminders for meetings and deadlines
- Looking at the calendar immediately upon arriving at the office
- Using only one calendar or planner rather than multiple ones
- Improving the cognitive skills that influence time management
Improving Cognitive Skills for Better Time Management
The cognitive skills needed for time management can be improved in a variety of ways. Employees may improve these skills by working with a mentor or coach, using computer software to improve memory and attention skills, reading books on cognitive psychology, and playing video games designed to increase cognitive function.
By combining training in the cognitive skill areas of visual processing, sustained attention, divided attention, short term memory, and long term memory with more traditional methods of improving time management employees will experience an increase in personal productivity.
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