Managing your time effectively is a skill we all need to consider developing. This lesson asks you to analyse how you currently manage your time and looks at ways in which you might be able to make more efficient use of your time.
Personal Productivity: how productive am I?
What is your present productivity compared with your personal potential?

Unless you are familiar with productivity and are used to measuring it, you will find this question quite difficult to answer. To make it easy, match a number to each statement below.
Assessment of Personal Productivity
5 = Always
4 = Frequently
3 = Sometimes
2 = Seldom
1 = Never

 

 

Marks

1.01

I get 7 hours sleep a night.

 

1.02

I spend 3 hours on personal needs (eating, showering, etc.)

 

1.03

I spend at least 3 hours a day with my family/friends.

 

1.04

I use 1 hour a day for personal development.

 

1.05

I spend a maximum of 2 hours per day travelling.

 

1.06

I spend a maximum of 2 hours per day in meetings.

 

1.07

I spend a maximum of 1 hour per day on the phone.

 

1.08

I suffer a maximum of 1 hour of interruptions per day.

 

1.09

I spend a maximum of 1 hour a day dealing with crisis situations.

 

1.10

I return all calls the same day.

 

1.11

I reply to all mail within 24 hours.              

 

1.12

I do things my subordinates could do if I let them.

 

1.13

I read at least 1 educational book per month.

 

1.14

I plan my day every day.

 

1.15

I plan my week every week.

 

1.16

I make sure that all my subordinates have clear objectives.

 

1.17

I prioritise the work I have to do and stick to it.

 

1.18

I spend at least 10% of my time in planning.

 

1.19

I use a tape recorder or machine for dictation.

 

1.20

I actively look for better ways of doing things.

 

 

 

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If you scored more than 80 per cent, your personal productivity is unusually high and the only reason you are doing this lesson is because you will not be satisfied until you reach 100 per cent. If you scored less than 80 per cent this lesson will help you to improve your personal productivity, and, in addition, will help you to:
Make more efficient use of your time
Reduce your personal stress
Improve your working relationships
Improve your personal life
Enhance your prospects for promotion
Performance curves and biorhythms

“The early bird catches the worm” – English Proverb

During the day, everybody’s performance potential is subject to fluctuation. This fluctuation manifests itself in a natural rhythm which varies a little from person to person but is generally predictable. The following activities will help you to assess when you have most energy and therefore are at your most productive.

This graph shows the pattern of energy levels for a person who gets up early, works steadily more effectively with increasing energy until the middle of the day. There is a drop in energy levels after lunch, another increase in energy followed by a slowing down period up to ‘bedtime’.

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2.01 Complete the graph based on your own daily energy levels.

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Look at these statements. Do they match your experience?
The maximum performance level usually occurs in the morning.
In the afternoon, the well-known after-lunch period of inactivity begins.
After a second high-performance phase in the evening, the performance curve drops continuously until it reaches its lowest point a few hours after midnight.
Some international US companies have formal nap periods for staff after lunch.
A similar curve can be seen during a week. On what day are you at your most productive?
2.02 Draw a graph.

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Study tip!

When’s the best time of day for you to study? If possible, try to schedule your study periods at these times.
Breaks and performance
Working too long and too intensively is not worthwhile since concentration and performance ability get worse and mistakes appear. Don’t consider breaks as a waste of time, but as a welcome opportunity to ‘recharge your batteries’.
Medical studies have shown that the optimum recuperative value of breaks is realised after approximately one hour of work. The break should last 10 minutes at most, since the best effects of a break come only in the first ten minutes.
3.03 Draw a graph of your concentration levels over an hour. Imagine you have a break after 50 minutes.
Concentration performance values over a 60 minute period
Make notes to explain the graph you have drawn.

 

 
Implications for planning your work
Now that you have analysed your energy levels and personal productivity levels for an hour, a day and a week, decide if the following statements are true or false (T/F). Briefly explain your answers.

 

T/F

4.01

You should leave all your important work until the end of the week.

F 

 

Your energy levels are probably lower at the end of the week. It’s difficult to remain focused and strong all week. If possible do the most important work earlier in the week.

 

4.02

It’s a good idea to meet a client just after lunch.

 

 

 

 

4.03

If you have an important report to write, you should work on it until it’s finished.

 

 

 

 

4.04

Working on your weekend is not a good idea.

 

 

 

 

4.05

Meetings that last more than an hour start becoming ineffective.

 

 

 

 

4.06

Most of the useful ideas in a meeting come in the first 45 minutes.

 

 

 

 

4.07

It’s better to leave work early than arrive late.

 

 

 

 

4.08

Having a meeting over lunch can be a good idea

 

 

 

 
Study tip!
To help you study well write a study plan. Try to study at regular times. Write down when you will study and what you will study. Try to keep to the plan. If circumstances change the plan but then keep to the new plan. Don’t be too ambitious, give yourself plenty of time to study well.

Also keep a Study Log – each time you study note down:
• when you started
• when you finished
• what you learned
• anything that was difficult

• anything that was really easy
Finally, try to find a quiet place where you can study and keep you study materials.
Look at these comments from online study students and fill the gaps with the words in the box.

set aside                    prioritise                    targets                       organise                 put off
 

5.01

 You really must  organise yourself right from the start.

5.02

 It’s easy to _______________ work until ‘tomorrow’. If you plan a study programme, try to stick to it.

5.03

 Plan your study the way you plan your work. You need to __________________ your study tasks.

5.04

I work best early in the day so I always try to _________________ some time in the mornings to get important work done.

5.05

I usually set myself ________________ either for a week or for a day. Make them achievable, don’t set unrealistic goals.
Take some time now to think about how you will organise your time to fit this study programme into your schedule. Firstly, think about how much time you can devote to studying these e-m@il lessons. Then decide on which days you can set aside time. You should also decide how much time per day you will be able to study.

Make some notes below.

 

 

 

 
In this lesson you have:
assessed your own productivity in relation to managing your time at work
analysed your performance levels over an hour/day/week
looked at how these issues affect decisions relating to planning your work
 
The next e-m@il lesson in this module continues the theme of time management and looks at planning your work and dealing with distractions.