by Robert Half

Journal of Accountancy

Time. There’s always so little of it and so much to do. Napoleon Bonaparte once said, “Ask…me for whatever you please, except time; that is the only thing which is beyond my power.” But is time really beyond our control or can we manage how we use our time? Time management is a skill that’s becoming increasingly important in today’s frenetic business climate, which calls on us to accomplish more — with, of course, less time. Is there a truly successful person who hasn’t learned to manage his or her time wisely? Every accountant knows that time is money. As accountants, we have only our talent, knowledge, professional skills and time to offer to our clients and companies. l’ve been trying to tame time for my entire professional career and am always on the lookout for clues to how other people make efficient use of their days. For example, an executive who established a system of replying to memos and letters decided that most correspondence didn’t warrant a separate written reply, much less space in the files (every tree should thank him). His approach was to answer memos and letters on the originals themselves and then send them back. A definite time-saver. A woman who runs her own small business reads three morning papers while riding her stationary bike. She also believes in creating physical separation for dissimilar functions. Instead of working from one large desk, she has three separate desks: one for administrative tasks, one for financial matters and the third for her marketing and sales efforts. She’s extremely organized, which I believe is a crucial characteristic for anyone seeking to maximize the use of his or her valuable time.

• Gain time
• Motivates and initiates
• Reduces avoidance
• Promotes review
• Eliminates cramming
• Reduces anxiety

Keys to Successful Time Management

• Self knowledge and goals: In order to manage your time successfully, having an awareness of what your goals are will assist you in prioritizing your activities.
• Developing and maintaining a personal, flexible schedule: Time management provides you with the opportunity to create a schedule that works for you, not for others. This personal attention gives you the flexibility to include the things that are most important to you.- Dartmouth College Academic Skills Center

Time management: refers to a range of skills, tools, and techniques used to manage time when accomplishing specific tasks, projects and goals.