Time management refers to a range of skills, tools, and techniques utilized to accomplish specific tasks, projects and goals. This set encompass a wide scope of activities, and these include planning, setting goals, delegation, analysis of time spent, monitoring, organizing, scheduling, and prioritizing. Initially time management referred to just business or work activities, but eventually the term broadened to include personal activities also. A time management system is a designed combination of processes, tools and techniques.

Time management in a broad sense involves both planning and execution. Money can be earned back, however the time once gone is gone. That is what makes time management a really important activity. There is however no agreed and definite way of time management. It depends on the individual person, as how they manage their schedule, and prioritize their activities.

Different Uses of the Term

The label "time management" cannot predate the widespread use of the word "management" in our sense at the beginning of the 20th century. Concerns about the wise use of time have a longer history, reflected in the large number of proverbs concerning time and its utilization.

As Part of Project Management

Time Management is one of nine core functions identified in the project management body of knowledge(PMBOK), produced by the Project Management Institute. The "Guide to the PMBOK" defines project management as entailing management of scope, cost, time, quality, human resources, risk, communication and procurement. Time Management, as a project management subset, is more commonly known as project planning and/or project scheduling.

Contemporary Time Management

Many authors offered a categorization scheme for the hundreds of time management approaches that they reviewed:

• First generation: reminders (based on clocks and watches, but with computer implementation possible) can be used to alert of the time when a task is to be done.

• Second generation: planning and preparation (based on calendar and appointment books) includes setting goals.

• Third generation: planning, prioritizing, controlling (using a personal organizer, other paper-based objects, or computer- or PDA-based systems) activities on a daily basis. This approach implies spending some time in clarifying values and priorities.

• Fourth generation: being efficient and proactive (using any of the above tools) places goals and roles as the controlling element of the system and favors importance over urgency.

Time management literature paraphrased:

• "Get Organized" - paperwork and task triage
• "Protect Your Time" - insulate, isolate, delegate
• "set gravitational goals" - that attract actions automatically
• "Achieve through Goal Focus" - motivational emphasis
• "Work in Priority Order" - set goals and prioritize
• "Use Magical Tools to Get More Out of Your Time" - depends on when written
• "Master the Skills of Time Management"
• "Go with the Flow" - natural rhythms, Eastern philosophy
• "Recover from Bad Time Habits" - recovery from underlying psychological problems, e.g. procrastination