Time management is commonly defined as the various means by which people effectively use their time and other closely related resources in order to make the most out of it.

But in a 2001 interview, David Allen observed:

You can't manage time, it just is. So "time management" is a mislabeled problem, which has little chance of being an effective approach. What you really manage is your activity during time, and defining outcomes and physical actions required is the core process required to manage what you do.

Time management can refer to all of the practices that individuals follow to make better use of their time, but such a definition could range over such diverse areas as the selection and use of personal electronic devices, time and motion study, self-awareness, and indeed a great deal of self-help. As narrowly defined, it refers to principles and systems that individuals use to make conscious decisions about the activities that occupy their time.

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 knowledge areas identified by the Project Management Body of Knowledge, produced by the Project Management Institute. The "Guide to the PMBOK" defines project management as entailing management of scope, cost, time, human resources,risk, procurement, etc. Time Management, as a project management subset, is more commonly known as project planning and/or project scheduling.

Contemporary Time Management

Stephen R. Covey and his co-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 tools above) 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
• "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 psychological problems underlying, e.g. procrastination