This is a very popular proverb we have heard since our childhood. We all know that “time” once gone is never going to come back. It is a valuable and finite resource. Students must utilize this time for continuous learning and personal growth during their learning years. Investing time in education, skill development, and self-improvement can contribute towards making them more knowledgeable and capable. Time is a precious asset that, when managed effectively, can allow us to achieve goals, nurture relationships, and leave a positive impact on the world. 

Time management skills are essential for a number of things in life, such as overall wellbeing, career success, and personal growth. However, in today’s competitive world, the majority of students find it difficult to properly organize their time, which lowers their productivity and increases their stress levels. They try to tackle too many things at once and as a result, they make very little progress. It becomes challenging for many young learners to manage their academics, projects, assignments, and even exam preparation for the semester. They sometimes end up burning themselves out in the process. This has increased the importance of managing the time effectively. A successful student is only different from all others because he or she has time management skills. By understanding the value of time and using it effectively, can help in achieving a lot more with fewer efforts.

Effective time management is an art as well as a skill. It is a kind of art that can maximize student's development while also instilling discipline in their lives. It is a skill that may be acquired with self-awareness and practice. It can empower students to best utilize their time, boost productivity, reduce anxiety, and foster success in personal and professional endeavours. Some fundamental principles and pointers for effective time management include:

1. Prioritizing the activities - A student must identify the tasks that need to be accomplished, including both professional and personal responsibilities. Tasks can then be categorized into four quadrants as urgent and important (do first), not urgent but important (schedule them), urgent but not important (these can be either delegated or minimized), and neither urgent nor important (can either be eliminated or done in free time). This way a student can focus their efforts on the most important and urgent activities. 
2. Defining short-term and long-term goals - Establishing short and long-term goals is essential for effectively organizing and structuring tasks in a way that will lead to desired outcomes. By defining short and long-term goals in time management, student can create a roadmap for success. While long-term goals can offer direction and purpose, guiding the actions toward reaching desired outcomes over time, short-term goals can aid in focusing on daily development and productivity.
3. Time Blocking - Allocate specific blocks of time for various tasks. This promotes focused attention on a single topic at a time and helps prevent multitasking. It is crucial to stick to the time blocks allotted for each activity.
4. Task Breakdown - Another way of effective time management is to divide larger tasks into smaller ones. This not only makes it easier to tackle complex tasks, but also measures progress.
5. Do not procrastinate - Procrastination is a usual time management issue, characterized by delaying or postponing tasks that need to be completed. According to psychologist William Knause, 90% of college students procrastinate. Hence, students must try to complete the tasks rather than delaying them. 
6. Set realistic deadlines for tasks and adhere to them – Before starting any task, a student must set realistic deadlines and try to accomplish the task within the set time period. Establishing time limits creates a sense of urgency and prevents procrastination.
7. Eliminate the use of Time wasters - Find and cut down on activities that waste time, such as unnecessary use of social media. Finding a quiet workstation where you can concentrate without distractions, closing down unused tabs or applications, or turning off notifications are all effective ways to achieve this.
8. Effective Planning - An important key to time management is to plan your day or week in advance. Use tools like planners, calendars, or digital apps to organize tasks and appointments.
9. Self-Care - Make time for self-care pursuits such as hobbies, relaxation, and frequent breaks. Maintaining one's physical and mental health increases productivity. By prioritizing physical, mental, and emotional well-being, a student can better manage time, reduce stress and enhance productivity.

Time is our most valuable resource. Each one of us is gifted with the same twenty-four hours every day.  It’s how efficiently we use those hours. That is going to make a difference in our life. Effective time management is not just about working harder, it's about working smarter. Mastering the art could yield a positive impact on personal and professional life. Thus, managing time effectively must be inculcated as a habit by the students and be nurtured to enjoy a happy and successful life. 

Dr. Parul Khanna

Assistant Professor 

School of Management & Liberal Studies

The NorthCap University