Make time work for you

Self-management and time management are essential skills. Without them, your to-do lists can spiral out of control until you feel like there are not enough hours in the day nor days in the week.

“Self-management is the ability to plan what you need to do and when so that you reach your targets. In today’s increasingly fluid world, individuals have more and more responsibility for their own achievements”, says Senior University Lecturer Jari Ylitalo.

Ylitalo researches and teaches leadership at Aalto University’s Department of Industrial Engineering and Management.

Students have always had a full workload of assignments and exams, but previous generations had a clearer and more stable framework for their studies. With the world changing faster and faster, what is required can fluctuate as well, and become more difficult to grasp.

Individuals are also expected to overcome challenges and meet deadlines more independently. The jungle of temptations is dense, and finding the path to the desired outcome can be tricky.

Always ask yourself why

Time management starts with setting goals and writing them down – in whatever format comes most naturally. A traditional paper calendar still has its advantages: writing by hand leaves a stronger imprint in the brain than typing.

There are also benefits to digital applications: they make tasks easier to synchronise and share.

“Planning your time use is the first step towards managing your time effectively. It is essential that you have a clear idea of what you want and then focus on achieving your objective. This also means turning down tasks that do not get you closer to your goal. It is impossible to experience everything that the world has to offer. There is no point in overstretching yourself. Time management also means remembering to take breaks. Breaks are vital for recharging batteries and thereby maintaining concentration”, Jari Ylitalo says.

According to Ylitalo, leading a meaningful life requires asking yourself why you do what you do.

Questions help you to know yourself better. What is important to you professionally and in life? Why are you studying? What interests you? What do you spend your time on; what are your routines? Are you making life choices based on someone else’s wishes? Which choices are actually your own? Choosing becomes easier when you understand the reasons behind your decisions.

“Self-management is about putting your self-knowledge into practice. Compatibility between what you want and what is expected of you is essential for motivation. Making someone else’s dreams come true without feeling that those dreams actually matter to you can be very demoralising. You need motivation to achieve your goals”, Ylitalo says.

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Beware of time bandits

Digital tools have given us not only an abundance of choice but also freedom to build a healthier balance between work, studies and personal life.

Not being tied to a specific time or place is often considered an advantage that few would willingly give up. This became clear when businesses started to recall their staff back to the office after the coronavirus pandemic. The idea of returning to the office was not a welcome one for most.

“There are a lot more distractions to deal with now than there were before digitalisation and the internet. We have gone from having two TV channels to being fed information in real time. Try this, read these, check that. Time bandits – distractions that fight for our attention – are designed to be addictive. Following the latest developments feels essential. Our lives are more fast-paced and perhaps slightly short-sighted”, Ylitalo says.

Time management is ultimately about routines and self-discipline. Practising self-discipline builds resilience and leads to a better quality of life.

“There is talk about the decline of self-discipline. I would not necessarily say that people are becoming less disciplined, just that there are more distractions and self-discipline is put to the test more often. Checking your phone becomes a reflex that turns into an addictive routine. However entertaining cat videos may be, watching them achieves nothing. They can still serve a purpose.”

Having all these distractions to tempt us is an opportunity to learn how to focus and make smart choices. Some people naturally have better concentration than others.

“Whether you are working or studying, achieving your targets and goals requires a systematic approach. There are a wide variety of tools and techniques, such as to-do lists and calendar reminders, that you can use to keep yourself organised. Trying to do too many things at once only leads to more stress, as does having unrealistic targets. Not everything you do has to be 100% perfect. Sometimes 80% is good enough”, Ylitalo says.