People at the top of an organization often delegate the work. Those at the bottom are usually working based on the clock - work 8 - 5 with lunch at noon and two breaks. It is the middle management group that usually feels the pressure of time management. As the saying goes, so much to do and so little time.

Author Charles Spezzano (What To Do Between Birth and Death) states that people pay for things with time - not money. For example, how many hours will you have to work to be able to buy and pay for a new iPhone? The cost of everything can be translated back into the time taken to earn it. Having this kind of perspective may help in managing how you use your time. The Four Quadrants

You should watch a video based on Steven Covey's 4-Quadrants of Time Management which divides time up according the importance and urgency of the task. Realistically, we all waste time. It is inevitable. But there are strategies that will help you reduce wasted time and change any bad habits you may have.

Quadrant 1: You need to deal with these activities that are urgent but if you spend too much time here you will be under constant stress.

Quadrant 2: These are proactive tasks that maintain or improve the quality of your work and life. The goal is to spend more time here.

Quadrant 3: Do you ever go to bed at night and wonder where all the time went that day? It could be that too many of your activities are in this quadrant.

Quadrant 4: You know what this is and you know when you have been in this quadrant. The trick is to know when you are in it so that you can make adjustments.

The Assignment

Here you need to do three activities.

Plan Your Day - The Planning Matrix

Create a "To Do" list for the day. Place each activity in one of the quadrants.

Make your plan like the one displayed in the video "Covey Time Managemen Matrix Animated[4 Quadrants Of Time Management] by Steve Covey"

(https://youtu.be/DNoQiScnOaA)-copy & paste

Show your work by presenting your plan in your answer.(Draw a 4 quadrant display)

Assess Your Current Time-Management Skills - The Reality Matrix

As the day goes by, keep track of the actual time devoted to various activities - even if they are not on your To Do list or the matrix. Place your actual activities in the quadrants.

Show your work by presenting your activities in your drawn 4 quadrant display.

Check the Results

Compare the two matrices and evaluate how you did. Answer these four questions:

1. Overall, how did you do?

2. What did you do well?

3. What can you do to improve your time management?

4. Will you continue to use this matrix (i.e., was it helpful)? Why or why not?