CASE STUDY III

Time-Management Decision Making

Objective: to improve your time-management skills through the use of the normative decision
process.
Probably the most important resources that we have are our time. Students and
managers always seem to have tremendous demands on their time. They need to monitor its
use closely and allocate it carefully. Unfortunately, few of us make efficient and effective use of
our time naturally. We need to develop time management skills and employ techniques that
contribute to this end.
As student, the poor management of your time may inhibit learning, interferes with
academic performance, and limit extracurricular activities. Due to a lack of time-management
skills, may intelligent students struggle to achieve moderate success or simply to meet
graduation and endurance, qualities that overcome their inefficient use of time. Many managers
face the same difficulties with regard to their work. Now is a good time to begin the
development of your time-management skills.
This exercise is designed to give you an opportunity to analyze and to improve your own
time-management skills through the use of the normative decision process discussed in the
lecture. To help you analyze these skills and make decisions regarding common time wasters
and recommendations to correct them.

Time-Management Decision-Making Worksheet

Step 1: Classify and define the problem
Do you believe that your time-management problem is a programmed problem (routine problem
for which you have worked our a solution) or a non programmed problem (new or unique
problem that requires a new solution)? Why?
Inefficient use of time can result from many causes. Develop a list of the time wasters (external
and internal) that you believe interferes with your effective use of time.
External Time Wasters:
1.Internet Surfing
2.Games
3.Financial incapability
4.Bad Environment
5.Unexpected Errands
6.Traffic
7.Untimely schedule
8.Too much assignments
9.Waiting
10.Visitors
Internal Time Waster
1.Lack of concentration
2.Inability to adapt
3.Lack of planning and priorities
4.Procastination
5.Disorganization
6.Lack of self discipline
7.Inability to say no
8.Attitude
9.Sleeping
10.Unproductive activities

Do these time wasters happen more often at a particular time?

External Time Waster
Yes, These time wasters happen often when I needed time the most.

Internal Time Waster

No, these time wasters happens regularly

When are these time wasters less evident?

External Time Waster
These time waster are less evident when I dont value time as much, when I dont have
any priorities

Internal Time Waster

These time wasters are less evident most of the time, for I do them regularly. I only
notice these when it dealt too much damage.

Do these time wasters arise more in a particular place?

External Time Waster
No, some of them happens at any place

Internal Time Waster

Yes, most of them happens at home

Where are these time wasters less evident?

External Time Waster
At home, because no one is the some of it are inevitable

Internal Time Waster

At home, because there are no one who to remind me of my priorities.

How many changes taken place in your life that may have led to these time wasters
External Time Waster
Many changes in my life lead me to these wasters such as frustration, depression, and
also my wasters appears if some unwanted things happen.
Internal Time Waster
In my life there are many times that I need a moment or time to withdraw my feelings
and I use these wasters to relieve it

If you decided to change any of the time wasters listed above, would the decision require
acceptance by a group or other individuals (roommates, family, peer, and employer).
External Time Waster
Yes, since most of them are involve in the list above.

Internal Time Waster

No, because most of the internal time wasters listed above are product of my laziness.

Overall, what do you believe is the most important underlying cause of these time wasters that
interferes with yours effective and efficient use of time? Why?
The lack of goals and motivation is the cause of these time wasters

Step 2: Develop Criteria for successful solution

As mentioned, specific goals should help you to use your time more efficiently. To this
end, list your top priority objectives, the objectives that you believe must be satisfied by a new
approach to use of your time. Example of these Must Objectives include: better grades,
improved relations with your family, physical fitness, improve job performance, acceptability of
new approach in roommate, friends or family and proficiency at some extra- curricular activity,
sport, or hobby. Try to make your Must Objectives as specific as possible.
Must Objective 1: Pass all subjects
Must Objective 2: Build up my self
Must Objective 3: To build good relationship with others
Must Objective 4: Increase my knowledge
Must Objective 5: : Acceptability of people around me
Other must Objectives:

In addition, list your objectives that are desirable, but not necessary, for an acceptable
decision. Examples of this Want Objective include: more travel, reading for pleasure, improved
golf score, more rest, and improved relations with friends. Once again, try to be specific.
Want Objective 1: More time to sleep
Want Objective 2: increase of allowance
Want Objective 3: bonding with friends
Want Objective 4: eat things that I like
Want Objective 5:physically fit
Other Want Objective:

Step 3: Generate Alternative

List any alternatives that you believe may help to improve the used of your time. Attempt
to employ all possible sources on time management for ideas concerning these alternatives.
These include articles and books on time management, friends who consciously try to manage
their time efficiently, and specialists. Try to be creative, but develop a list of alternatives that is
relevant to the time wasters that you listed above, particularly the major cause or problem that
you identified. Do not evaluate at this time! Examples of alternative include: developed a daily
plan, live alone, limit social activities on weeknights, go to the library every night, sell your TV,
say not extra job requests, and take fewer credit hours per semester.
Alternative 1:no games until the weekends
Alternative 2:productive internet usage
Alternative 3:do the assignments early
Alternative 4:going to school earlier
Alternative 5:spending less time alone
Alternative 6:quit day dreaming
Alternative 7:reading text books
Alternative 8: doing less important errands at free time
Alternative 9: diminishing unproductive activities
Alternative 10:learn to say no
Other Alternative:
Step 4: Compare Alternative to Objectives
Go back to your list of MUST OBJECTIVES AND ALTERNATIVES. Using the table
below, determine whether the alternative satisfy all your MUST OBJECTVES. If none of the
alternatives satisfy all your MUST OBJECTIVES, try to develop more alternatives
Must
Objectives

ALTERNATIVES
#1

1
2
3
4
5

/
/

#2
/
/

#3
/
/

#4

#5

#6
/

#7
/
/

/
/

/
/

/
/

#8

#9
/
/

#10
/

Go back to your list of WANT OBJECTIVES and attach an importance score, ranging
from 1 (least important) to 10 (most important), to each WANT OBJECTIVE. Then, for each
remaining objectives, assign a weight for how well that alternative meets the WANT
OBJECTIVE. These weights also should be on a 1 (does not meet the WANT OBJECTIVE) to
10 (meets the WANTS OBJECTIVE VERY WELL) scale. Finally, calculate the total weighted
score of each alternative by multiplying the importance score and the weights, and then
summing these products for each alternative. For example of this process, refer to your
textbook.

Want
Objectives
1
2
3
4
5

Importance
Score
5
5
7
7
9

Alternative 1
Weight
8
8
5
3
8

Score
40
40
35
21
72
208

Alternative 2
Weight
5
8
5
3
8

Score
25
40
35
21
72
193

Alternative 3
Weight
8
5
9
3
8

Score
40
25
63
21
72
221

Total Weighted Score:

Steps 5: Choose an Alternatives
Based on the analysis in step 4. one or a combination of alternatives may satisfy the
objectives that you identified in step 2. one alternative may emerge as clearly superior to the
other, or you may find that several of the alternatives attain high total weighted scores and are
mutually compatible. If this is not the case, then you probably need to conduct additional
analysis. Many times you will still need to rely on your judgment to make the final decision. List
below the alternatives that you have selected and the reason that you decided on each one.
The best alternative is alternatives 1 and 3, for they coincide with most of my want
objective and must objective . they are almost not an alternative but a priority.

Step 6: Implement the Decision

Now that you have decided how to approach your time management problem, you must
implement your alternatives. Develop a schedule of events to carry out your decision and work
out the issues that affect other. Try to stick with your decision from the beginning and watch for
potential conflict that may arise early in the process. List in the space below the critical events in
the implementation of your decision and a timetable for their execution.
No games until weekends starting this week I am not allowed to play any games
Productive internet usage I will only use the internet for research purposes only
Going to school early sleeping early and waking up early
Doing the assignments early I will be doing my assignments before the deadline
Spending less time alone I will go with my classmates to do our study more often
Quit day dreaming I do more productive things everytime to keep myself from it
Reading text books I am going to do an advance reading to be more productive
Doing less important errands I will do them in my free time to avoid cramming
Diminishing unproductive activities I will keep myself busy to avoid these
Learning to say no starting today, I will not accept any invitation when there are
important things to do

Step 7: Monitor decision and obtain feedback

Once the decision is implemented, you must develop some techniques to monitor its
effectiveness. Set some standards that are related to your objectives. These standards can be
checked on a periodic basis to determine your progress. List the standards below and a
timetable for their evaluation. Remember to correct problems as quickly as possible after they
arise.

I must comply with the alternatives that I listed.

Learn to identify the wasters and not
Compare previous and current performance
Check changes

Technological University of the Philippines

College of Engineering
Department of Electrical Engineering

CASE III
Time management

Submitted by:
Nochel Andrew A. Mallari
BSEE-5A
Submitted to:
Engr. Lyndon Bague