Questionnaire: Time Management Self-Assessment

This questionnaire will help you identify whether you have room to improve your time management skills. Your response to the statements will identify your time management issues and then enable you to formulate an action plan to address them.

 

Task

· Read the following statements and mark whether each one applies to you by selecting the appropriate answer.

· As this questionnaire is for your own benefit and knowledge, it is best to be completely honest in your answers.

· Once you have finished, add up your scores. Use the following scoring system:

1 point for every Always

2 points for every Sometimes

3 points for every Never

· Check the Interpretation section for an analysis of your results.

 

Statement Always Sometimes

Never

1. I tend to put messages to the side when I first get them.

   

2. I find myself struggling to meet deadlines.    

3. I am continually being asked by managers to get things done.

   

4. I have difficulty prioritising my tasks.    

5. I start more projects than I finish.    

6. I am always busy but I feel my productivity results contradict this.

   

7. My working day seems to be constantly interrupted.

   

8. I often find myself searching for documents I have misplaced.

   

9. I often have to put in longer hours to get through my workload.

   

10. I carry a large workload home with me.    

11. I complete tasks at the last minute or have to ask for an extension.

12. I often miss out on lunch or other breaks to try to get through my workload.

13. I sometimes feel overwhelmed by work when I return from annual leave.

14. I often feel that I am not doing enough.

15. I work a number of evenings and weekends because I have to, not because I choose to.

16. I tend to postpone projects that will have a longer-term impact in favour of short-term projects.

17. I think that I spend time on many trivial matters throughout the day.

18. I get irritable when unexpected work is assigned to me.

TOTAL

Interpretation

33-54 pointsWell done! Your score indicates that you are very good at managing your time. You know how to prioritise and can mostly complete your workload in the time given, however, you may struggle occasionally. Look at the top tips overleaf for some general pointers on effective time management.

26-32 pointsYour score indicates that your time management skills are OK, but could be better. While you mostly know how to prioritise your workload, you still struggle occasionally. The top tips overleaf will provide you with some general pointers on effective time management.

25 points or underYour score indicates that your time management skills are poor. You would benefit from some comprehensive time management training, but the top tips overleaf will provide you with some general pointers on effective time management.

Top Tips for Effective Time Management

1. Identify specific problems

· Make a list of all the time-wasters you can identify in your daily work.

· Think about how your life would change if you could eliminate these problems.

· Consider how you could go about tackling your time management difficulties.

2. Take action and make changes

· Write up a detailed plan of all the steps you will take to combat your time-wasters. An Action Plan template is available in Supplementary Resources. Keep this close at hand, to serve as a constant reminder.

· Try using a schedule, diary or a calendar to prioritise your tasks. Most email programmes, such as Outlook, have calendar facilities. You might find it useful to set yourself deadlines, so add these into your calendar, with time built in for contingencies, and set reminders.

· Be more in control of your workspace. Keep your desk tidy and establish a system where you separate the work you have completed from that which you still have to do. This will help you focus and prioritise.

3. Regularly review your progress

· Continue to identify any new time-wasters that may creep into your day-to-day activities.

· Monitor your situation on an ongoing basis and consider how well you have succeeded in improving your time management skills.