Learning how to manage time at work is an important aspect of task delivery and productivity.

It is one factor that affects your performance and productivity in your workplace. It will make you a more efficient worker and you will be able to meet deadlines with ease. You can also produce quality work, according to ‘About leaders,’ a page that helps with building leadership skills through shared articles.

Frank Ntarindwa, a student in Mass Media and Communication says that to prove your productivity and professionalism, you ought to be a good time manager.

"If you aren’t a good time manager, you may fail to achieve the expected results; you are at risk of making a lot of errors because of performing tasks in a rush. And may also show less professionalism capacity because if in a workplace you have the same working hours as your colleagues and you fail to deliver on time that will show that you are not professional in all you do, you become less productive and get more workloads,” he says.

Diane Uwamahoro who works as a customer care manager at ISON Rwanda, says that effective time management requires people in a workplace to analyse their workload, and maintain focus on productive endeavours. 

"If you know how to manage your time at work, it will help you perform well. Time management does not mean doing all tasks without resting or breathing, it means planning tasks and giving them the time needed to be completed while making sure that the time given is not interrupted by unnecessary things,” she says.

 Alain Ntwari a graphic designer adds that time management in the workplace means that you are a serious employee and value your work.

"Employees have a life and need to live it. But if you try to live life without completing your responsibilities first, you will be viewed as unserious and lacking values as an employee, I can’t take a vacation knowing that I am leaving a workload that needs urgent attention. Time management should be about how you value your responsibilities and how well you are willing to perform.”

Poor time management also leads to procrastinating, work and life imbalance, unwanted stress, missed deadlines and meetings, Ntwari adds.

Why is time management important?

"Time management is prioritising your tasks and the company’s services. It also helps the company offer services to its audience efficiently, employees that manage well their time at work are more productive and happier too because they have no unnecessary stress at work because of too much to do in less time,” says Aline Uwamahoro, who works as a manager at a telecommunication service provider company.

According to About Leaders, there are lots of reasons why time management is vital. Managers need to assess their workers’ productivity and make sure that they are getting the most out of their workers.

 Submitting work on-time. Setting a deadline or time frame for the tasks you are working on can help you complete them on time. It also helps in managing your workload efficiently and boosts productivity.

Completing high-quality work. Your employer is not just after your punctuality but also the quality of work you will send. If you manage your time well and prioritise vital activities, you can provide a better quality of work.

 You accomplish more with less effort. If you learn how to control and manage your time, your ability to focus will improve a lot.

How to manage time

ISSUES I FACE, a page dedicated to helping people with personal issues and mental health issues share some tips on time management:

Be active, not just reactive.

Set goals.

Prioritise actions.

Keep your focus.

Create realistic deadlines

Do it now! Once you decide on a plan and are focused, just do it now.