The term self-management has largely replaced the time management that has been preached for many years. Because if you want to achieve something, you have to know how to use the available time as sensibly as possible and how to motivate and organize yourself. Find out here which methods and tricks there are to organize yourself privately and professionally.
The essentials in brief:
- Time management is part of self-management and means the most efficient use of the time available to complete certain tasks.
- Several different methods can be used for self-management, for example, the ABC analysis, the ALPEN method, the Eisenhower principle, the SMART method, or the Pareto principle.
- In seminars and courses, participants can learn techniques and tools that improve their own self-management and thus make their work and everyday processes more efficient.
Time and self-management: definition and basics
While in the last 20 years, “time management” was the defining catchphrase when it came to working efficiency, in recent years, the subject of “self-management” has come to the fore. The main reason for this is that time management is only a small subset of the methods required for successful self-management.
Time management includes, for example, the Eisenhower principle (Eisenhower matrix), with which tasks can be divided according to priority and urgency. Self-management also includes methods for self-analysis and self-motivation. For example, these are often necessary to even start organizing tasks. Only those who can motivate themselves can apply time management methods successfully.
Self-management methods: from ABC analysis to goal setting
There are numerous self-management books and even more methods and techniques. However, in most cases, the path to successful self-management is a lengthy process. Various techniques and methods are learned and applied, and the employee monitoring software for the employers.
To better understand what self-management is all about, we will briefly introduce you to the most popular methods.
Known self-management methods at a glance:
ABC analysis
In the ABC analysis, all tasks are divided into three categories according to their importance. Tasks are all very important tasks that cannot be postponed. B tasks are less important and can be delegated or done later. Finally, c tasks are unimportant and can also be delegated or, in some cases, even discarded.
By dividing up and starting with A tasks, you should prevent important tasks from being processed too late or not at all. The ABC model is a straightforward model mainly used as a short-term solution for simple task lists.
ALPEN method
This method is particularly suitable for larger projects that require extensive time planning. It consists of five steps:
- Write down the task and deadlines.
- Estimate and determine the length of the tasks
- Plan buffer times (around 50 percent more)
- make decisions
- Follow-up check
Eisenhower principle (Eisenhower matrix)
This method helps to classify tasks to put them in a meaningful order then. Unlike the ABC method, the Eisenhower principle works not only with importance but also with urgency. This results in four task classes:
- Important AND urgent
- Important but NOT urgent
- NOT important but urgent
- NOT important and NOT urgent
Focus questions (catalog)
A personal catalog with targeted questions can help to organize thoughts and guide them on the right track. People who work creatively, in particular, quickly get lost in tasks and ideas that take up a lot of time. With the right question, your focus is set on what brings you forward in the current situation. For example, a possible focus question would be, “What one thing can I do now to make everything easier in the future?”
Pareto principle
You have probably already heard of the fact that in many cases, around 80 percent of the result can be achieved with an estimated 20 percent of the effort. This principle can be applied to many areas, but not to all. For example, when you write an email, it usually doesn’t have to be perfect. After a short time, you will have a good, understandable, and complete result.
You would have to invest a comparatively large amount of time for the last 20 percent to perfection. In most cases this is not necessary. It looks different with an application, for example, a perfect result is worthwhile here.
Please note: You should be clear in advance about which result is to be achieved and how much time is sensible.
SMART
Goal Setting Method SMART is an abbreviation for the characteristics that a meaningful goal should have. The SMART method has proven itself, particularly in project management. The abbreviation stands for:
- Specific
- Medible
- Reachable (” Accepted”)
- Realistic
- Terminated
The six methods presented show the way to successful self-management. There are of course other techniques and methods that approach the process of self-management differently. A combination of individual methods is also conceivable. If you do not want to prepare the methods alone, a self-management seminar can prove to be helpful.
Self-management seminar: step by step to success
Due to the abundance of methods and possibilities in self-management, getting support from a competent person can make sense. In self-management seminars, you can learn the techniques and tools when and to what extent they can be used sensibly.
Learning in a self-management seminar saves a lot of time, as there is no need to search for and prepare information, instructions, and methods on your own. In addition, learning in a group is usually more fun and also helps to internalize better what has been learned.
At you will find popular courses on the topics of time and self-management:
- Self-marketing strategies, time management
- Advantage through optimal office organization
- Self-organization and self-management
- Conflict resolution, time, and self-management for professionals
- Self-marketing in the application process and profession
In a nutshell: self-management
Self-management is a very broad subject area with many methods and techniques. For example, time management is a sub-area and can help to work more efficiently. Workers with a high level of self-management are very popular with employers. But you also have very good qualifications to start your own business.