Effective time management is associated with greater student learning and outcomes, and lower levels of anxiety in students.

Time is a finite resource, therefore, it needs to be managed efficiently.

This is especially important in our digital world today, with its numerous electronic devices and gadgets consuming the attention of children and adults alike.

This executive function is demonstrated in the capacity to complete tasks on time and to have an appropriate sense of time urgency and time estimation.

What is time management?

Time management is the ability to plan and control the amount of time you spend on specific tasks. It requires you to have an accurate understanding of how long tasks will take and use time wisely and effectively to accomplish those tasks.

It also includes the capacity to coordinate the sequence of responses and often involves scheduling, prioritizing, and sequencing behavior.

It helps children to recognize how much time they need to complete their homework or other tasks, as well as have a sense of how much time a particular task will take. It works along with other executive functioning skills, primarily, planning and attention.

In other words, it is the thinking skill that helps children to prioritize tasks and complete duties in a timely fashion.

Why is time management important for learning?

Time management, like planning, is an underlying skill and is important for every facet of your child’s life.

It plays a crucial role in a student’s academic performance and can have a significant and lasting impact on his home and social life also.

When this skill is strong, it leads to positive outcomes. Your child will be able to:

• Judge how long it will take him to complete tasks.
• Prioritize his homework assignments and other activities effectively.
• Complete school work or chores in a timely manner.
• Anticipate the amount of time needed to complete long-term school projects.
• Pace himself on tests to make sure he finishes in the given time.
• Experience reduced stress with schoolwork, homework, and regular activities.
• Have increased brain function to improve recall.
• Work independently.

How can you tell if your child has trouble with time management?

Looking at how your child completes homework assignments and household chores can give you a good idea of his time management skills.  If this is an area of difficulty for him, he will:

• Frequently need to rush through his homework.
• Often stay up very late to complete assignments.
• Have difficulty estimating how long it will take to complete a task.
• Spend more time procrastinating than working.
• Struggle to complete chores on time.
• Take too long to get ready for school in the morning.
• Perform poorly on timed tests.

How can you help your child develop time management skills?

You can help strengthen your child’s time management skills by explicitly teaching some strategies. Since time management and planning complement each other, some of the strategies overlap.

1. Create a schedule
   • Every day after school, help your child make a schedule for the rest of the night.
   • Include a list of homework assignments, both those due the next day and long-term projects.
   • Break down large assignments into small manageable chunks.
   • Next to each assignment, write the amount of time he estimates it will take to complete it. Teach him to pad his estimates with extra time since most children underestimate how much time it will take to complete tasks until they have mastered this skill.
   • Keep the schedule posted in plain sight.
   • Maintain a relatively consistent daily schedule. Being able to predict what happens next will help your child.
2. Include breaks in the schedule. Determine how long his attention span is and plan breaks based on that time frame.
3. Make checklists and prioritize his tasks.
4. Use a visual timer during working sessions to show how much time is left.
5. Reduce distractions in his work area.
6. Talk about strategies for moving on with other work when he gets stuck on one thing. Then, ensure that he practices doing so.
7. Manage weekend work to avoid last-minute stress.
8. Establish routines for the morning before school, after school, and at bedtime.
9. Use deadlines for home chores. For example, “Your room needs to be cleaned by Friday.”
10. Provide incentives for completing tasks in a timely manner.

Many children with learning challenges have difficulty with managing their time. These children must be explicitly taught this skill. With some strategies and practice, your child can learn how to pace himself to get all his work done.

When you help him learn better time management, you will promote his development in other underlying executive functioning skills like self-regulation and planning. Furthermore, you will be teaching him how to work smarter and not harder.

What is your favorite tip or strategy for time management?