Being an engineering student who was preparing for entrance exams, the most important thing that I heard about the MBA is Time Management. However, it is not as easy as it sounds. It’s a whole different ball game in the MBA.
As soon as I joined college, I had lectures, assignments, internship processes, live project processes, case studies, research papers, competitions, debates, committee processes, and many more things. All this was supposed to be done along with studies and preparation for end term examinations. This sounds very tedious and exhausting.
However, being in K.J. Somaiya Institute of Management Studies & Research, taught me to manage my time well and also make time for extracurricular activities. It has brought about a holistic development in me.
The two factors which are most important in time management as per Eisenhower principle is the importance and urgency of a topic.
· If the task is urgent and important, it needs to be done immediately. Placements come under this category although it may change from person to person.
· If it is urgent, but not important, the task should be delegated. Trivial tasks like buying logistics for an event comes under this category.
· If it is not urgent, but important, schedule the task. Case study competitions come under this quadrant. This task can be scheduled accordingly. Networking also comes in this category.
· If it is neither urgent nor important, eliminate the task. Attending events come under this quadrant.
It is very important to keep track of your deadlines and follow them strictly. This avoids the stacking of tasks. Remember why you joined an MBA institute and don’t get distracted from that goal. Keep a balance between grades, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities.
Planning is the most crucial step in time management. It is a simple mantra but often overlooked. However, if your plan is perfect and realistic, completing work within deadlines is not a monumental task.
My mantra is, “Don’t be busy, be productive.”