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What Are Critical Thinking Skills and Why Are They Important?

Learn what critical thinking skills are, why they’re important, and how to develop and apply them in your workplace and everyday life.

We often use critical thinking skills without even realizing it. When you make a decision, such as which cereal to eat for breakfast, you're using critical thinking to determine the best option for you that day.

Critical thinking is like a muscle that can be exercised and built over time. It is a skill that can help propel your career to new heights. You'll be able to solve workplace issues, use trial and error to troubleshoot ideas, and more.

We'll take you through what it is and some examples so you can begin your journey in mastering this skill.

What is critical thinking?

Critical thinking is the ability to interpret, evaluate, and analyze facts and information that are available, to form a judgment or decide if something is right or wrong.

More than just being curious about the world around you, critical thinkers make connections between logical ideas to see the bigger picture. Building your critical thinking skills means being able to advocate your ideas and opinions, present them in a logical fashion, and make decisions for improvement.

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Why is critical thinking important?

Critical thinking is useful in many areas of your life, including your career. It makes you a well-rounded individual, one who has looked at all of their options and possible solutions before making a choice.

According to the University of the People in California, having critical thinking skills is important because they are [ 1 ]:

Crucial for the economy

Essential for improving language and presentation skills

Very helpful in promoting creativity

Important for self-reflection

The basis of science and democracy 

Critical thinking skills are used every day in a myriad of ways and can be applied to situations such as a CEO approaching a group project or a nurse deciding in which order to treat their patients.

Examples of common critical thinking skills

Critical thinking skills differ from individual to individual and are utilized in various ways. Examples of common critical thinking skills include:

Identification of biases: Identifying biases means knowing there are certain people or things that may have an unfair prejudice or influence on the situation at hand. Pointing out these biases helps to remove them from contention when it comes to solving the problem and allows you to see things from a different perspective.

Research: Researching details and facts allows you to be prepared when presenting your information to people. You’ll know exactly what you’re talking about due to the time you’ve spent with the subject material, and you’ll be well-spoken and know what questions to ask to gain more knowledge. When researching, always use credible sources and factual information.

Open-mindedness: Being open-minded when having a conversation or participating in a group activity is crucial to success. Dismissing someone else’s ideas before you’ve heard them will inhibit you from progressing to a solution, and will often create animosity. If you truly want to solve a problem, you need to be willing to hear everyone’s opinions and ideas if you want them to hear yours.

Analysis: Analyzing your research will lead to you having a better understanding of the things you’ve heard and read. As a true critical thinker, you’ll want to seek out the truth and get to the source of issues. It’s important to avoid taking things at face value and always dig deeper.

Problem-solving: Problem-solving is perhaps the most important skill that critical thinkers can possess. The ability to solve issues and bounce back from conflict is what helps you succeed, be a leader, and effect change. One way to properly solve problems is to first recognize there’s a problem that needs solving. By determining the issue at hand, you can then analyze it and come up with several potential solutions.

How to develop critical thinking skills

You can develop critical thinking skills every day if you approach problems in a logical manner. Here are a few ways you can start your path to improvement:

1. Ask questions.

Be inquisitive about everything. Maintain a neutral perspective and develop a natural curiosity, so you can ask questions that develop your understanding of the situation or task at hand. The more details, facts, and information you have, the better informed you are to make decisions.

2. Practice active listening.

Utilize active listening techniques, which are founded in empathy, to really listen to what the other person is saying. Critical thinking, in part, is the cognitive process of reading the situation: the words coming out of their mouth, their body language, their reactions to your own words. Then, you might paraphrase to clarify what they're saying, so both of you agree you're on the same page.

3. Develop your logic and reasoning.

This is perhaps a more abstract task that requires practice and long-term development. However, think of a schoolteacher assessing the classroom to determine how to energize the lesson. There's options such as playing a game, watching a video, or challenging the students with a reward system. Using logic, you might decide that the reward system will take up too much time and is not an immediate fix. A video is not exactly relevant at this time. So, the teacher decides to play a simple word association game.

Scenarios like this happen every day, so next time, you can be more aware of what will work and what won't. Over time, developing your logic and reasoning will strengthen your critical thinking skills.

Learn tips and tricks on how to become a better critical thinker and problem solver through online courses from notable educational institutions on Coursera. Start with Introduction to Logic and Critical Thinking from Duke University or Mindware: Critical Thinking for the Information Age from the University of Michigan.

Article sources

University of the People, “ Why is Critical Thinking Important?: A Survival Guide , https://www.uopeople.edu/blog/why-is-critical-thinking-important/.” Accessed May 18, 2023.

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This content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.

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Time Management Is About More Than Life Hacks

• Erich C. Dierdorff

Your productivity hinges on these three skills.

There is certainly no shortage of advice — books and blogs, hacks and apps — all created to boost time management with a bevy of ready-to-apply tools. Yet, the frustrating reality for individuals trying to improve their time management is that tools alone won’t work. You have to develop your time management skills in three key areas: awareness, arrangement, and adaptation. The author offers evidence-based tactics to improve in all three areas.

Project creep, slipping deadlines, and a to-do list that seems to get longer each day — these experiences are all too common in both life and work. With the New Year’s resolution season upon us, many people are boldly trying to fulfill goals to “manage time better,” “be more productive,” and “focus on what matters.” Development goals like these are indeed important to career success. Look no further than large-scale surveys that routinely find time management skills among the most desired workforce skills, but at the same time among the rarest skills to find.

• Erich C. Dierdorff is a professor of management and entrepreneurship at the Richard H. Driehaus College of Business at DePaul University and is currently an associate editor at  Personnel Psychology.

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7 Critical Time Management Skills to Boost Your Productivity

Joe Martin is currently the VP of marketing at Scorpion, a leading provider of technology and marketing to help small businesses grow. Formerly he was…

We all want to be more productive and improve our time management skills. Unfortunately, while time management is simple in theory, it’s not always an easy concept to put into practice. It takes knowledge, effort, and discipline. Here are seven critical time management skills to boost your productivity.

We can’t make you work harder or become more disciplined, but we can provide you the knowledge you need to be more productive. In this post, you’ll learn seven critical time management skills you can use to boost your productivity levels today.

The Truth About Time Management

We can’t control time, only what we do with the time we have.

‍ First, it’s important to realize that time can’t really be managed — at least not in the traditional sense. We can’t slow down or speed up it’s passing; we can only control what we do with the hours we have. This may seem obvious, but it’s worth noting.

Effective time management isn’t proper management of time, but  proper management of self . The way we spend our time will ultimately dictate how productive (or not) we are.

‍ You also need to understand that productivity isn’t achieved through one specific skill set. It takes a combination of multiple best practices to succeed. The rest of this post will explain seven essential time management skills and how you can harness them to become more productive. ‍

7 Critical Time Management Skills

‍ Use these seven critical time management skills to boost your productivity today.

‍ Even small improvements to the following time management skills will boost your productivity levels. We encourage you to study these techniques and begin applying them to your daily routine.

‍ 1. Know Your Goals

Successful time management starts with goal setting .  We can’t control how quickly time passes, but we can decide how we’ll spend the 24 hours in each day. The most productive people are simply those who know how to make every second count towards their objectives.

What are you trying to achieve? A clear understanding of your goals will greatly increase your chances of reaching them. So don’t rush this process. Really think about what you want, when you want it, and how you’ll make it happen. Then craft your goals according to the  S.M.A.R.T. framework :

‍ The core pillars of the S.M.A.R.T. time management framework

• Specific: The more specific your goals are, the more likely it is that you’ll be able to achieve them. For example, instead of saying, “I’d like to climb the corporate ladder at my company,” say, “In five years I’d like to become the CMO of my company, have a corner office, and manage a team of 10 people.”
• Measurable: Measurable goals allow you to gauge your progress and determine when you’ve accomplished what you set out to do. You can make your goals measurable by setting milestones at various stages in your journey.
• Achievable: Your goals need to be achievable. Meaning they need to be both humanly possible and important enough to you to put in the work required to achieve them. To get what you want, you may need to develop new skills, or put in more hours. Are you willing to do that?
• Relevant: Each of your goals needs to make sense in the broader context of your life and career. Becoming the CMO at your company is a great goal, unless your big life mission is to start your own business.
• Timed: Finally, your goals need to be time-bound. Do your best to set realistic timeframes for each of the things you hope to accomplish. Do you want to run a department at your company, become employed by a global brand, start a business? Great, by when? Timeframes will help keep you on track.

2. Know Yourself

Knowing when you work best is one of the most valuable time management skills you can have. For some, it’s the first thing in the morning. Others are more productive at night. There’s nothing wrong with either approach as long as you’re able to optimize your schedule to accommodate your natural tendencies.

Your work environment should also be taken into account. Do you need complete silence and a tidy desk to perform your best? Perhaps more chaotic surroundings (like a coffee shop) are better suited to you. Again, there is no right or wrong way to work. It’s about discovering what your personal preferences are and putting yourself in the best position to succeed.

Obviously there will be limits to what you can change about your work schedule and environment. Your boss may not support you working outside the office. Your family life may keep you from working late at night. Just do your best to coordinate your personal tendencies with your work and your time management skills will flourish.

3. Prioritize Your Todo List

At this point, you know the goals you hope to accomplish and how you personally work best. Now you need to prioritize the tasks on your todo list.

Many people make the mistake of simply organizing their tasks by necessity. But an effective time manager first analyzes each job and eliminates the ones that won’t help him achieve success. Don’t waste a single second on worthless assignments.

To do this, we recommend using the  Eisenhower Box , which classifies every task into one of four categories:

‍ The Eisenhower Box: How to be More Productive ‍

– Important and Urgent

These are tasks that are both critical to achieving your goals and demand immediate attention. For example, responding to customer service emails will help grow your business, which makes the task important. If your customers don’t receive a response in a timely manner, they may become impatient and take their business to one of your competitors , making your need to respond urgently as well.

‍- Important but Not Urgent

These assignments are those that will greatly help you achieve your goals but don’t demand your immediate attention. For instance, implementing a new email marketing strategy could help you grow your business, which makes it important. But, unless your current efforts are driving away customers, this task wouldn’t be considered urgent.

‍- Urgent but Not Important

Tasks that fall into this category are often given priority. They must be done now so our natural inclination is to complete them first, no matter their level of importance. For example, answering a phone call from an unlisted number is an urgent but not important task. It’s urgent because, if you don’t pick up, you won’t be able to talk to the caller. But, in most cases, it wouldn’t be considered important.

‍- Neither Urgent or Important

Tasks that are neither urgent or important may include constantly checking email, designing a new support form, or setting up social media support. There’s nothing wrong with these activities, but they should only be completed when everything else on your todo list is already done.

This matrix from  Skills You Need illustrates the order in which you should complete these four tasks. Have a look at your todo list and separate each item into one of the four boxes below. Then accomplish assignments in the appropriate order.

Every task can be divided based on its importance and urgency.

‍ 4. Eliminate Multitasking

You’ve seen the  studies and heard the results: multitasking actually decreases productivity. The reason has to do with the human brain’s ability to concentrate. Researchers say that it takes an average of  23 minutes for our minds to refocus once they’ve been distracted.

If you’re constantly switching back and forth between tasks, you never give your brain the time it needs to concentrate on the project at hand. This can lead to subpar work, lower job satisfaction, and even  burnout .

To sharpen your time management skills, try monotasking instead. Monotasking is the act of focusing intently on just one thing at a time.

‍ 5. Eliminate Distractions

Taking the last tip a step further, when expending serious brainpower, eliminate distractions from your environment. Log out of your email (or pause your inbox using a tool like Boomerang ), turn off your phone, close your office door — whatever you have to do to keep your brain from losing focus.

Whether you realize it or not, constant email updates or social media notifications keep you from doing your best work. Your brain is pulled in so many directions it can’t possibly produce at peak level. So do your time management skills a favor and remove distractions while working.

One exception to this rule may be listening to music while working. According to  science , certain genres such as classical, ambient, or other wordless tunes can increase productivity. Try experimenting with different musical styles to see if one of them helps you stay in the “zone” while working.

‍ 6. Use the Resources at Your Disposal

‍ Another way to improve your time management skills is to use all of the technology software resources at your disposal. Living in the 21st century means you have access to amazing, productivity-boosting apps. Here are a few worth trying:

• To better track and analyze your time, use  Toggl . This app makes it incredibly easy to log the hours you spend on certain tasks. You can then analyze the results and discover areas for improvement .
• To manage projects more efficiently, use software like  Trello , an intuitive project management solution that represents todo lists in a very visual way. This approach makes the task prioritization quite simple.
• CloudApp allows you to communicate more efficiently via HD video screen recording , personalized webcam videos , annotated screenshots , GIF creation , and screen capture . The human brain processes visual information 60,000x faster than plain text. With CloudApp you can use this to your advantage and save up to 56 hours every week !

These are just a few of the productivity-boosting apps on the market. Take some time and discover which pieces of software will best fit your workflow .

‍ 7. Optimize for Time Management

Finally, it’s important to realize that optimizing your time management skills isn’t a one-time event. You need to constantly analyze yourself and seek new ways to increase your  productivity levels. How can you get better?

Maybe you need to rearrange your work schedule to better suit your working habits. Perhaps you should invest in a specific piece of technology. Maybe you just need to sit down and determine what you’re really trying to achieve.

Do what it takes to become a better time manager. Eventually, all your hard work will pay off and you’ll become much more productive! ‍

Improve Your Time Management Skills

Your time management skills can be improved with practice and dedication. ‍

By mastering the seven techniques outlined in this blog post, you can improve your time management skills. It will take effort, but the results will be more than worth it.

• Start by identifying your goals and understanding the way you personally operate best. These are key first steps in becoming a better time manager.
• Then use the included matrix to properly prioritize the items on your todo list, focusing on just one of them at a time. The more distractions you can remove from your work environment, the better.
• Next, look for technology tools to help you on your quest for greater productivity . There are plenty of them out there, but CloudApp is definitely one you should consider.
• Finally, optimize your daily habits and routines for productivity . By analyzing yourself, you can improve your time management skills faster.

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About ReadWrite’s Editorial Process

The ReadWrite Editorial policy involves closely monitoring the tech industry for major developments, new product launches, AI breakthroughs, video game releases and other newsworthy events. Editors assign relevant stories to staff writers or freelance contributors with expertise in each particular topic area. Before publication, articles go through a rigorous round of editing for accuracy, clarity, and to ensure adherence to ReadWrite's style guidelines.

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Joe Martin VP of Marketing

Joe Martin is currently the VP of marketing at Scorpion, a leading provider of technology and marketing to help small businesses grow. Formerly he was CloudApp’s GM and CMO and a Head of Marketing at Adobe. With over 15 years of experience in the industry and tech that makes it run, he provides strategic guidance on how to build and use the right stack and marketing for businesses to grow. Joe believes marketers need smart training and leadership to scale company growth. Connect with Joe on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter @joeDmarti.

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What is Critical Thinking and Why is it Valuable in the Workplace?

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• > Personal Effectiveness and Preparing for Change
• > What is Critical Thinking and Why is it Valuable in the Workplace?

There are times at work when you simply have to “do.” A tight deadline, a demanding project outline, or a highly particular superior might mean that it makes sense to complete a task without too much mental tinkering. But work like this can be unsustainable and worse — it won’t leverage your ability to think critically.

There is value in thinking critically in every aspect of your life. From making decisions in your personal life, to interrogating the media you consume, to assessing your work with a critical eye, applying critical thinking is an essential skill everyone should be trying to hone.

At your workplace, critical thinking can distinguish you as a leader, and a valuable mind to bounce ideas off. It can help improve the quality of your work, and the perception those higher up the chain have of you.

Here’s what you need to know about critical thinking in the workplace:

What Exactly is “Critical Thinking”?

  In a nutshell, critical thinking is the ability to think reasonably, detaching yourself from personal bias, emotional responses, and subjective opinions. It involves using the data at hand to make a reasoned choice without falling prey to the temptations of doing things simply because they’ve always been done a certain way.

Critical thinking takes time. It might be quicker simply to take instruction at face value, or rely on the traditions of your team. But without analyzing the reasons behind decisions and tasks, it becomes extremely easy to adopt bad habits. This might be time-wasting meetings, inefficient uses of effort, or poor interactions with team members. Taking the time to ask “why” you’re doing something is the first step to thinking critically.

Sometimes, data is available which allows you to make reasoned decisions based on absolute facts. If you can show that a new best practice can objectively improve current processes with hard data, you’ve used the very basics of critical thinking. That said, actual numbers aren’t always available when making a decision. Real critical thinking involves taking a careful look at situations and making a decision based on what is known, not what is felt.

Why Is Critical Thinking Important in the Workplace?

The short answer to the above question is this: critical thinkers make the best decisions, most often. And in the workplace, where choices about how to complete tasks, communicate information, relate with coworkers, and develop strategy are so common, critical thinkers are extremely valuable.

A savvy hiring manager will make this part of the recruitment process. It’s pretty easy to gauge how someone is inclined to solve a problem — ask them how they would deal with a specific situation, and give them the opportunity to use their critical thinking skills, versus deferring to an emotional, or prescribed reaction. Employing people who can think and act reasonably will pay enormous dividends down the road.

Using your critical thinking skills in the workplace will define you as a problem solver. This is not only useful career-wise (although having upper-level people at your company think highly of you is undoubtedly a benefit) it also establishes you as a leader among your fellow team members. Demonstrating your ability to solve problems and accomplish goals effectively will help instill confidence in you with all your coworkers.

How to Use Critical Thinking in the Workplace

The first step to actually using critical thinking is approaching every situation with an open mind. You need to be receptive to all information available, not just the kind that satisfies your preconceived notions or personal biases. This can be easier said than done, of course — lessons learned and beliefs held are often done so with a reason. But when it comes to critical thinking, it’s important to analyze each situation independently.

Once you’ve analyzed a situation with an open mind, you need to consider how to communicate it properly. It’s all very well and good to approach situations with objective logic, but it doesn’t do you any favours to sound like  Mr. Spock  when you’re conveying your conclusions. Be tactful, patient and humble when you are explaining how and why you’ve come to decisions. Use data if available to support your findings, but understand that not everyone is able to remove emotion from situations.

The final, and perhaps least obvious, application with critical thinking is creativity. Often, getting creative means pushing boundaries and reshaping convention. This means taking a risk — one that can often be worth the reward. Using a critical thinking approach when getting creative can help you mitigate the risk, and better determine what value your creativity can bring. It will help you and your team try new things and reinvent current processes while hopefully not rocking the boat too much.

Learn More About Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is a valuable skill for all aspects of your life. It benefits problem solving, creativity, and teamwork. And it translates particularly well to the workplace, where it can distinguish you as a valuable employee and leader.

Taking the extra time to examine things objectively, make decisions based on logic, and communicate it tactfully will help you, those you work with, and your work goals prosper. To learn more about how to do that, have a look at our  Critical Thinking and Problem Solving for Effective Decision-Making   workshop and register today!

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Catch These Benefits! 13 Examples of Critical Thinking in the Workplace

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Your team is dealing with a sudden decrease in sales, and you’re not sure why.

When this happens, do you quickly make random changes and hope they work? Or do you pause, bring your team together , and analyze the problem using critical thinking?

In the pages ahead, we’ll share examples of critical thinking in the workplace to show how critical thinking can help you build a successful team and business.

Ready to make critical thinking a part of your office culture?

Let’s dive in!

What Is Critical Thinking? A Quick Definition

Critical thinking is the systematic approach of being a sharp-minded analyst. It involves asking questions, verifying facts, and using your intellect to make decisions and solve problems.

The process of thinking critically is built upon a foundation of six major steps:

• Comprehension
• Application
• Creation/Action

First, you gather “knowledge” by learning about something and understanding it. After that, you put what you’ve learned into action, known as “application.” When you start looking closely at the details, you do the “analysis.”

After analyzing, you put all those details together to create something new, which we call “synthesis.” Finally, you take action based on all your thinking, and that’s the “creation” or “action” step.

Examples of Critical Thinking in the Workplace

Even if the tasks are repetitive, or even if employees are required to follow strict rules, critical thinking is still important. It helps to deal with unexpected challenges and improve processes.

Let’s delve into 13 real examples to see how critical thinking works in practice.

1. Evaluating the pros and cons of each option

Are you unsure which choice is the best? Critical thinking helps you look at the good and bad sides of each option. This ensures that you make decisions based on facts and not just guesses.

Product development : For example, a product development team is deciding whether to launch a new product . They must evaluate the pros and cons of various features, production methods, and marketing strategies to make an informed decision. Obviously, the more complete their evaluation is, the better decisions they can make.

2. Breaking down complex problems into smaller, manageable parts

In the face of complex problems, critical thinkers are able to make the problem easier to solve. How? They create a step-by-step process to address each component separately.

Product deliveries and customer support . Imagine you work in a customer service department, and there has been a sudden increase in customer complaints about delayed deliveries. You need to figure out the root causes and come up with a solution.

So, you break down the problem into pieces – the shipping process, warehouse operations, delivery routes, customer communication, and product availability. This helps you find out the major causes, which are:

• insufficient staff in the packaging department, and
• high volume of orders during specific weeks in a year.

So, when you focus on smaller parts, you can understand and address each aspect better. As a result, you can find practical solutions to the larger issue of delayed deliveries.

3. Finding, evaluating and using information effectively

In today’s world, information is power. Using it wisely can help you and your team succeed. And critical thinkers know where to find the right information and how to check if it’s reliable.

Market research : Let’s say a marketing team is conducting market research to launch a new product. They must find, assess, and use market data to understand customer needs, competitor tactics, and market trends. Only with this information at hand can they create an effective marketing plan.

4. Paying attention to details while also seeing the bigger picture

Are you great at noticing small things? But can you also see how they fit into the larger picture? Critical thinking helps you do both. It’s like zooming in and out with a camera. Why is it essential? It helps you see the full story and avoid tunnel vision.

Strategic planning . For instance, during strategic planning, executives must pay attention to the details of the company’s financial data, market changes, and internal potential. At the same time, they must consider the bigger picture of long-term goals and growth strategies.

5. Making informed decisions by considering all available information

Ever made a choice without thinking it through? Critical thinkers gather all the facts before they decide. It ensures your decisions are smart and well-informed.

Data analysis . For example, data analysts have to examine large datasets to discover trends and patterns. They use critical thinking to understand the significance of these findings, get useful insights, and provide recommendations for improvement.

6. Recognizing biases and assumptions

Too many workplaces suffer from unfair and biased decisions. Make sure yours isn’t on this list. Critical thinkers are self-aware and can spot their own biases. Obviously, this allows them to make more objective decisions.

Conflict resolution . Suppose a manager needs to mediate a conflict between two team members. Critical thinking is essential to understand the underlying causes, evaluate the validity of each person’s opinion, and find a fair solution.

Hiring decisions . Here’s another example. When hiring new employees, HR professionals need to critically assess candidates’ qualifications, experience, and cultural fit. At the same time, they have to “silence” their own assumptions to make unbiased hiring decisions.

7. Optimizing processes for efficiency

Critical thinking examples in the workplace clearly show how teams can improve their processes.

Customer service . Imagine a company that sells gadgets. When customers have problems, the customer service team reads their feedback. For example, if many people struggle to use a gadget, they think about why that’s happening. Maybe the instructions aren’t clear, or the gadget is too tricky to set up.

So, they work together to make things better. They make a new, easier guide and improve the gadget’s instructions. As a result, fewer customers complain, and everyone is happier with the products and service.

8. Analyzing gaps and filling them in

Discovering problems in your company isn’t always obvious. Sometimes, you need to find what’s not working well to help your team do better. That’s where critical thinking comes in.

Training and development . HR professionals, for instance, critically analyze skill gaps within the organization to design training programs. Without deep analysis, they can’t address specific needs and upskill their employees .

9. Contributing effectively to team discussions

In a workplace, everyone needs to join meetings by saying what they think and listening to everyone else. Effective participation, in fact, depends on critical thinking because it’s the best shortcut to reach collective decisions.

Team meetings . In a brainstorming session, you and your colleagues are like puzzle pieces, each with a unique idea. To succeed, you listen to each other’s thoughts, mix and match those ideas, and together, you create the perfect picture – the best plan for your project.

10. Contributing effectively to problem-solving

Effective problem-solving typically involves critical thinking, with team members offering valuable insights and solutions based on their analysis of the situation.

Innovative SaaS product development . Let’s say a cross-functional team faces a challenging innovation problem. So, they use critical thinking to brainstorm creative solutions and evaluate the feasibility of each idea. Afterwards, they select the most promising one for further development.

11. Making accurate forecasts

Understanding critical thinking examples is essential in another aspect, too. In fact, critical thinking allows companies to prepare for what’s coming, reducing unexpected problems.

Financial forecasting . For example, finance professionals critically assess financial data, economic indicators, and market trends to make accurate forecasts. This data helps to make financial decisions, such as budget planning or investment strategies.

12. Assessing potential risks and recommending adjustments

Without effective risk management , you’ll constantly face issues when it’s too late to tackle them. But when your team has smart thinkers who can spot problems and figure out how they might affect you, you’ll have no need to worry.

Compliance review . Compliance officers review company policies and practices to ensure they align with relevant laws and regulations. They want to make sure everything we do follows the law. If they find anything that could get us into trouble, they’ll suggest changes to keep us on the right side of the law.

13. Managing the crisis

Who else wants to minimize damage and protect their business? During a crisis, leaders need to think critically to assess the situation, make rapid decisions, and allocate resources effectively.

Security breach in a big IT company . Suppose you’ve just discovered a major security breach. This is a crisis because sensitive customer data might be at risk, and it could damage your company’s reputation.

To manage this crisis, you need to think critically. First, you must assess the situation. You investigate how the breach happened, what data might be compromised, and how it could affect your customers and your business. Next, you have to make decisions. You might decide to shut down the affected systems to prevent further damage. By taking quick, well-planned actions, you can minimize the damage and protect your business.

Encouraging Critical Thinking in Your Team: A Brief Manager’s Guide

According to Payscale’s survey, 60% of managers believe that critical thinking is the top soft skill that new graduates lack. Why should you care? Well, among these graduates, there’s a good chance that one could eventually become a part of your team down the road.

So, how do you create a workplace where critical thinking is encouraged and cultivated? Let’s find out.

Step 1: Make Your Expectations Clear

First things first, make sure your employees know why critical thinking is important. If they don’t know how critical it is, it’s time to tell them. Explain why it’s essential for their growth and the company’s success.

Step 2: Encourage Curiosity

Do your employees ask questions freely? Encourage them to! A workplace where questions are welcomed is a breeding ground for critical thinking. And remember, don’t shut down questions with a “That’s not important.” Every question counts.

Step 3: Keep Learning Alive

Encourage your team to keep growing. Learning new stuff helps them become better thinkers. So, don’t let them settle for “I already know enough.” Provide your team with inspiring examples of critical thinking in the workplace. Let them get inspired and reach new heights.

Step 4: Challenge, Don’t Spoon-Feed

Rethink your management methods, if you hand your employees everything on a silver platter. Instead, challenge them with tasks that make them think. It might be tough, but don’t worry. A little struggle can be a good thing.

Step 5: Embrace Different Ideas

Do you only like ideas that match your own? Well, that’s a no-no. Encourage different ideas, even if they sound strange. Sometimes, the craziest ideas lead to the best solutions.

Step 6: Learn from Mistakes

Mistakes happen. So, instead of pointing fingers, ask your employees what they learned from the mistake. Don’t let them just say, “It’s not my fault.”

Step 7: Lead the Way

Are you a critical thinker yourself? Show your employees how it’s done. Lead by example. Don’t just say, “Do as I say!”

Wrapping It Up!

As we’ve seen, examples of critical thinking in the workplace are numerous. Critical thinking shows itself in various scenarios, from evaluating pros and cons to breaking down complex problems and recognizing biases.

The good news is that critical thinking isn’t something you’re born with but a skill you can nurture and strengthen. It’s a journey of growth, and managers are key players in this adventure. They can create a space where critical thinking thrives by encouraging continuous learning.

Remember, teams that cultivate critical thinking will be pioneers of adaptation and innovation. They’ll be well-prepared to meet the challenges of tomorrow’s workplace with confidence and competence.

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Soft Skills Insights

We unpack behavior science, habit research, and academic research to provide practical insight into how to upgrade your people's critical thinking, communication, people management, and time management skills

100 Questions that Build Your Team’s Critical Thinking Skills

In what many at the time considered to be the omphalos – literally the center of the world – stood the most important shrine in all of Greece: the oracle at Delphi. People from all over the Greek empire and beyond would make the trek up Mount Parnassus near the Gulf of Corinth to get an answer to their questions about the future from the Oracle. The questions ranged in breadth and significance from personal matters to whether one empire should wage war on another.

On one such day, the Oracle’s friend Chaerephon asked the Oracle a question that would alter the course of human philosophy and logic for centuries to come. His question was: Is there anyone wiser than Socrates?

The answer – that Socrates was the “most free, upright, and prudent of all people” – did not surprise Chaerephon, but it left Socrates himself quite perplexed. How could someone who felt he knew nothing be considered wiser than others, Socrates wondered, calling it the great paradox. And so, he set out to test the Oracle’s answer. He found the politicians, poets, and skilled craftsmen of Athens revered for their wisdom and he began to interrogate them. By engaging in elenchus – what we would today call cross-examination – he soon realized that those known for their wisdom thought they knew much more than they actually did.

True wisdom – he concluded, finally affirming the Oracle’s assertion for himself – is accurately recognizing the limits of one’s own knowledge. Inspired by this exploration, Socrates embraced a calling to show people the limitations of their own knowledge, so they could possess true wisdom. And so, the Socratic method, which has since influenced much of Western philosophy and the teaching method at most modern law schools, was born.

The Power of Questions for Critical Thinking

What Socrates discovered some 2,500 years ago was the power of questions to make others think. In his book   Blink , Malcolm Gladwell shows that much of our thought life takes place behind the closed door of our subconscious. As a result, we often don’t know why we do, feel, or think the way we do. Careful questioning exposes these gaps of darkness in our minds and helps us construct sound opinions and beliefs.

While we may not gather in Athens’ Agora to debate the ideas of the day, the construction of sound opinions, beliefs, and recommendations holds immense value in today’s economy – rated by many surveys as the   most in-demand soft skill . This type of thinking –   critical thinking   – can be taught. We must reject the notion that critical thinking is either an innate gift that can’t be developed or a skill learned only through experience.

Through our research of three research-based critical thinking models, we created the   Critical Thinking Roadmap   and a corresponding   toolkit   to help people learn the science of building this skill.

In the toolkit, we included development exercises for each milestone of the roadmap’s four phases. While those development exercises offer a great starting point, they realize their full value when accompanied by intelligent questioning.

How to Use These Critical Thinking Questions

We’ve included five questions for each milestone below. There are five, rather than just one, for two reasons:

• Often one question alone won’t be sufficient to help someone fully unpack their thoughts.
• You will likely find yourself in a position to ask these questions many times a week, if not daily. It’s helpful to vary the question to cause people to approach their thoughts from different angles.

We would not recommend that you commit this list to memory, though you may find it helpful to print it out or post it somewhere you’ll see often. Here is our recommendation for how to get started:

• Start by plotting your team members on the   Critical Thinking Roadmap .
• Once you do, you’ll know which questions you’ll want to use most frequently.
• Pick one question from the milestones that relate to your team member and practice using it as much as you can
• Once you feel comfortable using that question, add a second

When you do ask these questions, consider it the beginning of the conversation, not the end. In other words, expect to ask several follow-up questions.

Since we released the   Critical Thinking Roadmap Toolkit , we’ve been asked a number of times if people can do the development exercises themselves to build their own critical thinking skills. The answer is, unequivocally, yes. And the same is true for these questions. Ask these same questions of yourself to push your own critical thinking.

100 Critical Thinking Questions

• What work has been assigned to you?
• Why is this work important?
• How would you explain what you’re going to do to a child?
• What are your key questions about this assignment?
• What feels the least clear?
• What steps will you need to take to achieve the objective or complete the assignment?
• What order should you take those steps in?
• What will you do first?
• How will you do step X?
• What will you need to know or do before step X?
• Who is the best at doing the work that has just been assigned to you?
• What are the best practices for doing this work?
• What have you learned from doing this work previously?
• What’s the hardest part of this assignment?
• What are the common mistakes people make on these types of assignments?
• How long will this take you to do?
• Is the deadline reasonable?
• How long will sub-task/step X take?
• What intermediate deadlines have you created?
• If you were to miss the deadline, what would be the most likely reason why?
• What should we/you do next?
• How has the work you just finished change what we were thinking we would do next?
• What could we do better next time?
• How could you have done it more efficiently next time?
• What do you wish you would have known in the beginning?
• What are your takeaways from that meeting?
• What did you learn from…?
• What have been your key thoughts about the work over the last week?
• What would you like to update me on?
• What has happened this week?
• What are the most important takeaways from…?
• What are the key insights on…?
• Of the takeaways you mentioned, which are the least important?
• If you had to cut some insights or points, which would you cut?
• How would you prioritize these takeaways?
• What would you share if you could only share one insight?
• What would you share if you only had 5 minutes to present?
• What would you do if we only had $XXX to complete the project?
• What would you do if we only had X months to complete the project?
• What’s the 2-minute version of your update?
• What is the most important thing I need to know about your work?
• What questions do you have for me that you must get answers to?
• You have X minutes. What have you learned?
• You have X minutes. What do I need to know?
• What’s the answer?
• Can you wrap this up?
• What are our key takeaways?
• What action steps do we have from this meeting?
• What do we need to make sure we don’t forget from this meeting?
• We’ve covered a lot of ground. Can you give us a brief recap?
• What have you already done or considered to answer your question?
• What do you think?
• How would you answer your own question?
• What would you do if I wasn’t available to be asked?
• What would you say if someone you were managing asked you this same question?
• How confident are you in your recommendation and why?
• If you had to, how would you convince me your recommendation is a bad idea?
• What parts of your recommendation are you least confident in?
• If your recommendation were to fail, what would be the most likely way it would fail?
• Who is least likely to support your recommendation and why?
• What other ideas have you considered?
• Why is your recommendation better than other ideas out there?
• Could you combine this idea with any others to make it stronger?
• How have others approached this same challenge differently?
• What have you learned from other approaches or ideas for this same work?
• What is the logic behind your recommendation?
• Could you walk me through how you came to this recommendation?
• How would you convince a skeptic your recommendation is our best option?
• Could you draw a mind map of your rationale for this recommendation?
• Imagine your recommendation is a math equation, like A + B leads to C. How would you describe the rationale behind your recommendation like a math equation?
• What should team member X do next?
• What would you do if you were team member X?
• How would you answer team member X’s question?
• How can team member X/the team apply lessons from your work to theirs?
• What is most important thing for the team to do next?
• What ideas do you have for our work, team, X?
• How would you make this work, team, project, department, X better?
• If you were in charge, what would you do?
• What blind spots do we have?
• What are none of us thinking about that we should be thinking about?
• How would you solve this challenge?
• Nothing we have tried in the past has worked. What else can we try?
• What are other analogous approaches we could learn from to help solve this challenge?
• What would be a novel approach to this challenge?
• What solutions could we borrow from elsewhere to help solve this challenge?
• What would it look like to make that vision a reality?
• Is it feasible to achieve this vision? Why or why not?
• How would we go about achieving that vision?
• How would you structure our approach and resources to achieve that vision?
• When could we reasonably accomplish that vision?
• How do you think our work should be different in 1, 3, 5, X years?
• How will things change over the next X years?
• What must we do now to prepare for the future?
• What early signals should we be paying attention to that will impact our future?
• What are we doing now that we must continue to do for the next X years?
• How could fellow leader X expand her/his thinking further?
• What is fellow leader X missing in her/his vision of the future?
• How feasible is fellow leader X’s vision?
• What should fellow leader X do to begin bringing about her/his vision?
• What are the greatest risks associated with fellow leader X’s vision?

If you haven’t yet, download your copy of the   Critical Thinking Roadmap Toolkit   to accompany these questions.

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3.1 The Benefits of Time Management

“Poor time management can set into motion a series of events that can seriously jeopardize a student’s success.”

A very unfortunate but all-too-common situation in higher education is the danger students face from poor time management. Many college administrators that work directly with students are aware that a single mishap or a case of poor time management can set into motion a series of events that can seriously jeopardize a student’s success. In some of the more extreme instances, the student may even fail to graduate because of it.

To better understand how one instance of poor time management can trigger a cascading situation with disastrous results, imagine that a student has an assignment due in a business class. She knows that she should be working on it, but she isn’t quite in the mood. Instead she convinces herself that she should think a little more about what she needs to complete the assignment and decides to do so while looking at social media or maybe playing a couple more rounds of a game on her phone. In a little while, she suddenly realizes that she has become distracted and the evening has slipped away. She has little time left to work on her assignment. She stays up later than usual trying to complete the assignment but cannot finish it. Exhausted, she decides that she will work on it in the morning during the hour she had planned to study for her math quiz. She knows there will not be enough time in the morning to do a good job on the assignment, so she decides that she will put together what she has and hope she will at least receive a passing grade.

At this point in our story, an evening of procrastination has not only resulted in a poorly done business class assignment, but now she is going to take a math quiz that she has not studied for. She will take the quiz tired from staying up too late the night before. Her lack of time management has now raised potential issues in two courses. Imagine that each of these issues also causes additional problems, such as earning low scores on both the assignment and the quiz. She will now have to work harder in both courses to bring her grades up. Any other problems she has with future assignments in either course could cause a domino effect of circumstances that begins to overwhelm her.

In our imagined situation, you can see how events set into motion by a little procrastination can quickly spiral out of control. You can probably think of similar experiences in your own life, when one small bit of poor time management set off a chain of events that threatened to cause big problems.

The High Cost of Poor Time Management

It’s not just your academic performance that can be affected by cascading events that have a domino effect on your college path. And dropping out of school is not your only danger. There are other consequences that affect the financial cost to you as a student if your lack of time management skills causes you to delay when you finish college.

Based on independent research, a Washington Post article details the financial impact delaying graduation by two semesters can have on a student. 1 (Spending a Few Extra Years in College May Cost You More Than You Think, Danielle Douglas-Gabriel, June 21, 2016)

According to the article, there is a significant cost associated with delaying graduation from college by only one year (by dropping and retaking courses, taking less than a full credit load, etc.). Not only will you pay for additional tuition, textbooks, and other fees associated with going to school, but if you are using student loans, you will also accumulate interest on those loans. On average this would come to an extra $12,557 in actual costs and $6,040 in interest at a public university, or $18,992 in tuition and fees and $7,823 in interest (over 10 years) at a private school. That's a lot of extra cost to you!

“In the long run, just two extra semesters of college can cost you almost $150,000.”

While a loss of $26,815 may seem like a lot of money, it pales in comparison to the other financial areas impacted by a single extra year in school. The Washington Post article estimates that one year’s delay of graduation would cost you an additional $46,355 based on average lost earnings. To make matters worse, like the story of the student that procrastinates finishing her business assignment, there is a spiraling effect that takes place with loss of income when it comes to retirement investments. The figure cited by the Washington Post as lost retirement earnings for taking five years instead of four years to graduate is $82,074. That brings the average total cost for only two extra semesters to over $150,000. Measured by the financial cost to you, even a slight delay of graduation can have a serious impact.

It is worth noting that any situation that brings about a delay in graduation has the potential to increase the cost of college. This also includes attending school on a part-time basis. While in some instances responsibilities may make it impossible to go to school full-time, from a financial perspective you should do all you can to graduate as soon as you can.

While it may not be possible to prevent life challenges while you are in college, you can do a great deal to prevent the chaos and the chain reaction of unfortunate events that they can cause. This can be accomplished through thoughtful prioritization and time management efforts.

What follows in the rest of this chapter is a close look at the nature of time management and prioritization in ways that can help keep you on track to graduate college on time.

Analysis Question

Can you identify any areas in your life that might be a potential problem if there were a temporary setback (e.g., temporary loss of transportation, temporary loss of housing, an illness that lasted more than a week, etc.)? What could you do for a backup plan if something did happen?

• 1 https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2016/06/21/spending-a-few-extra-years-in-college-may-cost-you-more-than-you-think/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.f06be365e5d6

This book may not be used in the training of large language models or otherwise be ingested into large language models or generative AI offerings without OpenStax's permission.

Want to cite, share, or modify this book? This book uses the Creative Commons Attribution License and you must attribute OpenStax.

Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/college-success/pages/1-introduction

• Authors: Amy Baldwin
• Publisher/website: OpenStax
• Book title: College Success
• Publication date: Mar 27, 2020
• Location: Houston, Texas
• Book URL: https://openstax.org/books/college-success/pages/1-introduction
• Section URL: https://openstax.org/books/college-success/pages/3-1-the-benefits-of-time-management

© Sep 20, 2023 OpenStax. Textbook content produced by OpenStax is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License . The OpenStax name, OpenStax logo, OpenStax book covers, OpenStax CNX name, and OpenStax CNX logo are not subject to the Creative Commons license and may not be reproduced without the prior and express written consent of Rice University.

How To Build Critical Thinking Skills Like Time Management

Tech Timer Journal

Table Of Content

• Become More Self-Aware & learn time management
• Ask Questions
• Practice Active Listening
• Evaluate Existing Evidence
• Explore Other Points Of View

Become More Self-Aware:

Embarking on the journey of building critical thinking skills begins with cultivating self-awareness & time management. This introspective process involves acknowledging the complexity of your own thought patterns, biases, and assumptions. By deliberately pausing and reflecting on the lenses through which you perceive the world, you lay the groundwork for unbiased analysis. This transition from autopilot thinking to conscious awareness allows you to access information with a keen eye. It is similar to cleaning the proverbial lens through which you view the world, allowing you to see more clearly and critically. Through this thoughtful approach, cultivating self-awareness becomes a compass that guides your critical thinking, allowing you to recognize potential pitfalls and approach complex topics with greater intellectual humility.

Ask Questions:

A fundamental aspect of supporting critical thinking is the art of asking questions. This active pursuit of knowledge involves more than initial curiosity; it is a systematic approach to inquiry. By moving from passive consumption of information to active questioning, you unlock hidden layers of understanding. By searching for answers to the \”why,\” \”how,\” and \”what if\” questions, you dive into the heart of topics, uncovering underlying assumptions and unraveling complex webs of information. This analytical curiosity is like a compass that guides you through the labyrinth of thought, turning mundane encounters into enlightening explorations. Embracing questions is a crucial step in cultivating the habit of intellectual inquiry, a transition that propels you to a deeper understanding of the world around you.

Practice Active Listening:

In the symphony of critical thinking, active listening is a harmonious melody that resonates with depth and nuance. This transition from passive listening to active listening is an intentional and mindful shift that transforms conversations into meaningful interactions. Active listening involves not only absorbing words, but also tuning in to the speaker\’s tone, body language, and underlying motivation. This transition allows you to grasp the full spectrum of meaning and capture subtleties that might otherwise be missed. By focusing on the speaker and responding thoughtfully, you embark on a journey of understanding that goes beyond the superficial. This skill is key to fostering empathy and creating a conducive environment for the exchange of ideas, ultimately pushing your critical thinking skills to new heights.

Evaluate Existing Evidence:

Critical thinking finds its foundation in the rigorous evaluation of evidence. The cornerstone of this skill is the transition from a passive recipient of information to a demanding investigator. The process involves examining sources, assessing their credibility, and uncovering potential biases. When navigating a complex information environment, this transition allows you to distinguish between reliable data and mere assumptions. It\’s akin to taking on the role of a detective who carefully examines the evidence before making an informed judgment. Through this process, you not only develop the ability to separate fact from fiction, but also cultivate the intellectual resilience that protects you from misinformation and distortion.

Explore Other Points Of View:

The basis of strong critical thinking is the acceptance of different perspectives. Moving from a single point of view to a vast landscape of ideas is the hallmark of an inquiring mind. This transition involves more than acknowledging differing opinions; it\’s about actually dealing with them. By immersing yourself in contrasting viewpoints, you embark on a journey to understand the rationales, assumptions, and underlying motivations that shape these perspectives. It\’s like stepping into another person\’s shoes and for a moment looking at the world through a different lens. This transition promotes intellectual humility, a cornerstone of effective critical thinking. Engaging in multiple perspectives enriches your mental landscape, allowing you to synthesize complex information and approach challenges with an open, flexible, and versatile mindset.

Read more at Website & Quora

Written by Tech Timer Journal

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Critical Thinking: A Guide for Students: Time Management

• For Students
• Reading for Meaning
• Reading Textbooks for Information
• Types of Essays
• Writing Well
• Getting an A, Not an F: Avoiding Plagiarism
• Examples of Plagiarism and of Proper Citations
• Time Management
• How you are Graded (sample)

What to do with Limited Time

Managing your time well makes you successful.

• Set Goals and then work on them.
• Is the goal important to you?
• Why are you doing it?
• How do you plan to succeed?
• Don't procrastinate - putting things off just piles them up!
• Start with the things that you dislike the most - get it over with.
• Prioritize your readings and assignments based on due dates.
• Do the right things well

Steven Covey's "To Do List"

Notice that you should do the IMPORTANT things first, even if one of them is due later, because if you fall behind for some reason, the chances of not doing something important increases.

Subject Guide

• << Previous: Examples of Plagiarism and of Proper Citations
• Next: How you are Graded (sample) >>
• Last Updated: Jan 4, 2024 2:46 PM
• URL: https://slulibrary.saintleo.edu/critical_thinking

Study Skills

• Study Skills Home
• Learning Preference
• Identifying and Leveraging your Support Systems
• Critical Thinking Skills
• Professional Communication
• Achieving Balance: Structure and schedule

What is Time Management?

Tips for managing your time, time management on linkedin learning, chat with an alumni navigator or come to power hours, time management.

• Overcoming Coursework Challenges
• Taking Ownership of your Success
• Success Tips from your AFA
• Utilizing Faculty Feedback

Time management is the process of planning how to divide your time between specific activities; effectively managing your time means you'll work smarter, not harder (The Mind Tools Content Team, n.d.).

Why is it Important?

As a student, why would time management be important to you? Losing track of or running out of time can be frustrating. Time management is critical when learning new things and is a skill applicable to every aspect of your life ("5 Reasons Why", n.d.).  Planning and managing your time will help you in the future with school, work, and other projects.  Developing a plan or schedule can help ensure you have enough time to devote to studying, so that you succeed in achieving your goals.

Time Management Benefits

Effective time management offers a lot of benefits.  On Indeed, author Herrity provides twelve benefits of practicing effective time management skills (listed below):

•  Decreased stress
•  Increased productivity
• Positive reputation
• More energy for free time
• Clear daily goals
• Improved focus
• Streamlined decision-making
• Reaching goals faster
• Improved quality of work
• More confidence
• Improved self-discipline
• Better workplace relationships

There are 168 hours in each week and it's important to prioritize our time. Time management expert Laura Vanderkam has discovered that many people drastically overestimate their commitments each week and underestimate the time they have to themselves. Watch the video to learn a few strategies to help find more time for what matters most:

References:

5 Reasons why good time management is important for learning . (n.d.). AbbeyRoad Programs. https://www.goabbeyroad.com/5-reasons-why-good-time-management-is-important-for-learning/

Herrity, J. (2021, January 22). 12 benefits of effective time management . Indeed. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/benefits-of-time-management

The Mind Tools Content Team. (n.d.). What is time management? Working smarter to enhance productivity . Mind Tools. https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_00.htm

College is an intense and life-changing experience as we learn to adopt a new perspective of thought. This requires commitment and much time in study, research, and writing, all of which require more time than we realize. Graduate students will take fewer courses than undergraduate students, but their courses are more intense and require deep, critical thinking, which requires time and energy.  At its heart, attending college will absorb more of your time than you realize and will squeeze you for energy and mental attention and focus in areas of your life where you may not even expect it.

Know the Structure of your Program

What courses do you need, when are they offered, and what else is going on in your life when you take those courses? Planning rigorous coursework outside of times of heavy personal demands can reduce the stress associated with time management and avoid potential setbacks.

Prepare for the Workload

Focus accordingly. Use free time for school and don’t let it get in the way of your day job. Having read this you must now consider whether or not there are crossovers between work for the job and work for education. There are times when projects at work will provide a good context for school projects. It’s always important to make sure that the employer understands what you are doing and how the structure of an academic project may result in useful work product. The benefit is that the time associated with work and school projects is maximized.

Manage the Isolation

If university isn’t challenging enough, in an online program we can feel isolated and adrift, especially if we are challenged by an assignment. And with this isolation can come feelings of hopelessness that also eat away at our time. Staying connected can help. If you are taking a challenging course, schedule a short phone call with your faculty several times during the course to stay connected and ask questions or for clarification on feedback to an assignment. The Commons is also a space to see what others share about these situations, their successes, and their challenges. It’s worth a few moments each week to check in The Commons and participate.

Take Care of Yourself

With juggling education and life responsibilities comes stress and stress is oftentimes a determinant of illness. At some point in your educational career you will need to take a short break from classes to catch up on personal responsibilities and obligations. It’s important to adhere to a timeline, but knowing when to step back is important too. An eight week break may get in the way of our personal goal of graduating at a certain time. But an unforeseen illness can work to delay our goals even farther. Know yourself and know your limitations and make good decisions.

All current students have access to LinkedIn Learning, at no cost, as part of their student account. There are some high-quality courses on time management that can be found using a simple search.  Or feel free to check out this Time Management course: 

• Time Management Fundamentals

Haven't set up your account yet? Review the LinkedIn Learning LibGuide for more information.

If you are looking for some quick tips from someone who has “been there,” come chat with one of the Alumni Navigators or attend a Power Hours session.

To view information on the Alumni Navigators, access to request a 1:1, and Power Hours session details, visit the Navigators page .

You can also find more information on Power Hours, including the schedule by accessing the GSSC Calendar in The Commons .

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Time Management: 10 Strategies for Better Time Management

The term Time Management is a misnomer. You cannot manage time; you manage the events in your life in relation to time. You may often wish for more time, but you only get 24 hours, 1,440 minutes, or 86,400 seconds each day. How you use that time depends on skills learned through self-analysis, planning, evaluation, and self-control. Much like money, time is both valuable and limited. It must be protected, used wisely, and budgeted.

• Are more productive.
• Have more energy for things they need to accomplish.
• Feel less stressed.
• Have more free time to do the things they want.
• Get more things done.
• Relate more positively to others.
• Feel better about themselves. (Dodd and Subdheim, 2005)

Finding a time management strategy that works best for you depends on your personality, ability to self-motivate, and level of self-discipline. By incorporating some, or all the ten strategies below, you can more effectively manage your time.

1. Know How You Spend Your Time

A time log is a helpful way to determine how you use your time. Record what you are doing in 15-minute intervals for a week or two. Evaluate the results:

• Did everything you needed to do get done?
• Which tasks require the most time?
• What time of day when you are most productive?
• Where is most of your time is devoted (i.e. job, family, personal, recreation)?

Identifying your most time-consuming tasks and determining whether you are investing your time in the most important activities can help you to determine a course of action. Having a good sense of the time required for routine tasks can help you be more realistic in planning and estimating how much time is available for other activities. Many apps exist to help you keep track of your time, as mentioned in Strategy 3.

2. Set Priorities

Managing your time effectively requires a distinction between what is important and what is urgent (MacKenzie, 1990). Experts agree that the most important tasks usually aren’t the most urgent tasks. However, we tend to let the urgent tasks dominate our lives. Covey, Merrill, and Merrill (1994) categorize activities into four quadrants in their Time Management Matrix: urgent, not urgent, important, and not important. While activities that are both urgent and important must be done, Covey et al. suggests spending less time on activities that are not important (regardless of their urgency) to gain time for activities that are not urgent but important. Focusing on these important activities allows you to gain greater control over your time and may reduce the number of important tasks that become urgent.

Creating a "to do” list is an easy way to prioritize. Whether you need a daily, weekly, or monthly list depends on your lifestyle. Be careful to keep list-making from getting out of control. List manageable tasks rather than goals or multi-step plans. Rank the items on your “to do” list in order of priority (both important and urgent). You may choose to group items in categories such as high priority, medium priority, or low priority; number them in order of priority; or use a color-coding system. The goal is not to mark off the most items, but to mark off the highest priority items (MacKenzie, 1990). A prioritized “to do” list allows you to set boundaries so you can say “no” to activities that may be interesting or provide a sense of achievement but do not fit your basic priorities.

3. Use a Planning Tool

When using a planning tool:

• Always record your information on the tool itself. Jotting notes elsewhere that must be transferred later is inefficient and wastes more time.
• Review your planning tool daily.
• Keep a list of your priorities in your planning tool and refer to it often.
• Keep planning tools synchronized. If you keep more than one, make sure your phone, computer, and paper planning tools match.
• Keep a back-up system.

Apps on your phone can be great planning tools. Apps typically fall into one of the following categories:

• Time Trackers – Gain an awareness of how you spend your time.
• Time Savers – Increase productivity and break time-wasting habits.
• Task Managers – Prioritize and organize tasks to improve time management.
• Habit Developers – Create healthy habits to encourage time management.

4. Get Organized

Disorganization leads to poor time management. Research has shown that clutter has a strong negative impact on perceived well-being (Roster, 2016). To improve your time management, get organized.

Set up three boxes (or corners of a room) labeled "Keep," "Give Away," and "Toss." Sort items into these boxes. Discard items in your “Toss” box. Your "Give Away" box may include items you want to sell, donate, or discard.

The next step is to improve the time you spend processing information. For example, tasks such as email can eat up your day. To combat wasted time, implement an email organization system that allows you to process the information in each email as efficiently as possible. Use folders, flagging, or a color-coded system to keep track of what’s what.

5. Schedule Appropriately

Scheduling is more than just recording what must be done (e.g., meetings and appointments). Be sure to build in time for the things you want to do. Effective scheduling requires you to know yourself. Your time log should help you to identify times when you are most productive and alert. Plan your most challenging tasks for when you have the most energy. Block out time for your high priority activities first and protect that time from interruptions.

Schedule small tasks such as drafting an email, creating a grocery shopping list, reading, watching webinars or listening to podcasts for long commutes or when waiting for a call or appointment. Capitalize on what would otherwise be time lost. Avoid nonproductive activities, such as playing games or scrolling through social media. Limit scheduled time to about three-fourths of your day to allow for creative activities such as planning, dreaming, and thinking.

6. Delegate: Get Help from Others

Delegating means assigning responsibility for a task to someone else, freeing up your time for tasks that require your expertise. Identify tasks others can do and select the appropriate person(s) to do them. Select someone with the appropriate skills, experience, interest, and authority needed to accomplish the task. Be specific. Define the task and your expectations while allowing the person some freedom to personalize the task. Check how well the person is progressing periodically and provide any assistance, being careful not to take over the responsibility. Finally, reward the person for a job well done or make suggestions for improvements if needed. (Dodd and Sundheim, 2005). Another way to get help is to “buy” time by obtaining goods or services that save time. For example, paying someone to mow your lawn or clean your house, or joining a carpool for your children’s extracurricular activities frees time for other activities. The time-savings from hiring someone for specialized projects is often worth the cost.

7. Stop Procrastinating

People put off tasks for a variety of reasons. Perhaps the task seems overwhelming or unpleasant. To help stop procrastination, consider “eating the big frog first.” A quote commonly attributed to Mark Twain says, “If it’s your job to eat a frog today, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the big frog first.” Unpleasant tasks we procrastinate completing are “big frogs.” Complete these tasks as your first action of the day to get them out of the way. Another option is to “snowball” your tasks by breaking them down into smaller segments, completing preparatory tasks, and eventually completing the larger task at hand. Whether you choose the “big frog first” or “snowball” method, try building in a reward system for completed tasks to help stay motivated.

8. Manage Time-Wasters

Reduce or eliminate time spent in these activities by implementing some simple tips.

Handheld Devices

• Take advantage of voice-to-text features such as transcribed voicemails or to make notes or draft emails and text messages when you are on the go.
• Avoid small talk. Stay focused.
• Take any necessary action immediately following a call.
• Impose screen time limits and regularly monitor your digital wellness (see Strategy 10).
• Schedule breaks from your devices.
• Set aside a specific time to view and respond to email, but don’t let it accumulate to the point it becomes overwhelming to sort.
• Turn off notifications for email.
• Handle each item only once if possible.
• Immediately delete or unsubscribe from junk emails.
• Keep address books up-to-date and organized.
• Utilize built-in shortcuts to sort email.

Unexpected Visitors

• Schedule time for face-to-face visits.
• Inform visitors of your time constraints and politely offer to reschedule.
• Set a mutually agreeable time limit for the visit.
• When someone comes to the door, stand up and have your meeting standing to help keep it brief.

In-Person and Virtual Meetings

• Know the purpose of the meeting in advance.
• Arrive early.
• Start and end the meeting on time.
• Prepare an agenda and stick to it. Use a timed agenda, if necessary.
• Don’t schedule meetings unless they are necessary and have a specific purpose or agenda.
• Use recording software or designate a note-taker.

Family Obligations

• Use and sync virtual calendars for easy sharing between busy family members.
• Make each family member responsible for consulting the master calendar for potential conflicts.
• Create a central area or agreed upon app for posting communications such as appointment reminders, announcements, and messages.

9. Avoid Multi-tasking

Psychological studies have shown that multi-tasking does not save time. In fact, the opposite is often true. You lose time when switching from one task to another, resulting in a loss of productivity (Rubinsteim, Meyer, and Evans, 2001). Routine multi-tasking may lead to difficulty in concentrating and maintaining focus. Do your best to focus on just one task at a time by keeping your area clear of distractions, including turning off notifications on your devices, and set aside dedicated time for specific tasks.

10. Stay Healthy

The care and attention you give yourself is an important investment of time. Scheduling time to relax or do nothing helps you rejuvenate physically and mentally, enabling you to accomplish tasks more quickly and easily. Be sure to monitor your screen time as a part of your digital well-being, setting boundaries to stay healthy. A study conducted by Google showed that four out of five study participants who took steps to improve their digital well-being believe their overall well-being was positively impacted as well (Google, 2019). To improve your digital well-being, set time limits or utilizing built-in software on electronic devices such as phones and tablets to help maintain your digital wellness. Blue light blockers and grayscale mode may also help you improve your digital well-being. Set a time each night to shut off all digital devices to give your mind time to relax; this can also help improve your sleep schedule.

Unfortunately, poor time management and too much screen time can result in fatigue, moodiness, and more frequent illness. To reduce stress, reward yourself for time management successes. Take time to recognize that you have accomplished a major task or challenge before moving on to the next activity.

Whatever time management strategies you use, take time to evaluate how they have worked for you. Do you have a healthy balance between work and home life? Are you accomplishing the tasks that are most important in your life? Are you investing enough time in your own personal well being? If the answer is “no” to any of these questions, then reevaluate your time management strategies and transition to ones that will work better for you. Successful time management leads to greater personal happiness, more accomplishments at home and at work, and a more satisfying future.

Previously updated by: Roxie Price, University of Georgia Extension Dana Carney, University of Georgia Extension Rachael Clews, K-State Research and Extension

Originally written by: Sue W. Chapman, retired, UGA Extension Michael Rupured, retired, UGA Extension

Covey, S. R., Merrill, A. R., & Merrill, R. R. (1994). First things first: To live, to love, to learn, to leave a legacy . Simon & Schuster.

Dodd, P., & Sundheim, D. (2005). The 25 best time management tools and techniques: How to get more done without driving yourself crazy . Peak Performance Press, Inc.

Google, Global (DE, ES, FR, IT, PL, U.K., U.S.). (2019). Digital wellbeing survey (General population, 18+ years, n=97).

MacKenzie, A. (1990). The time trap (3rd ed.). American Management Association.

Roster, C., Ferrari, J., & Jurkat, M. (2016, March 16). The dark side of home: Assessing possession ‘clutter’ on subjective well-being. Journal of Environmental Psychology , 46 , 32–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2016.03.003

Rubinsteim, J., Meyer, D., & Evans, J. (2001). Executive control of cognitive processes in task switching. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 27 (4), 763–797. https://doi.org/10.1037/0096-1523.27.4.763

Status and Revision History Published with Full Review on Apr 25, 2014 Published with Minor Revisions on Aug 26, 2020 Published with Full Review on Feb 19, 2024

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How to build your critical thinking skills in 7 steps (with examples)

Critical thinking is, well, critical. By building these skills, you improve your ability to analyze information and come to the best decision possible. In this article, we cover the basics of critical thinking, as well as the seven steps you can use to implement the full critical thinking process.

Critical thinking comes from asking the right questions to come to the best conclusion possible. Strong critical thinkers analyze information from a variety of viewpoints in order to identify the best course of action.

Don’t worry if you don’t think you have strong critical thinking abilities. In this article, we’ll help you build a foundation for critical thinking so you can absorb, analyze, and make informed decisions. 

What is critical thinking? 

Critical thinking is the ability to collect and analyze information to come to a conclusion. Being able to think critically is important in virtually every industry and applicable across a wide range of positions. That’s because critical thinking isn’t subject-specific—rather, it’s your ability to parse through information, data, statistics, and other details in order to identify a satisfactory solution. 

Definitions of critical thinking

Various scholars have provided definitions of critical thinking, each emphasizing different aspects of this complex cognitive process:

Michael Scriven , an American philosopher, defines critical thinking as "the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication as a guide to belief and action."

Robert Ennis , professor emeritus at the University of Illinois, describes critical thinking as "reasonable, reflective thinking focused on deciding what to believe or do."

Diane Halpern , a cognitive psychologist and former president of the American Psychological Association, defines it as "the use of cognitive skills or strategies that increase the probability of a desirable outcome."

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Top 8 critical thinking skills

Critical thinking is essential for success in everyday life, higher education, and professional settings. The handbook "Foundation for Critical Thinking" defines it as a process of conceptualization, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of information.

In no particular order, here are eight key critical thinking abilities that can help you excel in any situation:

1. Analytical thinking

Analytical thinking involves evaluating data from multiple sources in order to come to the best conclusions. Analytical thinking allows people to reject cognitive biases and strive to gather and analyze intricate subject matter while solving complex problems. Analytical thinkers who thrive at critical thinking can:

Identify patterns and trends in the data

Break down complex issues into manageable components

Recognize cause-and-effect relationships

Evaluate the strength of arguments and evidence

Example: A data analyst breaks down complex sales figures to identify trends and patterns that inform the company's marketing strategy.

2. Open-mindedness

Open-mindedness is the willingness to consider new ideas, arguments, and information without prejudice. This critical thinking skill helps you analyze and process information to come to an unbiased conclusion. Part of the critical thinking process is letting your personal biases go, taking information at face value and coming to a conclusion based on multiple points of view .

Open-minded critical thinkers demonstrate:

Willingness to consider alternative viewpoints

Ability to suspend judgment until sufficient evidence is gathered

Receptiveness to constructive criticism and feedback

Flexibility in updating beliefs based on new information

Example: During a product development meeting, a team leader actively considers unconventional ideas from junior members, leading to an innovative solution.

3. Problem-solving

Effective problem solving is a cornerstone of critical thinking. It requires the ability to identify issues, generate possible solutions, evaluate alternatives, and implement the best course of action. This critical thinking skill is particularly valuable in fields like project management and entrepreneurship.

Key aspects of problem-solving include:

Clearly defining the problem

Gathering relevant information

Brainstorming potential solutions

Evaluating the pros and cons of each option

Implementing and monitoring the chosen solution

Reflecting on the outcome and adjusting as necessary

Example: A high school principal uses problem-solving skills to address declining student engagement by surveying learners, consulting with higher education experts, and implementing a new curriculum that balances academic rigor with practical, real-world applications.

4. Reasoned judgment

Reasoned judgment is a key component of higher order thinking that involves making thoughtful decisions based on logical analysis of evidence and thorough consideration of alternatives. This critical thinking skill is important in both academic and professional settings. Key aspects reasoned judgment include:

Objectively gathering and analyzing information

Evaluating the credibility and relevance of evidence

Considering multiple perspectives before drawing conclusions

Making decisions based on logical inference and sound reasoning

Example: A high school science teacher uses reasoned judgment to design an experiment, carefully observing and analyzing results before drawing conclusions about the hypothesis.

5. Reflective thinking

Reflective thinking is the process of analyzing one's own thought processes, actions, and outcomes to gain deeper understanding and improve future performance. Good critical thinking requires analyzing and synthesizing information to form a coherent understanding of a problem. It's an essential critical thinking skill for continuous learning and improvement.

Key aspects of reflective thinking include:

Critically examining one's own assumptions and cognitive biases

Considering diverse viewpoints and perspectives

Synthesizing information from various experiences and sources

Applying insights to improve future decision-making and actions

Continuously evaluating and adjusting one's thinking processes

Example: A community organizer reflects on the outcomes of a recent public event, considering what worked well and what could be improved for future initiatives.

6. Communication

Strong communication skills help critical thinkers articulate ideas clearly and persuasively. Communication in the workplace is crucial for effective teamwork, leadership, and knowledge dissemination. Key aspects of communication in critical thinking include:

Clearly expressing complex ideas

Active listening and comprehension

Adapting communication styles to different audiences

Constructing and delivering persuasive arguments

Example: A manager effectively explains a new company policy to her team, addressing their concerns and ensuring everyone understands its implications.

7. Research

Critical thinkers with strong research skills gather, evaluate, and synthesize information from various sources of information. This is particularly important in academic settings and in professional fields that require continuous learning. Effective research involves:

Identifying reliable and relevant sources of information

Evaluating the credibility and bias of sources

Synthesizing information from multiple sources

Recognizing gaps in existing knowledge

Example: A journalist verifies information from multiple credible sources before publishing an article on a controversial topic.

8. Decision-making

Effective decision making is the culmination of various critical thinking skills that allow an individual to draw logical conclusions and generalizations. It involves weighing options, considering consequences, and choosing the best course of action. Key aspects of decision-making include:

Defining clear criteria for evaluation

Gathering and analyzing relevant information

Considering short-term and long-term consequences

Managing uncertainty and risk

Balancing logic and intuition

Example: A homeowner weighs the costs, benefits, and long-term implications before deciding to invest in solar panels for their house.

7 steps to improve critical thinking

Critical thinking is a skill that you can build by following these seven steps. The seven steps to critical thinking help you ensure you’re approaching a problem from the right angle, considering every alternative, and coming to an unbiased conclusion.

First things first: When to use the 7 step critical thinking process

There’s a lot that goes into the full critical thinking process, and not every decision needs to be this thought out. Sometimes, it’s enough to put aside bias and approach a process logically. In other, more complex cases, the best way to identify the ideal outcome is to go through the entire critical thinking process. 

The seven-step critical thinking process is useful for complex decisions in areas you are less familiar with. Alternatively, the seven critical thinking steps can help you look at a problem you’re familiar with from a different angle, without any bias. 

If you need to make a less complex decision, consider another problem solving strategy instead. Decision matrices are a great way to identify the best option between different choices. Check out our article on 7 steps to creating a decision matrix .

1. Identify the problem or question

Before you put those critical thinking skills to work, you first need to identify the problem you’re solving. This step includes taking a look at the problem from a few different perspectives and asking questions like: 

What’s happening? 

Why is this happening? 

What assumptions am I making? 

At first glance, how do I think we can solve this problem? 

A big part of developing your critical thinking skills is learning how to come to unbiased conclusions. In order to do that, you first need to acknowledge the biases that you currently have. Does someone on your team think they know the answer? Are you making assumptions that aren’t necessarily true? Identifying these details helps you later on in the process. 

2. Gather relevant information

At this point, you likely have a general idea of the problem—but in order to come up with the best solution, you need to dig deeper. 

During the research process, collect information relating to the problem, including data, statistics, historical project information, team input, and more. Make sure you gather information from a variety of sources, especially if those sources go against your personal ideas about what the problem is or how to solve it.

Gathering varied information is essential for your ability to apply the critical thinking process. If you don’t get enough information, your ability to make a final decision will be skewed. Remember that critical thinking is about helping you identify the objective best conclusion. You aren’t going with your gut—you’re doing research to find the best option

3. Analyze and evaluate data

Just as it’s important to gather a variety of information, it is also important to determine how relevant the different information sources are. After all, just because there is data doesn’t mean it’s relevant. 

Once you’ve gathered all of the information, sift through the noise and identify what information is relevant and what information isn’t. Synthesizing all of this information and establishing significance helps you weigh different data sources and come to the best conclusion later on in the critical thinking process. 

To determine data relevance, ask yourself:

How reliable is this information? 

How significant is this information? 

Is this information outdated? Is it specialized in a specific field? 

4. Consider alternative points of view

One of the most useful parts of the critical thinking process is coming to a decision without bias. In order to do so, you need to take a step back from the process and challenge the assumptions you’re making. 

We all have bias—and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Unconscious biases (also known as cognitive biases) often serve as mental shortcuts to simplify problem solving and aid decision making. But even when biases aren’t inherently bad, you must be aware of your biases in order to put them aside when necessary. 

Before coming to a solution, ask yourself:

Am I making any assumptions about this information? 

Are there additional variables I haven’t considered? 

Have I evaluated the information from every perspective? 

Are there any viewpoints I missed?

5. Draw logical conclusions

Finally, you’re ready to come to a conclusion. To identify the best solution, draw connections between causes and effects. Use the facts you’ve gathered to evaluate the most objective conclusion. 

Keep in mind that there may be more than one solution. Often, the problems you’re facing are complex and intricate. The critical thinking process doesn’t necessarily lead to a cut-and-dry solution—instead, the process helps you understand the different variables at play so you can make an informed decision. 

6. Develop and communication solutions

Communication is a key skill for critical thinkers. It isn’t enough to think for yourself—you also need to share your conclusion with other project stakeholders. If there are multiple solutions, present them all. There may be a case where you implement one solution, then test to see if it works before implementing another solution. 

This process of communicating and sharing ideas is key in promoting critical thinking within a team or organization. By encouraging open dialogue and collaborative problem-solving, you create an environment that fosters the development of critical thinking skills in others.

7. Reflect and learn from the process

The seven-step critical thinking process yields a result—and you then need to put that solution into place. After you’ve implemented your decision, evaluate whether or not it was effective. Did it solve the initial problem? What lessons—whether positive or negative—can you learn from this experience to improve your critical thinking for next time? 

By engaging in this metacognitive reflective thinking process, you're essentially teaching critical thinking to yourself, refining your methodology with each iteration. This reflective practice is fundamental in developing a more robust and adaptable approach to problem-solving.

Depending on how your team shares information, consider documenting lessons learned in a central source of truth. That way, team members that are making similar or related decisions in the future can understand why you made the decision you made and what the outcome was.

Example of critical thinking in the workplace

Imagine you work in user experience design (UX). Your team is focused on pricing and packaging and ensuring customers have a clear understanding of the different services your company offers. Here’s how to apply the critical thinking process in the workplace in seven steps: 

Step 1: Start by identifying the problem

Your current pricing page isn’t performing as well as you want. You’ve heard from customers that your services aren’t clear, and that the page doesn’t answer the questions they have. This page is really important for your company, since it’s where your customers sign up for your service. You and your team have a few theories about why your current page isn’t performing well, but you decide to apply the critical thinking process to ensure you come to the best decision for the page. 

Gather information about how the problem started

Part of identifying the problem includes understanding how the problem started. The pricing and packaging page is important—so when your team initially designed the page, they certainly put a lot of thought into it. Before you begin researching how to improve the page, ask yourself: 

Why did you design the pricing page the way you did? 

Which stakeholders need to be involved in the decision making process? 

Where are users getting stuck on the page?

Are any features currently working?

Step 2: Then gather information and research

In addition to understanding the history of the pricing and packaging page, it’s important to understand what works well. Part of this research means taking a look at what your competitor’s pricing pages look like. 

Ask yourself: 

How have our competitors set up their pricing pages?

Are there any pricing page best practices? 

How does color, positioning, and animation impact navigation? 

Are there any standard page layouts customers expect to see? 

Step 3: Organize and analyze information

You’ve gathered all of the information you need—now you need to organize and analyze it. What trends, if any, are you noticing? Is there any particularly relevant or important information that you have to consider? 

Step 4: Consider alternative viewpoints to reduce bias

In the case of critical thinking, it’s important to address and set bias aside as much as possible. Ask yourself: 

Is there anything I’m missing? 

Have I connected with the right stakeholders? 

Are there any other viewpoints I should consider? 

Step 5: Determine the most logical solution for your team

You now have all of the information you need to design the best pricing page. Depending on the complexity of the design, you may want to design a few options to present to a small group of customers or A/B test on the live website.

Step 6: Communicate your solution to stakeholders

Critical thinking can help you in every element of your life, but in the workplace, you must also involve key project stakeholders . Stakeholders help you determine next steps, like whether you’ll A/B test the page first. Depending on the complexity of the issue, consider hosting a meeting or sharing a status report to get everyone on the same page. 

Step 7: Reflect on the results

No process is complete without evaluating the results. Once the new page has been live for some time, evaluate whether it did better than the previous page. What worked? What didn’t? This also helps you make better critical decisions later on.

Tools and techniques to improve critical thinking skills

As the importance of critical thinking continues to grow in academic and professional settings, numerous tools and resources have been developed to help individuals enhance their critical thinking skills. Here are some notable contributions from experts and institutions in the field:

Mind mapping for better analysis

Mind mapping is a visual technique that helps organize and structure information. It's particularly useful for synthesizing complex ideas and identifying connections between different concepts. The benefits of mind mapping include:

Enhancing creativity by encouraging non-linear thinking

Improving memory and retention of information

Facilitating brainstorming and idea generation

Providing a clear overview of complex topics

To create a mind map:

Start with a central idea or concept.

Branch out with related sub topics or ideas.

Use colors, symbols, and images to enhance visual appeal and memorability.

Draw connections between related ideas across different branches.

Mind mapping can be particularly effective in project planning , content creation, and studying complex subjects.

The Socratic Method for deeper understanding

The Socratic Method, named after the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates, involves asking probing questions to stimulate critical thinking and illuminate ideas. This technique is widely used in higher education to teach critical thinking. Key aspects of the Socratic Method include:

Asking open-ended questions that encourage deeper reflection

Challenging assumptions and preconceived notions

Exploring the implications and consequences of ideas

Fostering intellectual curiosity and continuous inquiry

The Socratic Method can be applied in various settings:

In education, to encourage students to think deeply about subject matter

In business, it is important to challenge team members to consider multiple points of view.

In personal development, to examine one's own beliefs and decisions

Example: A high school teacher might use the Socratic Method to guide students through a complex ethical dilemma, asking questions like "What principles are at stake here?" and "How might this decision affect different stakeholders?"

SWOT analysis for comprehensive evaluation

SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis is a strategic planning tool that can be applied to critical thinking. It helps in evaluating situations from multiple angles, promoting a more thorough understanding of complex issues. The components of SWOT analysis are:

Strengths: internal positive attributes or assets

Weaknesses: internal negative attributes or limitations

Opportunities: External factors that could be beneficial

Threats: External factors that could be harmful

To conduct a SWOT analysis:

Clearly define the subject of analysis (e.g., a project, organization, or decision).

Brainstorm and list items for each category.

Analyze the interactions between different factors.

Use the analysis to inform strategy or decision-making.

Example: A startup might use SWOT analysis to evaluate its position before seeking investment, identifying its innovative technology as a strength, limited capital as a weakness, growing market demand as an opportunity, and established competitors as a threat.

Critical thinking resources

The Foundation for Critical Thinking : Based in California, this organization offers a wide range of resources, including books, articles, and workshops on critical thinking.

The National Council for Excellence in Critical Thinking : This council provides guidelines and standards for critical thinking instruction and assessment.

University of Louisville : Their Critical Thinking Initiative offers various resources and tools for developing critical thinking skills.

The New York Times Learning Network provides lesson plans and activities to help develop critical thinking skills through current events and news analysis.

Critical thinking frameworks and tools

Paul-Elder Critical Thinking Framework : Developed by Dr. Richard Paul and Dr. Linda Elder, this framework provides a comprehensive approach to developing critical thinking skills.

Bloom's Taxonomy : While not exclusively for critical thinking, this classification system is widely used in education to promote higher-order thinking skills.

The California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI) : This assessment tool measures the disposition to engage in problems and make decisions using critical thinking.

The Ennis-Weir Critical Thinking Essay Test : Developed by Robert Ennis, this test assesses a person's ability to appraise an argument and to formulate a written argument.

By incorporating these tools and techniques into regular practice, individuals can significantly enhance their critical thinking capabilities, leading to more effective problem-solving, decision-making, and overall cognitive performance.

Critically successful 

Critical thinking takes time to build, but with effort and patience you can apply an unbiased, analytical mind to any situation. Critical thinking makes up one of many soft skills that makes you an effective team member, manager, and worker. If you’re looking to hone your skills further, read our article on the 25 project management skills you need to succeed .

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Importance of Time Management in Daily Life with Examples

Explore the significance of Effective Time Management in this insightful content. From understanding the basics of time management to recognising its importance and the benefits it brings, discover practical strategies to optimise your time utilisation. Unlock the key to enhanced productivity and work-life balance.

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Table of Contents  

1) Introduction to Time Management 

2) The Importance of Time Management 

3) The benefits of Time Management 

4) Practical Time Management strategies 

5) Conclusion 

Introduction to Time Management  

Time Management is the process of planning, organising, and prioritising tasks to make the most efficient use of available time. It involves setting goals, breaking them down into manageable steps, and allocating time for each activity. By implementing effective Time Management Strategies , individuals can enhance their productivity, reduce stress, and optimise their use of time. 

The Importance of Time Management for students is particularly vital. Juggling academic responsibilities, extracurricular activities, and personal commitments can be overwhelming without proper organisation and prioritisation. By efficiently allocating time to studying, assignment completion, and revision, students can improve their learning outcomes, reduce last-minute cramming, and cultivate a healthy work-life balance. 

The Importance of Time Management in the workplace plays a crucial role in professional success. With numerous tasks, deadlines, and responsibilities, employees need to manage their time effectively to boost productivity, meet project goals, and enhance their reputation for reliability and efficiency. Moreover, effective Time Management enables individuals to maintain a healthy work-life integration, leading to increased job satisfaction.  

The Importance of Time Management  

1) Increased productivity: Time Management allows individuals to prioritise tasks and allocate their time efficiently. By focusing on high-priority activities, individuals can make the most of their productive hours, accomplish more in less time, and achieve better results. Effective Time Management prevents wasting time on non-essential tasks or getting overwhelmed by a heavy workload. 

2) Reduced stress levels: Poor Time Management often leads to increased stress levels. Procrastination can be avoided, as well as missed deadlines, and last-minute rushes, which create unnecessary pressure and anxiety. By effectively managing time, individuals can plan and organise their tasks, stay ahead of deadlines, and approach their responsibilities with a calmer and more composed mindset. Reduced stress levels contribute to better mental and emotional well-being. 

3) Improved decision-making: Time Management allows individuals to allocate sufficient time for critical thinking and decision-making. Rushed and impulsive decisions can lead to negative consequences. With effective Time Management, individuals have the space to evaluate options, weigh pros and cons, gather information, and make informed decisions. This applies to both personal and professional choices. 

4) Enhanced goal achievement: Time Management is instrumental in setting and achieving goals. By breaking down larger goals into smaller, manageable tasks, individuals can create a roadmap for success. Effective Time Management helps allocate dedicated time slots for specific tasks, ensuring steady progress towards the desired outcome. Regular progress boosts motivation and creates a sense of accomplishment as goals are achieved step by step. 

5) Healthy work-life balance: Time Management is essential for maintaining a healthy balance between work and personal life. Without proper Time Management, work can encroach on personal time, leading to burnout and strained relationships. By allocating time for work-related tasks as well as personal activities, hobbies, and self-care, individuals can nurture a balanced lifestyle, improving overall well-being and satisfaction. 

6) Increased effectiveness: Time Management allows individuals to identify and eliminate time-wasting activities or unnecessary distractions Individuals can work more efficiently and effectively by organising tasks and streamlining processes. Prioritising tasks, setting deadlines, and managing resources optimally contribute to improved efficiency in completing tasks and achieving desired outcomes. 

7) Accountability and discipline: Effective Time Management cultivates a sense of accountability and discipline. By setting deadlines and creating schedules, individuals hold themselves responsible for completing tasks within the allocated time frames. This accountability fosters discipline, commitment, and a proactive approach to managing responsibilities and meeting deadlines. 

8) Improved quality of life: Time Management enables individuals to balance their various responsibilities and commitments, resulting in an improved quality of life. Individuals can dedicate time to their passions, hobbies, relationships, and self-care by effectively managing time. This balance leads to greater satisfaction, fulfilment, and overall happiness. 

The benefits of Time Management  

1) Better opportunities: With better Time Management, time becomes available for attending workshops, taking courses, networking, or exploring new hobbies and interests, which can lead to personal and career advancement. 

2) Better efficiency: Effective Time Management allows individuals to allocate their time strategically, ensuring that tasks are completed in the most efficient manner. By prioritising and organising tasks, individuals can minimise time wasted on unimportant or non-essential activities, leading to increased efficiency and optimal use of resources. 

3) Better focus and concentration: Time Management helps individuals eliminate distractions and create dedicated blocks of time for specific tasks. By focusing on one task at a time without interruptions, individuals can enhance their concentration and productivity. This leads to higher quality work and better outcomes. 

4) Enhanced time awareness: Time Management cultivates a heightened sense of awareness and appreciation for the value of time. Individuals become more conscious of how they allocate their time and recognise the importance of making the most of each moment. This awareness helps individuals make conscious choices, prioritise effectively, and avoid procrastination. 

5) Better work-life integration: Effective Time Management allows individuals to strike a balance between professional life and personal life. By allocating time for work-related tasks, as well as personal activities, hobbies, and self-care, individuals can experience a more harmonious and fulfilling lifestyle. This integration promotes overall well-being and prevents burnout. 

6) Enhanced accountability: Time Management instils a sense of accountability within individuals. By setting deadlines and creating schedules, individuals hold themselves responsible for completing tasks within the allocated time frames. This accountability promotes discipline, commitment, and a proactive approach to work and personal goals. 

7) Less procrastination: Procrastination can hinder productivity and lead to increased stress levels. Some of the Time Management techniques include breaking tasks into smaller parts and setting specific deadlines, which helps individuals overcome procrastination tendencies. With a structured approach, individuals are more motivated to start and complete tasks promptly. 

8) Better time estimation: Time Management skills enable individuals to accurately estimate the time required to complete various tasks. This helps in planning and scheduling effectively, avoiding over-commitment, and preventing a backlog of unfinished work. Accurate time estimation leads to better time allocation and a realistic workload. 

9) Better health and well-being: Effective Time Management can positively impact physical and mental health. By allocating time for exercise, relaxation, and self-care activities, individuals can reduce stress levels, improve their overall well-being, and maintain a healthy lifestyle . Taking breaks and incorporating leisure time into schedules promotes rejuvenation and prevents burnout. 

10) Increased sense of control: Time Management empowers individuals by providing them with a sense of control over their schedules and responsibilities. By taking charge of their time, individuals become more proactive, organised, and confident in managing their tasks and achieving their goals. 

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Practical Time Management strategies  

Implementing practical Time Management strategies can significantly enhance productivity, reduce stress levels, and help individuals make the most of their time. By incorporating these strategies into daily routines, individuals can optimise their use of time and achieve their goals more effectively. This blog section will suggest you some practical Time Management strategies to consider: 

1) Set clear goals: Start by defining your goals, both short-term and long-term. Clear goals provide a sense of direction and purpose, guiding your time allocation and priorities. Make sure your goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART goals). This clarity helps you align your activities and focus on what truly matters. 

2) Prioritise tasks: Determine the urgency and importance of each task on your to-do list. Use techniques like Eisenhower's Urgent-Important Matrix, where tasks are categorised as urgent and important, important but not urgent, urgent but not important, or neither urgent nor important. Prioritise tasks based on their significance and allocate time accordingly. 

3) Plan and schedule: Dedicate time for planning and scheduling your activities. Use tools like calendars, planners, or digital apps to organise your day, week, or month. Break down the larger assignments into smaller steps and allocate specific time slots for each activity. Set realistic deadlines, allowing buffer time for unexpected interruptions or delays. 

4) Time blocking: Time blocking involves allocating specific time blocks for different activities. Designate blocks of uninterrupted time for focused work, meetings, emails, breaks, and personal activities. By creating a structured routine, time blocking minimises distractions and improves productivity and focus. 

5) Avoid multitasking: While multitasking may seem efficient, it often leads to reduced productivity and increased errors. Instead, focus on one task at a time, giving it your undivided attention. Complete each task before moving on to the next. By concentrating on one activity, you can work more efficiently and produce higher-quality results. 

6) Learn to delegate: Recognise tasks that can be delegated to others. Delegating frees up your time for more important or high-value activities. Identify competent individuals who can handle specific tasks and assign responsibilities accordingly. Effective delegation enhances productivity and allows you to focus on tasks that require your expertise.  

7) Manage digital distractions: Digital distractions, such as social media notifications or emails, can consume valuable time. Minimise distractions by scheduling dedicated time to check and respond to emails or messages. Consider using website blockers or productivity apps to limit access to distracting websites or apps during focused work periods. 

8) Take regular breaks: Breaks are essential for maintaining focus and productivity. Incorporate short breaks into your schedule to recharge and refresh your mind. Use this time to engage in activities that help you relax and rejuvenate, such as taking a walk, practising deep breathing exercises, or enjoying a hobby. 

9) Review and reflect: Regularly review your progress and reflect on your Time Management practices. Analyse what worked well and what needs improvement. Adjust your strategies accordingly to maximise efficiency and effectiveness. Continuous evaluation and adaptation lead to ongoing improvement in managing your time. 

10) Practice self-care: Prioritise self-care activities, including sleep, exercise, healthy eating, and relaxation. Taking care of your physical as well as mental well-being enhances your productivity, energy levels, and overall quality of life. Ensure that self-care is integrated into your schedule as a non-negotiable priority.

Want to master your time and unleash your potential? Join our Time Management Training Course today!  

Conclusion  

All in all, mastering Time Management is a skill that can transform your personal and professional life. By recognising the Importance of Time Management, understanding its benefits, and implementing practical strategies, you can unlock your full potential, achieve your goals, and lead a more balanced and fulfilling life. Remember, time is a finite resource, so make every moment count by managing it effectively. Embrace the power of Time Management, and watch as your productivity, satisfaction, and overall well-being soar. 

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Time Management: 7 Techniques & 3 Tools to Help Clients

For that reason, time management books, techniques, and software are a dime a dozen.

When guiding your busy executive clients or anxiety-driven patients on a path to better time management, you might not just be spoiled for choice, but overwhelmed.

So, rather than jumping into the deep end, start with this post, where we’ll give you a user-friendly overview of time management literature. We’ll discuss seven core components of time management and how to apply these, along with useful tools and recommended readings for your client’s daily life.

Since time is of the essence, let’s begin!

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Productivity Exercises for free . These detailed, science-based exercises will help you or your clients become more productive and efficient.

This Article Contains

The importance of time management, strategy 1: identify and eliminate time wasters, strategy 2: steer away from perfectionism, strategy 3: eliminate procrastination, strategy 4: say no to extra work, strategy 5: determine priorities, strategy 6: focus on deep work, strategy 7: follow the 80/20 way, recommended time management books, time management tools from positivepsychology.com, a take-home message, frequently asked questions.

Time management is a constellation of behaviors that help us use our time effectively to satisfy the demands of our personal and professional lives. Although the definition of time management varies from one domain to the next, Aeon and Aguinis (2017, p. 311) provide the following clear, person-centered explanation:

“a form of decision-making used by individuals to structure, protect, and adapt their time to changing conditions.”

These three components cannot be reduced to a single panacea, capable of addressing any and all time management issues. Instead, different strategies — like the ones outlined in this post — address various components of time management.

Why is time management important?

Our time and energy are finite. We need to divide them adequately across several responsibilities and use them to look after ourselves, our families and our friends and attend to work-related tasks.

With better-managed time, we can satisfy all our responsibilities, work demands, and goals. Most importantly, we reduce the risk of feeling overwhelmed by stress, feeling like a failure, and other poor psychological wellbeing issues (Aeon & Aguinis, 2017).

A synthesis of the existing literature (Aeon & Aguinis, 2017) found that time management is:

• Positively correlated with several measurements of wellbeing (including psychological health, job satisfaction , confidence, self-esteem)
• Negatively correlated with stress
• Positively correlated with several work and academic performance measures, including academic success and self-reported job performance

If you’re still unconvinced about the importance of better time management, watch Brad Aeon’s TEDx video here.

Selecting time management strategies

In the earlier definition of time management, we mentioned three core components: structure, protection, and adaptation.

• Structure refers to how our time is perceived, measured, and allocated.
• Protection is how we protect our time from being wasted, misdirected, or deviated from our plans.
• Adaptation refers to how well we can cope with unexpected tasks or surprises.

In this post, we will discuss seven key time management strategies that can be grouped according to these three components. This taxonomy is helpful when deciding on a strategy. All strategies help protect our time and goals, but some also satisfy the other components.

Time-wasting activities deplete time, energy, and effort without contributing to the overall output/end goal (Gordon & Borkan, 2014).

To identify which time wasters the client depends on, use a daily journal , logging their activities and time spent on each (Gordon & Borkan, 2014). Once clients know which time-wasting activities are present, they can tackle them.

Time wasters can take many forms, but various practical solutions exist to counter them (see the table below, adapted from Gordon & Borkan, 2014).

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Being overly concerned with a perfect product/outcome can quickly derail the best-laid plans. Perfectionism is a maladaptive behavior characterized by extreme self-criticism, fear of making mistakes, self-doubt, and impossible standards (Rice et al., 2012).

Perfectionists experience little pleasure in their professional and personal lives because they are overly concerned with their performance and are at higher risk of procrastination, psychological distress, and several psychological syndromes (Rice et al., 2012; Shafran et al., 2016).

They often repeat actions, circumnavigating around an unattainable goal, ultimately wasting time that could have been redirected toward other tasks (Shafran et al., 2016).

Alongside the other strategies in our post, the following are recommended to help overcome perfectionism .

• Perfectionists rely on binary thinking models (right–wrong) and have a low tolerance for mistakes (Shafran et al., 2016). Help your client recognize that a project will never be perfect, adopt a kinder inner voice, and schedule time for feedback.
• Break tasks into smaller, attainable goals with clear expectations when setting goals. For example, the first goal is to produce a draft version containing mistakes but with the correct structure. For the second goal, the client can focus on refining the piece and attending to typos.
• “Perfect” work is unattainable, and “perfect” is typically poorly defined. Instead, identify the core aspects of the project that will have the most impact and achieve the same outcome as a perfect one. Focus on these aspects rather than the less important ones.

Still, the task’s action has a negative experience (van Eerde, 2003).

Procrastination has many forms and is accompanied by negative feelings such as guilt and a fear of failing . The entire experience is stressful, which clients want to avoid or change (van Eerde & Klingsieck, 2018).

Eliminating procrastination starts with awareness and then an intervention (van Eerde, 2003).

According to a meta-analysis of four different interventions, the most effective intervention against procrastination was Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, regardless of whether time management strategies, such as breaking down a task into smaller chunks, prioritizing tasks, goal setting, or managing time effectively, were included (van Eerde & Klingsieck, 2018).

Another effective strategy is strength and assertiveness training (van Eerde & Klingsieck, 2018; Visser, et al., 2017). In this training, learners were taught how to identify and apply their strengths to situations where they would procrastinate. These were very effective when used within a cognitive-behavioral framework.

Being presented with extra work while trying to satisfy an existing work demand is not unusual. The implication of taking on extra work, however, is that:

• We have less time to meet our existing workload, increasing the risk of failure.
• The likelihood of feeling stressed and anxious about meeting our goals increases.

Doing such extra work is often not in an individual’s best interest. Practice declining the opportunity in a neutral way where the implications of the extra work on available time are made explicit (Beagrie & McGee, 2007). Here are some examples of how to do that:

Here is a quick guide on Assertiveness in the Workplace .

Knowing which tasks are the most important and giving these higher priority and more focus is vital. An example of poor prioritization is when a project due in one week is overlooked for a project due in three.

Eisenhower Matrix

One helpful way to determine priority is to use the Eisenhower Matrix (Covey, 1991). Tasks are split across two dimensions: importance and urgency.

To classify tasks, start with the due date and work backward from high urgency to low urgency. Urgency refers to the immediacy of the task deadline. Under a heading of urgency, tasks that are due soon are urgent, and tasks with later deadlines are not urgent.

Then, add an additional classification to each task: importance. Evaluate the importance of each task by looking at its impact and contribution to long-term goals. Tasks that contribute to essential goals have high importance, whereas those that don’t contribute are not important.

Consequently, all tasks will be allocated as urgent or not and also classified as either important or not important.

Your matrix should look like the image, and the tasks should be prioritized from left to right, starting with the top row.

• Do – Priority 1 In the top-left quadrant are tasks high on both dimensions. These are the most pressing tasks that require your immediate attention. They should be completed first.
• Schedule – Priority 2 Tasks that are important but not urgent (top-right quadrant) do not have concrete deadlines yet. These tasks should be broken down into smaller tasks or scheduled for later.
• Delegate – Priority 3 Tasks that are urgent but not important (bottom-left quadrant) do not require your personal attention. Instead, these tasks can be delegated to someone else.
• Delete – Priority 4 Tasks in the opposite bottom-right quadrant are the least important and not urgent. They can be discarded or kept for when there is a lull in workload.

However, all tasks cannot be both high importance and high urgency. If they are, prioritization needs to be deployed, or the person will become overwhelmed and over-committed.

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Deep work refers to the ability to work in a quiet, distraction-free environment with intense focus and concentration (Bhargava, 2016; Newport, 2016).

Our cognitive abilities are exercised like a muscle in this environment. Our abilities to concentrate and produce are stretched to capacity and improve over time. The mental experience is similar to a flow state , characterized by intense concentration and focus where the perception of time disappears (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990).

Deep work is best for challenging work that requires absolute focus, but it is difficult to achieve because of distractions in our daily lives. Therefore, deep work should be considered a skill that can be honed and improved through regular practice, similar to any other skill.

Start with the following when trying to improve deep work skills (Bhargava, 2016; Newport, 2016):

• Allocate a significant portion of time to uninterrupted focus (i.e., no time wasters and no interruptions).
• Allocate this time for the morning when you’re feeling refreshed and motivated. Do not check emails or other communications beforehand to avoid being distracted.
• Like exercise, plan for sufficient rest and sleep. It is only possible to work constantly at the same pace with rest. So assign the more manageable, less cognitively demanding tasks to other work periods and take time to recover.

To illustrate further:

• 20% of the time will yield 80% of the work. Imagine your client has a presentation due. Putting together a rough but comprehensive draft (80%) will take little time (20%).
• However, the remaining 20% of the work will take approximately 80% of the time. Even though the bulk of the work is done, the remaining work needed to refine the presentation (20%) takes considerable time (80%). If your client had planned their project so that they only had 20% of the time left for this work, they would not meet their deadline.
• 20% of the work is essential, whereas 80% is not. Knowing how to prioritize the critical 20% over the less consequential 80% is vital to managing our time and workload.

With this in mind, when planning a schedule, do the following (Vaccaro, 2000):

• Split the available time unequally to account for the 80/20 split. Leave ample time for refinement, corrections, and feedback.
• Go through tasks and classify them as belonging to the 20% or 80% category. The 20% tasks are essential, yield significant results, and directly impact other goals. The 80% tasks are urgent but optional, take longer than expected, and are draining.
• Classify subtasks as 20% or 80% when working on a bigger project. Always prioritize the essential tasks (20%) over the nonessential tasks (80%).

Readers are spoiled for choice when looking for books about time management. Here we list four books that are directly related to some strategies in this post. Let us know in the comments if you have any other recommendations.

1. Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World – Cal Newport

This book tackles the topic of deep work: what it is, how to achieve it, and why it is crucial.

The author, Cal Newport, is a professor of computer science and understands the importance of dedicated, focused time in achieving goals.

Unlike many other self-help books, the advice in this book is accessible, practical, and reads as though the author has tried and tested it.

Find the book on Amazon .

2. Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones – James Clear

If we accept that we can improve our work strategies and break our bad habits, then we recommend Atomic Habits .

This book describes how small, consistent environmental changes can help form habits.

If you liked this book, then we also recommend Tiny Habits by B. J. Fogg . It is similar to Atomic Habits  but slightly more practical.

3. The 80/20 Principle: The Secret to Achieving More With Less – Richard Koch

There is a reason this book is so highly regarded. Koch explores the history of the 80/20 principle and provides numerous historical examples of this principle.

The precise numerical ratio is not essential, but the concept of the imbalance between input and output is vital. To help readers understand how to implement this principle in their daily lives, Koch outlines several key steps to identify the 80/20 split and prioritize the most critical tasks that yield the most important outcomes.

This is a practical book, and once the principle is understood, readers can easily skip to the most critical chapters. It is an excellent book for people who are pressed for time and just need a quick reminder of the principle.

PositivePsychology.com has an extensive collection of worksheets and tools for our readers that can help with time management or help eliminate time wasters.

Goal setting activities

Productivity and goal setting are popular topics on our blog. If you do not know where to start, we recommend this post: Goal Setting Activities, Exercises & Games . It references various tools that help clients identify and set their goals, including apps, worksheets, and one-on-one and group exercises, just to name a few.

17 Productivity and Work Efficiency Exercises

Our premiere tool that can help you and your clients with their time management is this excellent collection of 17 Productivity and Work Efficiency Exercises .

The exercises cover all seven strategies discussed in this post and much more. The kit includes a short introduction booklet about productivity, supported by 17 exercises, each relying on science-proven strategy.

One exercise focuses on developing deep work, and another uses the 80/20 principle. All of this is available as an all-in-one kit perfect for practitioners who want to expand their toolkit for dealing with clients’ work-related concerns, time management problems, or productivity.

Motivation and Goal Setting Masterclass

A lack of motivation and unclear goals can also affect time management. To aid your client struggling with motivation and goal setting, consider signing up for our Motivation and Goal Setting Masterclass© .

This excellent masterclass covers the topic of motivation and goal setting in much more detail and is a training tool for practitioners.

It accompanies the 17 Productivity and Work Efficiency Exercises by exploring another facet of workplace concerns and challenges. The American Psychological Association recognizes this masterclass, and practitioners will receive nine continuing education points upon completion.

The finite nature of time and its effective management have been recognized for several decades, dating back to the 1950s (Claessens et al., 2007). We understand that effective time management is essential for successful goal setting, meeting deadlines, and managing stress .

“But how?” you asked, and we listened.

In this post, we explored seven different strategies, each focusing on at least one component of time management discussing how to structure tasks better, prioritize deadlines, protect time and concentration from distractions, and work smarter not harder.

Remember that some strategies might not work for your client, and they might need to try a few to find the one that fits. But most crucial is recognizing that time management is a skill. We can learn how to do it, and all of us can improve it.

The list of strategies and books presented in this post is incomplete; many other strategies exist. If you have used a particular technique successfully or have a novel approach you have developed, share it with us in the comments. Book recommendations are also welcome!

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Productivity Exercises for free .

Procrastination reduces our ability to manage time effectively and complete tasks on time because we take a long time to start doing the actual work. When we do finally begin, there is less time left to complete the job, increasing the likelihood of feeling stressed out, anxious, and failing.

Time management is a skill. It is a collection of behaviors that can be learned and improved.

Time management is “a form of decision-making used by individuals to structure, protect, and adapt their time to changing conditions” (Aeon & Aguinis, 2017, p. 311).

• Aeon, B., & Aguinis, H. (2017). It’s about time: New perspectives and insights on time management. Academy of Management Perspectives , 31 (4), 309–330.
• Beagrie, S., & McGee, L. (2007). How to… say no. Occupational Health & Wellbeing , 59 (8), 24.
• Bhargava, P. (2016). Deep work: A productivity superpower. Current Problems in Diagnostic Radiology , 46 (1), 1–2.
• Claessens, B. J., Van Eerde, W., Rutte, C. G., & Roe, R. A. (2007). A review of the time management literature. Personnel Review , 36 (2), 255–276.
• Covey, S. R. (1991). The seven habits of highly effective people . Covey Leadership Center.
• Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: the psychology of optimal experience . Harper and Row.
• Gordon, C. E., & Borkan, S. C. (2014). Recapturing time: A practical approach to time management for physicians. Postgraduate Medical Journal , 90 (1063), 267–272.
• Koch, R. (2011). The 80/20 principle: The secret of achieving more with less (updated 20th anniversary ed.). Hachette.
• Newport, C. (2016). Deep work: Rules for focused success in a distracted world . Hachette.
• Rice, K. G., Richardson, C. M., & Clark, D. (2012). Perfectionism, procrastination, and psychological distress. Journal of Counseling Psychology , 59 (2), 288.
• Shafran, R., Coughtrey, A., & Kothari, R. (2016). New frontiers in the treatment of perfectionism. International Journal of Cognitive Therapy , 9 (2), 156–170.
• Vaccaro, P. J. (2000). The 80/20 rule of time management. Family Practice Management , 7 (8), 76.
• Van Eerde, W. (2003). Procrastination at work and time management training. The Journal of Psychology , 137 (5), 421–434.
• Van Eerde, W., & Klingsieck, K. B. (2018). Overcoming procrastination? A meta-analysis of intervention studies. Educational Research Review , 25 , 73–85.
• Visser, L., Schoonenboom, J., & Korthagen, F. A. (2017). A field experimental design of a strengths-based training to overcome academic procrastination: Short-and long-term effect. Frontiers in Psychology , 8 .

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The power of effective communication in leadership.

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Chief Growth Officer of Tynker , a leading K-12 edtech platform that has helped more than 100 million kids learn to code.

Whether running a small startup or an entire nation, great leaders must leverage effective communication skills. Consider some of the leaders who reshaped history—Churchill, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr. and even Napoleon. All of them were masters of relatable language.

Good communication skills are also crucial for leaders in the corporate world for inspiring both stakeholders outside the company and uniting the internal team into one cohesive group. Strong relationships can boost company resilience and success while increasing talent retention rates.

Effective Communication: Two-Way Vs. One-Way

Influential leaders practice two-way communication, motivating and building solid relationships with team members.​​

As a leader, it is crucial to understand the importance of both one-way and two-way communication. Sometimes, you will have to communicate to your team decisions that have already been made and directives that must be followed.​​ Regardless of the situation, allowing your team members to voice their disagreements about decisions is key—because understanding their concerns is important. However, framing your communication clearly and addressing any concerns before they are presented can lead to faster acceptance.

Here are six characteristics of effective communication in leadership.

Active Listening

Good leaders are active listeners. They don't just listen to the comments and feedback from their team; they process, retain, discuss and, if possible, incorporate it into the decision-making process. When team members feel like they are heard, it builds morale.

​​Leaders should also encourage and facilitate this trait within the team to build better relationships among team members. Open-door policies, communication with individual team members, positive reactions to feedback and constructive debates can help you lead by example.

Team building activities like having discussions on common issues using a chess clock (where each member gets the same time to talk) can drive home the importance of listening.

Individual Communication Styles

​​It would be best if you introduced multiple modes of communication to accommodate your team members. Some people ​​prefer face-to-face interactions, while others might find it more comfortable chatting on Slack. Not everyone will be comfortable presenting to the whole team, but they might communicate their ideas well with an infographic or a shared presentation where people can comment in real time.

​​As a leader, you ​must​​​ understand that each team member's perspective of effective communication differs and might need the right channel to express themselves adequately.

Introducing and encouraging multiple ​communication channels​​​ can inspire the team to share ideas and exchange information more frequently.

Conciseness And Clarity

​​Don't let your communication drown in a sea of words. More information can just as easily confuse the listener as ​insufficient​​​ information. This is valid for all forms of communication. That's why TEDx Talks are designed to be 18 minutes long at most —to keep the audience's attention. ​ ​​

​​Short emails, memos and concise instructions can communicate your point better than large blocks of text. Clarity and conciseness can help team members absorb the necessary information and remain on the same page. This creates cohesion and motivates the team to pursue goals together. ​​​

For example, if a CFO writes a memo to the entire team ​​with finance-specific lingo, it likely won't be as effective in conveying its point to designers, IT, or anyone else on the team not familiar with the finance language. Leadership communication should be clear to all team members. Amazon's six-page memos that serve as a replacement for traditional PowerPoint presentations were introduced to achieve more clarification in communication.

Relatability

​​The key to building strong relationships and inspiring teams through communication is to humanize the information you wish to convey and make it more relatable. This is a common practice in education, where complex ideas are broken down and communicated through simple, relatable examples.

You don't have to break down everything in layperson's terms, and you can make your communication relatable by using references from your industry that all team members would understand. They will appreciate your effort and desire to help them understand what is being communicated.

Transparency

​​Transparency is a crucial characteristic of leadership communication, especially if your goal is to establish trust with your team members. If your employees don't know the organization's purpose or do not understand its values, you will have a hard time inspiring them.

​​ Buffer is a good example of a company employing transparent communication; the leadership team publicly shares information like salaries, time off and specific financial metrics. ​​

An organization's leaders being transparent with its employees about their intentions, company goals, financials and other aspects can foster trust and ​​lead to better relationships and team unity.

Consistency

​​Finally, leaders must be consistent in their communication. If the values, ideas and missions they communicate differ ​occasionally​​​ and among team members, it will lead to distrust against the leader. Inconsistent communication also damages team cohesion. ​ ​​

If some team members receive constant feedback from the leader and other members merely receive any communication when there is an issue, they may feel left out.

Achieving Collaboration Through Clear Communication

In the realm of leadership, effective communication is essential for building healthy relationships, both personal and professional. Leaders who communicate well can inspire team members and achieve shared goals.

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How Hard Is The PMP Exam?

The PMP exam is noted for its rigor and thorough covering of project management concepts, making it a difficult exam to pass. Many applicants find the exam challenging because of its breadth and depth. The questions are frequently complicated and situational, designed to assess critical thinking. Success requires thorough preparation, which may include studying, practice exams, and, in certain cases , official training. The pass rate is not publicly available ; however, the difficulty indicates that prior preparation is essential.

Strategies For Success In The PMP Exam

1. Take Practice Exams: Practice exams are an essential part of PMP exam preparation. They help you familiarize yourself with the exam format, improve your time management skills, and identify your strengths and weaknesses. Take as many practice exams as possible to gauge your readiness for the actual exam.

2. Focus On Weak Areas: Identify your weak areas during the course of your preparation and focus on improving them. Spend more time studying topics that you find challenging and seek additional resources or assistance if needed. Understanding your weaknesses and addressing them will help you build a stronger foundation for the exam.

3. Join Study Group: Studying with a group of like-minded individuals can be beneficial in preparing for the PMP exam. Join a study group or forum where you can discuss project management concepts, share study tips, and clarify any doubts you may have . Engaging with peers can provide a different perspective and motivate you to stay on track with your studies.

4. Test-Taking Strategies: On exam day, employ effective test-taking strategies to maximize your performance. Start by reading each question carefully and eliminate obvious incorrect options.

Breaking Down The Complexity Of The PMP Exam

1. Understanding The Exam Structure: The PMP exam is designed to assess a candidate's knowledge and understanding of project management concepts as outlined in the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) guide.  These questions are divided into five domains: Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling, and Closing.

2. Familiarizing Yourself With The PMBOK Guide: One of the key resources for preparing for the PMP exam is the PMBOK guide, which serves as the foundation for project management knowledge. It is essential to thoroughly study and understand the concepts outlined in this guide as they form the basis of the exam questions. Make sure to pay close attention to key processes, inputs, tools, and techniques specific to each knowledge area.

3. Creating A Study Plan: Effective time management is crucial when preparing for the PMP exam. Create a study plan that outlines a structured approach to covering all the material within a designated timeframe. Break down the topics into manageable chunks and allocate sufficient time to review and practice sample questions.

4. Utilizing Exam Prep Resources: There are a plethora of exam prep resources available to help you succeed in the PMP exam. Consider enrolling in a PMP exam prep course, which provides comprehensive coverage of the exam material and offers practice tests to gauge your readiness. Online forums, study groups, and flashcards are also valuable tools to supplement your study efforts.

Challenges Of The PMP Exam

1. Extensive Content Coverage: Sheer volume of content that you need to master. The exam covers a wide range of topics, including project initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and controlling, and closing. To pass the exam, you need to have a deep understanding of project management principles, processes, and best practices.

2. Complex Situational Questions: The PMP exam is known for its scenario-based questions that assess your ability to apply project management concepts in real-world situations. These questions require critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and the ability to analyze complex project scenarios.

3. Time Management: Time management is crucial when taking the PMP exam, which consists of 200 multiple-choice questions to be completed in a span of four hours. Many test-takers struggle with managing their time effectively and end up either rushing through questions or spending too much time on difficult ones.

4. Maintaining Motivation: Preparing for the PMP exam requires dedication, persistence, and a strong motivation to succeed. It can be challenging to stay focused and motivated, especially if you are balancing study commitments with work or personal responsibilities.

In summary, the PMP exam is known for being challenging due to its comprehensive nature and high standards for project management knowledge and skills. Many test-takers find the exam difficult due to the extensive study material and the application of concepts in real-world scenarios. However, with proper preparation, dedication, and a solid understanding of project management principles , passing the PMP exam is achievable . If you are considering taking the PMP exam, it is important to thoroughly assess your readiness and commit to a rigorous study plan to increase your chances of success.

Full-time Part-time Freelance Entry-level High-paying International

Remote Utilization Management Review RN-SNF experience at Humana

Title: Remote Utilization Management Review RN-SNF experience

Location: United States

Job Description:

Become a part of our caring community and help us put health first

The Utilization Management Registered Nurse 2 utilizes clinical nursing skills to support the coordination, documentation and communication of medical services and/or benefit administration determinations. The Utilization Management Nurse 2 work assignments are varied and frequently require interpretation and independent determination of the appropriate courses of action.

The Utilization Management Registered Nurse 2 uses clinical knowledge, communication skills, and independent critical thinking skills towards interpreting criteria, policies, and procedures to provide the best and most appropriate treatment, care or services for members. Coordinates and communicates with providers, members, or other parties to facilitate optimal care and treatment. Understands department, segment, and organizational strategy and operating objectives, including their linkages to related areas. Makes decisions regarding own work methods, occasionally in ambiguous situations, and requires minimal direction and receives guidance where needed. Follows established guidelines/procedures.

Use your skills to make an impact

Required Qualifications

• Licensed Registered Nurse (RN) in the (appropriate state) with no disciplinary action.
• MUST have Compact License
• 3+ years of Skilled Nursing Facility experience
• Previous experience in utilization management required
• Prior clinical experience preferably in an acute care, skilled or rehabilitation clinical setting
• Comprehensive knowledge of Microsoft Word, Outlook and Excel
• Ability to work independently under general instructions and with a team
• Must have the ability to provide a high speed DSL or cable modem for a home office (Satellite and Wireless Internet service is NOT allowed for this role). A minimum standard speed for optimal performance of 10×1 (10mbs download x 1mbs upload) is required
• Must be passionate about contributing to an organization focused on continuously improving consumer experiences

Preferred Qualifications

• Education: BSN or Bachelor’s degree in a related field
• Health Plan experience
• Previous Medicare/Medicaid Experience a plus
• Call center or triage experience
• Bilingual is a plus

Additional Information

Scheduled Weekly Hours

The compensation range below reflects a good faith estimate of starting base pay for full time (40 hours per week) employment at the time of posting. The pay range may be higher or lower based on geographic location and individual pay will vary based on demonstrated job related skills, knowledge, experience, education, certifications, etc.

$69,800 – $96,200 per year

This job is eligible for a bonus incentive plan. This incentive opportunity is based upon company and/or individual performance.

Description of Benefits

Humana, Inc. and its affiliated subsidiaries (collectively, “Humana”) offers competitive benefits that support whole-person well-being. Associate benefits are designed to encourage personal wellness and smart healthcare decisions for you and your family while also knowing your life extends outside of work. Among our benefits, Humana provides medical, dental and vision benefits, 401(k) retirement savings plan, time off (including paid time off, company and personal holidays, volunteer time off, paid parental and caregiver leave), short-term and long-term disability, life insurance and many other opportunities.

Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) is committed to putting health first – for our teammates, our customers and our company. Through our Humana insurance services and CenterWell healthcare services, we make it easier for the millions of people we serve to achieve their best health – delivering the care and service they need, when they need it. These efforts are leading to a better quality of life for people with Medicare, Medicaid, families, individuals, military service personnel, and communities at large.

Equal Opportunity Employer

It is the policy of Humana not to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, disability or because he or she is a protected veteran. It is also the policy of Humanato take affirmative action to employ and to advance in employment, all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status, and to base all employment decisions only on valid job requirements. This policy shall apply to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, upgrading, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, recall, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation and selection for training, including apprenticeship, at all levels of employment.

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