Introduction
Time management and productivity must be practiced to succeed professionally and personally. However, these two skills require personal discipline to follow and apply them practically. Many people struggle to manage their time effectively, which makes them unsuccessful in life since they spend time on unproductive activities. I used my single-system design research approach for this project to develop a plan to enhance my time management and productivity skills. This plan has enabled me to plan the semester and avoid time wastage on unproductive activities when studying. To make the plan work effectively, I set a SMART goal, established a way to measure progress, obtained a baseline score, designed and implemented an intervention, evaluated my progress every week, and visually analyzed the result through a graph. This journey not only helped me with time management skills but also enabled me to gain insight into how these skills can be applied in different contexts.
Setting a SMART Goal
My goal for this project was to improve my overall time management and productivity. I planned to achieve this goal by utilizing my time on tasks and minimizing distractions. Every goal needs to be SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (Hughes et al., 2021). My goal is specific since it clearly states the area that needs improvement. These areas are productivity and time management. It focuses on specific aspects of performance instead of a general goal like “being more productive.” Specificity in goal setting allows a clear understanding of what needs to be addressed. The goal is also measurable since the chosen metric of tracking time spent on tasks, distractions, and breaks makes this goal measurable. Measurability in goals ensures that the data provided is tangible and can be used to track progress and compare to the baseline score. This aspect ensures a clear understanding of how much improvement is needed and how close the individual is to achieving the goal.
Every goal also needs to be achievable. The goal is achievable since it is limited to only a short timeframe, which is one semester. With effort and dedication, the goal can be achieved within this timeframe. When a goal is achievable, individuals can stay motivated and focused on their progress (Bintani, 2020). People often get discouraged because they set unrealistic goals that require energy and time. The goal should also be relevant as it directly impacts personal and academic success. Productivity and time management skills not only improve success in academics but also in other aspects of life. Therefore, relevance is an important factor to consider because it will enhance the individual’s overall well-being. Finally, the goal should be time-bound. My goal of improving time management and productivity skills is time-bound because it has a clear deadline at the end of the semester to achieve the desired improvements. This aspect provides a sense of accountability and urgency. Accountability and a sense of urgency motivate the individual to constantly take action and work hard to achieve the desired outcome within the specified timeframe.
Measurement of Progress
This goal is significant since I struggle to balance my priorities and manage my time efficiently. Struggling with these issues has often stressed me out because I failed to complete various tasks within the deadline. I also struggled with last-minute pressure to complete various assignments in school. I minimized the stress and improved my overall performance by improving my time management skills. Procrastinating comes from underestimating the time it takes to complete tasks, leading to time crunching (Chung & Wu, 2023). It diminishes the chances of success with time due to subpar work. When unfinished works pile up, we often deliver low-quality work, which means that the chances of our success will decrease. For instance, delivering low-quality work in school leads to lower grades or evaluations. Also, piled-up work can cause delays in completing tasks, affecting future timelines and deadlines. A low delivery rate damages one’s reputation in school and professional fields, hindering opportunities for future success.
To measure my progress, I used a metric that tracks my time on specific tasks, distractions, and breaks throughout the week. Tracking time spent on each task gave me a clear picture of how I spent my time and where I can improve. I used my phone’s time-tracking app, Toggl, to collect data to achieve this objective. This metric meets the criteria for a good measure as it is reliable, valid, and objective. Visual results allow one to see if their intervention effectively minimizes distractions and increases focused work time. Reliability is a critical factor to consider when choosing a measuring metric. My measuring metric measures the same aspect of my time management, which includes time spent on specific tasks, distractions, and breaks. A time-tracking app is reliable since it accurately records my time on each task. It will eliminate the possibility of human error. Eliminating potential human error will remove potential biases and ensure that the data collected accurately represents my time management (Milne-Ives et al., 2020).
Time tracking app is also a valid metric since it directly measures areas I aim to improve. These areas are time management and productivity. Validity in goal setting is vital because it gives an accurate picture of how time is spent on each task (Ramspek et al., 2021). When the results were achieved, I compared the baseline score and weekly progress to see if the intervention had effectively achieved the goal. The metric is also objective since it does not depend on personal opinions and perceptions. The components being measured can be easily compared and analyzed. Objectivity eliminates any influence of subjectivity and ensures that the data collected is reliable and valid. Validity, objectivity, and reliability will ensure that I track my progress and evaluate the effectiveness of my intervention in improving my time management and productivity.
On the first day, I collected performance data through the chosen metric. Based on the day’s results, I spend an average of 4 hours on focused work, 3 hours on distraction, and 1 hour on breaks. This data worked as a baseline score for comparison. In a single-system design, a baseline score is the initial measurement taken before the implementation of an intervention. Comparing the baseline score with subsequent data points effectively determines whether the intervention is working on improving the targeted skill or behavior. It provides a starting point for the evaluation of progress. It also enables the researcher to track changes over time. Looking at the data collected, it is evident that I was spending too much time on distractions. Spending too much time on distractions affected my productivity and reduced my chances of success. Comparing the distraction time changes throughout the semester helped me know whether my intervention worked effectively.
Designing an Intervention
I designed an intervention to address my time management challenges. This design involves implementing specific time management techniques, using productivity tools, and making habit changes. The first technique I experimented with was the Pomodoro technique. The Pomodoro technique was developed in the 1980s by Francesco Cirillo. Cirillo struggled to focus on his studies and developed this time management technique as a university student. He aimed to break tasks into shorter intervals with brief breaks between tasks. The technique has been used globally to increase productivity. The Pomodoro technique involves working in 25-minute focused blocks followed by short breaks (Dizon et al., 2023). I also created a daily schedule that included specific time slots for breaks and minimized multitasking by focusing on one task at a time. I plan to improve my ability to manage my time and increase my overall productivity by combining these techniques.
Evaluating Progress
I diligently implemented my chosen intervention throughout the semester in my daily routine. I tracked my weekly progress by looking at my time on different activities. Following the time spent on each activity helped me see what was working and what was not. Based on what I learned, I adjusted my plan throughout the semester. Changing helped me stay on track and reach my goal of better time management. It is like fine-tuning a machine. The more you adjust it, the smoother it runs. Like any plan, changes are sometimes needed to ensure it works its best. It was not always easy, however. Sometimes, I felt like giving up when I accidentally unblocked that tempting social media site. Nevertheless, I reminded myself of my progress and how much more focused and productive I felt. It motivated me to stick with the plan and celebrate even the small victories, like finally finishing that assignment without a last-minute rush.
Results and Personal Insight
There is an improvement in my time management and productivity skills. In the first two weeks, I reduced the time spent on distraction from three hours to two and a half hours, and the time spent on focused work increased from four hours to four and a half hours. This trend continued throughout the following weeks. It led to a consistent reduction in distractions and increased time spent on focused work. The overall results were collected in the final week, and the time of focused work had significantly increased to seven hours, and the time spent on distractions had reduced to zero. The positive results indicate that my intervention successfully achieved the goal of time management and productivity. Improved time management and productivity mean more than just getting more tasks done in a day. It indicates that I have achieved significant control and balance in life. This positive outcome will reduce stress and last-minute, allowing me to achieve my goals more easily.
Figure 1: Time Management and Productivity Improvement (Source: Author).
Through this single-system design research project, I have acquired valuable insight concerning my time management and productivity skills. The first insight is that one has the control to change one’s life for the better. With the right tools and techniques, we can improve our time management and productivity skills and reduce the time spent on unproductive activities. Consistency keeps the intervention working. Consistent evaluation of the results is critical for assessing any intervention’s effectiveness. The approach has various benefits, which are highlighted in this project. It is flexible and focuses on individual growth. It also has some downsides, such as reliance on self-reported data, which might be subject to bias (Anwar & Abdullah, 2021). External assessment is recommended in such interventions because it can be used when testing results for larger populations.
Applications of Single-System Design
The design can be applied to evaluate the intervention in other fields. It allows the evaluation of individual changes within a larger population. Organizations have used this approach to assess the efficiency of time management training programs. It is useful in assessing the effectiveness of productivity tools for workers in organizations. It can be applied in communities to evaluate the effectiveness of initiatives meant to improve time management and productivity (Skivington et al., 2021). There are various ways in which the strategy can be improved. An example is incorporating qualitative methods in this design. Qualitative methods such as interviews will enable researchers to have a deeper understanding of the individual’s experiences of the intervention. Peer observation can also be involved to offer external validity.
Conclusion
This project has helped me set an impactful and realistic goal. I have gained skills besides time management and productivity. For example, I can develop a strategy for measuring progress in different intervention programs created to increase efficiency. I can also design a solution for problems that negatively affect my life. The project also has enabled me to see a positive change in my time management skills and productivity. These positive gains will improve my academic outcome and other personal developmental objectives. It has served as an important tool for gaining insight into the strengths and weaknesses of this initiative.
References
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Bintani, K. (2020, August). Personal Development Plan as a Guidance and Counseling Strategy in Higher Education. In 2nd International Seminar on Guidance and Counseling 2019 (ISGC 2019) (pp. 18-22). Atlantis Press. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.200814.004
Chung, H., & Wu, K. C. (2023, October). Beating Procrastination: Interface Design of an Affective Task Management APP. In 2023 IEEE 12th Global Conference on Consumer Electronics (GCCE) (pp. 627-628). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/GCCE59613.2023.10315674
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Hughes, A. C., Qiao, H., & Orr, M. C. (2021). Extinction targets are not SMART (Specific, measurable, ambitious, realistic, and time Bound). BioScience, 71(2), 115-118. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biaa148
Milne-Ives, M., Lam, C., De Cock, C., Van Velthoven, M. H., & Meinert, E. (2020). Mobile apps for health behavior change in physical activity, diet, drug and alcohol use, and mental health: systematic review. JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 8(3), e17046. https://preprints.jmir.org/preprint/17046
Ramspek, C. L., Jager, K. J., Dekker, F. W., Zoccali, C., & van Diepen, M. (2021). External validation of prognostic models: what, why, how, when and where?. Clinical Kidney Journal, 14(1), 49-58. https://doi.org/10.1093/ckj/sfaa188
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