A good book to review the tools and techniques of time and activity management is 'Building Personal Leadership: Inspirational Tools and Techniques for Work and Life'.



What is not so simple are the underlying beliefs, attitudes, and motivations of different types of individuals as they learn to use these tools and techniques.

People manage their time and activities in two very different ways according to Myers-Briggs Personality Type differences. One type of person plans far ahead, starts early, works methodically, is systematic in their actions, and completes tasks quickly.

The other type of person responds spontaneously to work, waits until the last minute to start jobs, is open to change, and lives more in the moment. That's a big difference!

The person who plans ahead will naturally gravitate towards learning and using systematic and productive time management tools and techniques.

The way they think is in alignment with good time and activity management. They find little resistance to learning and using tools and techniques to increase their productivity and effectiveness. Their motivation may be simply a goal to be achieved and by golly, it is going to be done and done early.

The person who lives in the moment and responds spontaneously to work demands has a greater challenge in learning systematic time and activity management tools and techniques.

Their beliefs support being flexible, not tied to a schedule, responding to present demands, going with the flow, and burning the midnight oil to meet deadlines. Their attitudes are aligned with "wait and see," because assignments could change and so action now could be wasted. Motivation comes from time pressure to meet deadlines of the work that they must do or in work that appeals to their natural preferences.

The easiest solution to great time and activity management for either type is to find work where their natural beliefs, attitudes, and motivations may be best utilized. However, with great energy expenditure, discipline, and desire, the spontaneous person can develop competencies in planning, starting early, working methodically, and becoming systematic in their work. And the natural planner can develop their personality type by learning to become more spontaneous and adaptable to change.

Knowing these differences, both types of individuals and their supervisors can match the work to the personality and support both individuals in developing more effective and productive methods of managing their time and activities.

Remember, one type will find it easy and one type will find it more energy draining and difficult.

Neither way of working and living in the world is right or wrong. Both have their contribution to work and life.

Best wishes in helping people of all types find where they can contribute their best.