TIME MANAGEMENT AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Abstract

The  aim of  the current  research was  to determine  the relationship  between time management  skills  and academic  achievement  of  the  students.  Time management is very important and it may actually affect individual’s overall performance and achievements. A good time management is vital for students to excel academically. The usage of time by students in higher education institutions is related to their daily routines and activities. However, some of the students do not have good time management skills and this has negatively affected their life and their academics. In this regard, data was collected from the students of University of Abuja to analyze how effectively they are managing their time for achieving their academic standards. Conclusions and recommendations were also made based on results obtained from the research work.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Time management is at the core of labour productivity in any sector of the economy. Labour productivity itself is considered most vital in ensuring output growth as well as national development. In most countries, it is observed that labour contributes over 65% to GDP which makes it an essential factor of production. (Beggs, Fisher and Dornbush 2000; Lipsey and Chrystal 2005). Premised on this consideration, it is important that efficiency is factored into labour utilization which is the place of time management. The observation of most researchers is that labour can only be what it has been trained to be (Sorkin 1992). Hence it has been advanced that in the formative days of labour, the essence of time management should be taught to students as well as ensuring that they inculcate the practices of time management. This brewing stage in most countries is the university stage.

In the modern world, time is seen as an indefinitely divisible and usable commodity.  It helps to infuse the concept of time through the institution. All the material and human resources possessed by organizations can be enhanced in the course of time or be transformed as time goes on; yet the only asset that cannot be changed or purchased or stored is time itself. The secret to achieving success in life is effectively managing this resource that  everyone  possesses  equally  and  paying  sufficient  emphasis  to  planning  (Macan,  Shahani,  Dipboye& Phillips, 2000). Though effective and efficient use of time varies with respect to the tasks performed, the further increase  in  the  level  of  knowledge  and  skills  expected  from  modern  employees  has  further  increased  the necessity of time planning. The road to success in social life passes through effective and efficient working which is only possible via time management. The competitive environment we live in today encourages people from as early as their elementary education to plan and manage time effectively. The high performance required by competitive conditions forces organizations and directors to us time effectively and stipulates the search to control time (Alay &Koçak, 2003). Due to miss management of time, students gap behind. It is therefore pertinent that the practice of time management amongst Nigeria undergraduate students be evaluated. This is done using undergraduate students as case study.

• STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Numerous problems confront students in Nigeria. These problems are often time responsible for their weak performances in academic chores. Ranging from financial inadequacy to inadequacy of time, the Nigerian student is often beset with various problems (Aghenta 2007). While this study undertakes the implications of time management on students’ performance, it confronts the problems of using reliable variables in its findings.How does an average university student actually spend his/her time while in school?What are those factors that actually affect his or her study time utilization?Does study time utilization vary directly with sex, age, marital status, income and level of study?

In developing countries where students have a lot of issues during academic journey, time management is one of such issues. Time management practices have an impact on the results of students as empirical studies done by past researchers. In spite of knowing about the impact of time on academic achievement,  this  relationship  is  not given  importance  by  the students  (Sevari& Kandy,  2011).  At  higher education  level,  the  study  schedule  must  properly  planned,  implemented  and  controlled  for  better  results. Emphasizing time also helps to develop cost effective educational policies by the authorities especially at higher education level (Kaushar,  2013).  Ongoing problem of scarcity of knowledge in connection with time management and academic outputs is due to lack of easiness and of costly ways of collecting data. Driven by this fact, particular emphasis has been paid in the modern education system.