Developing Concept of Time – Time Management Skills

How does the concept of time develop? Do we need that before we can have good time management skills? Is this a skill that can be improved? What can be done to improve it? An in-depth review of the literature and best practices uncovers more information to build our understanding of it.

What does concept of time mean?

First, concept of time is our ability to differentiate between the external representation of time and internal understanding of it. Simply put, will you be able to tell if 10 minutes has passed without having to refer to a clock? This refers to our experience of duration of time.

How does this relate to time management skills?

Time management refers to our ability to organize and plan how to allocate your time effectively to accomplish specific tasks and goals. Consequently, if we have a poor understanding of time, we are likely to underestimate the duration required for each task we need to complete.

In addition to one’s concept of time, our ability to mentally visualize future events is important to have good time management skills. This is because majority of our life events occur in a different space to where you create your time plan. This then requires us to work backwards through the chain of events and allocate the time needed to complete each task.

For example, if we have to reach school by 10 am the next day for our exam. We will have to go through a mental rehearsal of the events leading up to it. This would mean working backwards from 10 am and realizing that you would need to take the bus. Then allocating a certain amount of time for that which relies on one’s concept of time. The process continues till you work backwards to the very first task of getting ready at home. Notice how that planning requires you to envision your future self in another space.

To summarise, often times children with poor time management have challenges with the ability to visualize future events and/or have a poor concept of time.

What areas can poor time management impact?

Poor time management can impact many areas of a child’s life. This has a profound impact on their academics in terms of meeting deadlines and managing study plans. This also extends to other areas such as social relationships and extracurricular activities. Overall, it can have a hindrance to a child’s self esteem and confidence.

How can time management be developed?

Time management can absolutely improve with the right supports and frameworks in place. With developing research, there are now frameworks and modalities that can develop these skills. It is shown that the use of analogue clocks allows a child to develop a better concept of time as they can visualize how time moves. Therefore, use and understanding of analogue clocks in time management is very important.

At Kidz OTC, we address time management skills holistically and put a collaborative plan of care alongside caregivers to equip the individual as well as the caregivers with the necessary skills to support the development of time management beyond the clinic. We often use real life experiences of the child to anchor the learning so that it goes beyond just conceptual understanding.

We also follow the teachings of leading expert Sarah Ward on executive functioning and time management approaches. These strategies include the “Get ready, do, done and get done” model and frameworks to assist with visualization of future events. We also actively use analogue clocks in sessions to work on time planning skills.

Find out more about how this relates to your child by asking our friendly therapists.