I have been looking but can’t find anyone in academia who is studying time management. I have a theory as to why that is, in two parts.
Firstly, I think that time management, as a personal practice, does not neatly fit into any single discipline. Is it Industrial Engineering? Operations Research? Management Science? Psychology? Sociology? Business?
Because it does belong to any single area of study, it therefore belongs to none.
Secondly, academics are poor at studying themselves. The fact is, every single academic (and indeed, every single professional) uses some kind of time management system.
To study time management is to turn the spotlight on every single academic, and on their practices and habits, including those of the students, the professors and that staff. It would get quite uncomfortable for all concerned to find out, for example, that all the professors were operating as white belts.
I could be wrong here, and I hope I am, a little. For all I know, there could be many schools offering graduate degrees in this areas.
If so, do let me know.
The 2Time Mgt Blog 
October 27, 2007 at 12:56 pm |
Good question. I work with faculty, and there are a few factors I’ve noticed around *asking* for help. First, it’s sometimes hard for smart people to admit they need help. Much has come so easily to them, it seems self-management should too. Second, they – like many – have trouble making time to save time (the old irony). Third – again like many – the have to *commit*, which means spending precious money and making difficult habit changes.
Regarding the study itself, I think it’s seen as old hat – looked at in the 60s, and that’s it. However, I think the area is ripe – given technological and cultural acceleration, it’s a natural. Microsoft’s been studying the impact of interruptions, and there are lots of folks looking at minds, multitasking, etc.
So this argues for a multi-disciplinary approach, I’d guess.
For me, when I started studying the field two years ago, I decided I had to create my own “master’s degree) in Personal Productivity. I’m doing the clinical work now 🙂
Here are some folks who think about it, BTW:
http://www.academicproductivity.com/blog/