English Vocabulary: Lesson 3-Time Measurement and Time Management Tools (Coronavirus Quarantine)

More about time measurement and time management tools⏰!

“When a man sits with a pretty girl for an hour, it seems like a minute. But let him sit on a hot stove for a minute and it’s longer than any hour. That’s relativity.” ~Albert Einstein, Theoretical Physicist

Currently, it feels like ages since the lockdowns started.

Life, as we knew it, is gone.

Our routines have been disrupted and the future looks uncertain for many of us.

The quarantine period can seem awfully long for some and yet, we should rejoice in the fact that we have a lot of time do things that we could not do a few months ago.

This is the moment to sit down and reflect on the path that our lives should take, away from the hustle and bustle of modern-day life.

A year gives us the gift of 4 seasons, 12 months, 52 weeks and approximately 365 days to enjoy to the fullest.

You can use all this time to plan ahead, forgetting the uncertainty that can plague our minds at times.

You can take advantage of the plethora of time measurement and time management tools that are available nowadays. They help us to structure our days and keep track of our tasks and time.

Time Management Tools

Let’s take a look at the different time management tools that we have easy access to in our day-to-day lives.

A Calendar: this is a printed or digital table showing the days, weeks, and months of a particular year.

A diary: this is a book or pad in which one keeps a daily record of plans, events or experiences.

A planner: this is a notebook, chart, programme or device that you can use to schedule or plan activities to your personal liking or convenience.

A bullet journal: this is a well-thought-out system that helps you to organise your life. It was designed by Ryder Carroll. It was first meant for people suffering from Attention-Deficit Disorder (ADD) but it has been embraced by a wide spectrum of people. It is actually a physical notebook where you jot down schedules, reminders, to-do lists and anything that you wish to keep track of.

A to-do list: this is a list of things, tasks or errands that you need to accomplish. You often write this list on a piece of paper or on an electronic device such as an app in a mobile phone.

An Organiser: this is a book, file, folder or small computer where you record important information such as addresses, phone numbers and papers.

A notebook: this is a book or binder that you can use for taking notes or memoranda.

A mobile app: this is a software programme or application that is meant to run on a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet.

“Don’t be fooled by the calendar. There are only as many days in the year as you make use of. One man gets only a week’s value out of a year while another man gets a full year’s value out of a week.” ~Charles Richards, author

Of course, these tools are only useful when we can use them intelligently and with purpose. We have to have a specific goal and choose a time management tool that will suit our personality and needs.

Some people prefer digital devices while some will only function with mere plain paper and pen.

It is important to have a clear mind as to what we want to do with our time and our life.

We should be aware of the passage of time and make good use of each and every second that we are given on a daily basis.

Time Measurement Tools

Let’s have a look at the devices and tools that we currently use to measure time.

A clock: this is a mechanical or electronic device that measures time. It shows hours, minutes and seconds. It is found on a wall or on a building.

A wristwatch: this is a portable timepiece that you wear on the wrist.

A pocketwatch: this is watch on a chain that is meant to be carried in the pocket of your trousers, shorts, jacket or any other garment.

A mobile phone: this is a wireless handheld device that you can use to make calls, send or receive text messages, check the time or browse the internet. There are endless possibilities on smartphones as well. Mobile phones are also called cellular or cell phones.

An alarm clock: this is an instrument that we use to wake us up or give us an alert at a specified time. All we need to do is set it up.

An hourglass: this is a device that enables us to tell the time. It has a glass vessel with two compartments. It takes one hour for the sand to leave one compartment and fill the second one. An hourglass is also called a sandglass, a sand timer or a sand clock.

A clock tower: this a tall and narrow building with a clock or more clocks at the top. This building can also be part of a church or a townhall.

A sundial: this is a timekeeping device that was often used in the past. We can tell the time by looking at the position of a shadow during the day.

Keeping track of time using time measurement and time management tools allows us to be more productive and not to idle our time away.

However, we should make sure that we do not become slaves to the clock.

African Time

In African villages, time is measured differently. Most of the times, daily chores and the environment will structure the day.

For example, an African woman’s everyday schedule might look like this:

1. She wakes up at the crack of dawn, brushes her teeth and washes her face.
2. She lights the fire and heats water for bathing.
3. She sweeps the yard (this can also be done by an older child).
4. She washes the previous day’s dishes.
5. She goes to the borehole to fetch water.
6. She washes clothes at the borehole.
7. She puts the clothes on the clothes’ line to dry.
8. She wakes the children up and helps them to get ready for the day.
9. She prepares breakfast (an older girl can also do this)
10. More water-fetching as the children walk to school.
11. She washes the dishes.
12. She takes breakfast to her husband who is already working in the fields since dawn.
13. She helps her husband to garden.
14. She leaves the fields earlier so that she can go to fetch water at the borehole. It is becoming hotter and hotter as the sun advances.
15. She fetches water and starts preparing lunch.
16. She takes lunch to the fields or her husband joins her at home.
17. She goes to fetch firewood.
18. She bathes.
19. She goes to shop for food or random things. This is also time to meet her friends.
20. She takes care of her children who are back from school.
21. She folds the laundry.
22. She goes to fetch water.
23. She starts cooking dinner.
24. She puts the dishes away after dinner.
25. She tells stories to her children.
26. She washes her feet.
27. She goes to bed.

As you can see, her day is rhythmed with different types of chores or tasks. A wristwatch, a clock, a radio or a mobile phone might indicate the time to her, but chores determine how she is going to spend her day.

She cannot afford to miss some of these steps because they are vital to her survival.

When we live in the city, many of these chores are not necessary (e.g. fetching water or collecting firewood). However, we have other tasks that need our urgent attention: paying taxes, sorting out mail, decluttering our house, etc.

We do not have to be busy all the time but we can make sure that important tasks are being done on time so as to have peace of mind.

“Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort.” ~Paul J. Meyer, Businessman

Further Exploration: (Time Measurement and Time Management)

Download Worksheet:

• Time Measurement and Time Management Tools, Learn English With Africa, April 2020

Read:

• English Vocabulary: Lesson 2-How to Organise Time During Lockdown, Learn English With Africa, March 2020
• English Vocabulary: Lesson 1-How to Talk About Time, Coronavirus Pandemic, Learn English With Africa, March 2020
• How to Plan Your Ideal Year, Learn English With Africa, September 2019
• Short Story: THE TIMETABLE, with the Future Tense, Learn English With Africa, September 2019 (Level A2-B1)

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