Time management: A skill we need to develop

Many parents find time management a challenge in their daily lives, one that seems even greater when the school year begins.

So, at the start of each school year, after the carefree days of the holidays away from commitments and routines, we begin to worry about whether we will manage to fit in everything we have planned. Our children’s commitments can feel like a difficult path to navigate, and sometimes a mountain to climb. All this worry often leads us to drop or neglect commitments or activities.

So how could we ease this worry and develop a very useful life skill: time management?

First, let me say a few words to ease any feelings of guilt… Learning to manage your time is not easy. Especially these days, when every family member has so many commitments that you need to play Tetris, and be pretty good at it, to fit everything in neatly! Even so, it is something worth trying.

Let us start by acknowledging that children today work very hard. They go to school in the morning and spend the rest of the day on extracurricular activities and homework. A large number

of children struggle to keep up with their growing commitments at school and beyond, battling against the clock every day. Less time to rest, increased anxiety and a lack of free time are just some of the effects of poor time management, which generally has negative long-term consequences for children’s development too. Good time management helps reduce anxiety and makes us more reliable in our dealings with others.

Various studies suggest that children who learn to manage their time from an early age tend to achieve more at school and in further study, and to be more successful in their careers later on. Time management is a skill that can be taught. The earlier this happens, the sooner a child will learn to act responsibly and independently, developing autonomy and self-confidence.

As parents of young athletes, and swimmers in particular, you should know that you have a very important ally in teaching your children to manage their time… and that is swimming itself!

So what is the key to successful time management?

3. Good planning.

And your child will find all of this in the pool.