Time allocation is a strategy that involves determining the most prudent means of assigning or allocating blocks of time to each task or activity that must be completed during the course of the day. The idea behind time allocation is to make sure that enough time is set aside for each task to be completed properly, while limiting the opportunity for time to be wasted on non-essential activities. From this perspective, time allocation is directly connected with the concept of efficiency in the workplace, and can often aid in the process of evaluating the choice of steps that are used to complete any given task.
Important to the task of time allocation is identifying how much time is required to manage each task effectively. Within the scope of this type evaluation, setting time limits for each task can often influence the arrangement of a work area and streamline the steps necessary to successfully complete each task. The end result is that employees are able to perform each task more efficiently, making it possible to complete more tasks during the course of the day without feeling overloaded.
The process of time allocation also involves prioritizing tasks that must be completed during the course of the business day. Within the scope of this aspect is the need to arrange the performance of various tasks in a manner that can actually aid in the completion of other tasks later in the day. Doing so helps to minimize the need to repeat tasks in segments, while delaying other tasks that could be accomplished. For example, an administrative assistant may choose to use the general concept of time allocation to arrange the day so that any filing or outbound correspondence is reserved for the last couple of hours of the work day, making it possible to complete other tasks that may add to that filing or correspondence. Doing so means that there is no need to file a few documents here and there earlier in the day or create correspondence that may have to be changed a couple of times due to events that take place throughout the day.
By assigning sufficient time for each task, and arranging those tasks in a manner that is logical in terms of sequence and the impact on others in the workplace, both the employee and the employer benefit. Employees will often feel more competent and capable of taking care of their assigned tasks without feeling overwhelmed. Employers benefit from the completion of more tasks during the course of the work day, since the increased productivity will usually lead to greater generation of revenue and a reduction in the waste of time and other resources.
