Time Management MCQs

Time Management MCQs

These Time Management multiple-choice questions and their answers will help you strengthen your grip on the subject of Time Management. You can prepare for an upcoming exam or job interview with these 100+ Time Management MCQs.
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1: Classify the following task: an email from a supervisor marked 'immediate action required'

A.   urgent, unimportant

B.   urgent, important

C.   non-urgent, non-important

D.   non-urgent, important

2: Which activity would belong in the category of "not urgent, but important?"

A.   Interruptions

B.   Busywork

C.   Planning

D.   Crises

3: In business time-management, what does the acronym PAY stand for?

A.   Priority Action Yardstick

B.   Priority Application of Yen

C.   Primary Attribution of Yield

D.   Prioritize Activities by Yield

4: If challenged on an individual task within the context of a larger, group project, one should:

A.   press on without asking for outside help or feedback.

B.   share the work with a more experienced co-worker and ask for suggestions, provided they have time to help.

C.   share the work with all team members, regardless of restraints on their time.

D.   share the work with less-experienced, lower ranking personnel, insisting on their help.

5: When deciding how to delegate tasks among your team, all of the following are important to consider EXCEPT:

A.   The overall priority of the task at hand.

B.   Strengths and weaknesses of individual team members.

C.   The demands already placed on team members by other projects.

D.   How interesting the task is to you personally.

6: True or false? Only managers can be sure a meeting stays on schedule.

A.   True

B.   False

7: What do you do when someone else is late and preventing you from accomplishing your tasks?

A.   Move on to another task, until your co-worker arrives.

B.   Wait patiently until your co-worker arrives to work.

C.   Go directly to your supervisor and complain.

D.   Make a pot of coffee and read the newspaper.

E.   When your co-worker arrives to work late, reprimand them immediately.

8: Which would be the best atmosphere at the workplace to increase productivity?

A.   None of these.

B.   Many interruptions from co-workers throughout the day.

C.   A high level of noise pollution in the workplace.

D.   A quiet work environment with little to no distractions.

9: The best time to make a plan for a new task is:

A.   mid-way through the process

B.   towards the end of the process

C.   after one has begun, but before the mid-point

D.   before starting

10: Employers are likely to evaluate new hires' time management skills based on which of the following?

A.   With tests and challenges during the hiring process (like this one!)

B.   (All of these)

C.   When a job application is submitted relative to a deadline.

D.   Punctuality at interviews and phone appointments.

11: When delegating tasks, it is generally a good idea:

A.   to delegate tasks which you would prefer not to do yourself.

B.   to delegate tasks in which you are weak to team members who are strong in those areas.

C.   to delegate less complex tasks.

D.   te delegate more complex tasks.

12: The central principles of time management are based on maximizing all of the following EXCEPT:

A.   efficiency

B.   productivity

C.   synergy

13: Classify the following task: dealing with an upset client or vendor

A.   urgent, unimportant

B.   non-urgent, unimportant

C.   non-urgent, important

D.   urgent, important

14: Taking the time to come up with a contingency plan is:

A.   a good idea for all employees.

B.   a good idea for executives, but a waste of time for managers or low-level employees.

C.   a waste of time for all employees.

15: When balancing multiple important tasks, what is generally the best strategy?

A.   Focusing on all tasks at the same time.

B.   Focusing on two or three tasks at a time, but no fewer.

C.   Focusing on one task at a time, and changing focus when appropriate.

D.   Focusing on two or three tasks at a time, but no more.

16: On group projects, planning should be done:

A.   at the management level only.

B.   on the individual level only.

C.   both on the group level and on the individual level.

D.   on the group level only.

17: True or false? Generally speaking, the most important tasks should be done in the morning, or whenever productivity is at its highest.

A.   True

B.   False

18: What action should you take if you accidentally missed a deadline?

A.   Blame it on one of your co-workers.

B.   Feel defeated and give up immediately.

C.   Apologize for your mistake and if possible, request for an extension.

D.   Whine and complain that you were not given enough time to complete your assignment.

19: Which of these could contribute to a missed deadline?

A.   (All of these)

B.   Difficulty saying no to extra assignments

C.   Perfectionism

D.   Procrastination

20: When setting goals for a given project, should one focus on:

A.   medium-term goals.

B.   short-term goals.

C.   long-term goals.

D.   (All of these)

21: When a team members asks for help, feedback, or guidance, one should:

A.   do nothing.

B.   drop everything to help him or her.

C.   refer that team member directly to a supervisor.

D.   help as much as one reasonably can without compromising one's own responsibilities.

22: It's better to arrive earlier to a meeting, rather than later. True or False?

A.   False

B.   True

23: Check lists and to-do lists are:

A.   Two excellent tools for all kinds time management.

B.   A waste of valuable time.

C.   Useful for individuals, but not for groups.

D.   Worthy of several hours of attention each day.

24: Classify the following task: watching a TV show you do not enjoy

A.   urgent, important

B.   non-urgent, unimportant

C.   urgent, unimportant

D.   non-urgent, important

25: Which of the following can contribute to overall office stress levels?

A.   decoration, natural light, green space

B.   (All of these)

C.   degree of noise pollution

D.   floor plan

26: What is the accepted view of scheduling periods of 10-20 minutes in an otherwise busy work day, in which to do precisely nothing?

A.   Useful for low-level workers, but not for managers

B.   Generally helpful to productivity and morale, so long as they are kept in moderation.

C.   An unequivocal waste of time.

D.   An absolute necessity in all situations.

27: If one realizes that one has not budgeted enough time for an important task, a skilled manager should:

A.   make sure that all employees stay late until the work is done.

B.   take additional time to finish the task properly, immediately if at all possible.

C.   re-evaluate the situation and adjust the schedule accordingly.

D.   accept the setback, and hope that the missed deadline does not compromise larger projects.

28: The ideal management strategy for decision making is:

A.   Trusting sub-ordinates to make the best decisions with no oversight.

B.   Making all decisions one's self.

C.   Managing the decision-making process, not individual decisions.

D.   Managing individual decisions, not the decision-making process.

29: Which activity would belong in the category of "urgent and important?"

A.   Crises

B.   Busywork

C.   Planning

D.   Interruptions

30: What benefit might be derived from delegating a task you could do well yourself to an employee who is not strong in that area?

A.   To observe that employee stretch and expand their skills in a low-risk situation.

B.   To spend your time on tasks which cannot be delegated.

C.   (All of these)

D.   To introduce that employee to a new area of knowledge while providing expert oversight.

31: How much time should be spent on planning and scheduling, relative to taking action?

A.   as much as is necessary, until a workable plan has emerged.

B.   As little as possible.

C.   No more than 30 miniutes.

D.   No less than 5% of the total time allotted for the project.

32: ABC analysis ranks each task on the basis of:

A.   Importance only

B.   Importance and urgency

C.   Importance and value

D.   Value only

33: All of these would be an acceptable choice when faced with a new task EXCEPT:

A.   do it

B.   delegate it

C.   defuse it

D.   deadline it

34: True or false? Day-to-day issues should never supercede larger strategic time priorities.

A.   Generally true, except in crisis and other special situations

B.   Generally false, except in crisis and other special situations

C.   True

D.   False

35: In business, stress:

A.   can only improve performance.

B.   can be positive when appropriately channeled.

C.   can only undermine success.

D.   has the power to be negative, but is largely positive.

36: True or false? Procrastination is a better workplace trait than perfectionism.

A.   True

B.   False: Perfectionism is a better workplace trait than procrastination.

C.   False: both can impede progress in the workplace.

37: How might a creative manager deal with employee stress?

A.   an unusual assignment that requires a change of scenery

B.   by leaving that employee alone until he or she recovers composure

C.   by redecorating that employee's work space as a surprise

D.   by communicating less frequently

38: When working on a project that involves several or more colleagues, interruptions:

A.   will inevitably undermine productivity.

B.   should be avoided at all costs.

C.   should not occur often or at all, if the project is well-managed.

D.   are to be expected and should be accounted for in advance.

39: The importance of saying "no" to a new task or responsibility is emphasized because:

A.   it contributes to employee empowerment and morale.

B.   it enables employees and managers to set their own priorities, regardless of what their bosses suggest.

C.   it frees an employee from tasks that could distract from more important directives or goals.

D.   it allows managers to assert themselves in the face of executive interference.

40: When is the ideal time to submit an application to a job or project?

A.   As close to the deadline as possible– this shows that all pains have been taken to be sure the application is perfect.

B.   Employers or managers take no note of such things.

C.   As close to the posting time as possible– this shows enthusiasm and preparedness.

D.   Far enough from the posting to show that time and attention have been invested in the process; far enough from the deadline to show that things were not left until the last minute.

41: In the workplace, the relationship between time management and stress is:

A.   indirect: one can impact the other, but it is not clear how.

B.   direct: challenges in one area will impact the other negatively, as well as the other way around.

C.   one-directional: poor time management can cause stress, not the other way around.

D.   one-directional: excellent time management can cause stress, but not the other way around.

42: Employees who spend most of their time on tasks that are urgent but not important will likely eventually experience:

A.   A sense of control

B.   Balance

C.   Vision

D.   Challenges seeing the long-term picture

43: What is the best course of action for an email received from a supervisor, whose subject line reads: 'notes from today's meeting'

A.   Respond immediately

B.   Delegate

C.   Discard immediately

D.   File

44: Team projects are more time consuming when

A.   the project time is incorrectly estimated

B.   team has no proper structure

C.   the tasks are not assigned according to team member's strengths.

D.   team has no accountability

E.   the project manager delegates tasks

45: Top-tier talent will attempt to avoid assignments that are:

A.   Not important

B.   Not urgent

46: An example of best practices of effective time management is

A.   Delegate tasks to new team members

B.   Focus on short term goals rather than long term goals

C.   Delegating routine tasks and training juniors to handle it.

D.   Do everything by yourself to avoid wasting time discussing the tasks with team members

E.   Do only priority work and procrastinate the rest until you find time

47: Generally, it is best to arrive for a meeting:

A.   one hour or more before its scheduled start time.

B.   precisely on time.

C.   five-ten minutes ahead of its scheduled start time.

D.   15-30 minutes before its scheduled start time.

48: Classify the following task: relaxation

A.   non-urgent, unimportant

B.   non-urgent, important

C.   urgent, important

D.   urgent, unimportant

49: Classify the following task: responding to a task-relevant email from a colleague

A.   non-urgent, important

B.   urgent, important

C.   urgent, unimportant

D.   non-urgent, unimportant

50: A group's meeting agenda should be restricted to:

A.   items relating to impending or past deadlines.

B.   items relating to medium-term goals only.

C.   the time available for discussion.

D.   items relating to long-term goals only.

51: Employees who spend most of their time on tasks that are not important, regardless of urgency, will likely eventually experience:

A.   Vision

B.   Balance

C.   Lack of enthusiasm

D.   Burnout

52: Which activity would belong in the category of "not urgent and not important?"

A.   Planning

B.   Crises

C.   Interruptions

D.   Busywork

53: The most important work of the day should always be scheduled:

A.   whenever the individual employee has the highest, best-quality focus.

B.   just after a meal break.

C.   first thing in the morning.

D.   just before a meal break.

54: Employees who spend most of their time on tasks that are urgent and important will likely eventually experience:

A.   Burnout

B.   A sense of control

C.   Lack of enthusiasm

D.   Vision

55: Classify the following task: busywork

A.   non-urgent, unimportant

B.   urgent, important

C.   non-urgent, important

D.   urgent, unimportant

56: The best time to handle routine mail and correspondence is:

A.   first thing in the morning, no matter what.

B.   as it comes in, on an ongoing basis.

C.   the last part of the work day, no matter what.

D.   during time set aside ahead of time for this purpose.

57: When scheduling meetings, it's important to invite:

A.   all personnel whose work might be effected by the project at hand.

B.   all personnel.

C.   only personnel essential to the project at hand.

D.   all personnel who might be effect in any way by the project at hand.

58: True or false? Supervisors should always tell their employees in which order tasks should be prioritized.

A.   True

B.   False

59: In a truly ideal situation, one would spend most of their time working on which kind of tasks?

A.   Urgent, non-important

B.   Non-urgent, non-important

C.   Non-urgent, but important

D.   Urgent, important

60: Which is a way individuals can contribute to good group time management?

A.   Be mindful of not wasting other team members' time.

B.   Delegate or pass off as much of one's own responsibilities as possible.

C.   Keep all team members fully informed of any and all progress one makes individually.

D.   Take on the work of others inasmuch as is possible.

61: True or false? The most important task must be completed first, regardless of its complexity or urgency.

A.   False

B.   True

62: The concept of scheduling priorities, as opposed to prioritizing one's schedule, is meant to privilege:

A.   proactive work over reactive work.

B.   quality work over busywork.

C.   busywork over quality work.

D.   reactive work over proactive work.

63: Employees who spend most of their time on tasks that are non-urgent but important will likely eventually experience:

A.   A sense of control

B.   Lack of enthusiasm

C.   Challenges seeing the long-term picture

D.   Burnout

64: All of the following can contribute to under- or over-estimating the amount of time a given task can take EXCEPT:

A.   Enjoyment of an activity.

B.   How the task contributes to the company's bottom line.

C.   Poor background information.

D.   Boredom with or fear of an activity.

65: What is the best course of action for an email received from a supervisor, whose subject line reads: 'notes for workers in [not your department].'

A.   Delegate

B.   Discard immediately

C.   Look at in depth

D.   Respond immediately

66: What is the best course of action for an email received from a supervisor, whose subject line reads: 'please complete this task within the month.'

A.   Look at in depth

B.   Respond immediately

C.   Delegate

D.   File

67: True or false? Urgent, unimportant tasks should be privileged over non-urgent, important ones.

A.   True.

B.   False; it's the other way around.

C.   False; they are of equal importance.

68: All of the following belong in the plan for a complex project EXCEPT:

A.   ongoing tasks.

B.   dated deadlines.

C.   personnel information.

D.   minor and routine tasks.

69: The 'Pareto Principle' or '80/20 rule' states that:

A.   80% of output is the the result of 20% of input.

B.   Planning well for a project can increase yeild by 80%, while planning poorly can reduce results to 20% of optimal.

C.   On any given task, 80% of employees will not be of much use.

D.   20% of employees account for 80% of productivity

70: Evaluate the following statement. "If you don't have enough time to do everything on your to-do list, wake up an hour earlier in the morning."

A.   Good advice for organizations, short-sighted advice for individuals.

B.   Short-sighted advice

C.   Good advice for individuals, short-sighted advice for organizations

D.   Good advice

71: Analysts have pointed out all of the following potential problems with "to-do lists" EXCEPT:

A.   Such lists tend to privilege long-term and medium-term goals over short-term goals.

B.   Too rigorous a plan leaves no room for emergencies or setbacks.

C.   Managing a list can interfere with its implementation.

D.   Listing routine tasks wastes time.

72: Which is of greater consequence when evaluating when and how to do a task: urgency, or importance?

A.   importance

B.   urgency

C.   both are of equal consequence

D.   neither is of consequence

73: A schedule for a complex, weeklong project should be broken down to units no smaller than:

A.   2 hours

B.   30 minutes

C.   1 hour

D.   a half-day

74: Classify the following task: arriving on time to a meeting at which one's presence is not necessary

A.   non-urgent, unimportant

B.   urgent, important

C.   urgent, unimportant

D.   non-urgent, important

75: Classify the following task: meeting the expectations of colleagues or sub-ordinates

A.   non-urgent, important

B.   non-urgent, unimportant

C.   urgent, unimportant

D.   urgent, important

76:

Which of the following '5S' tools makes things easier to locate?

A.   Shine

B.   Standardize

C.   Set in order

D.   Sustain

77:

According to Time Management principles, meetings are _______

A.   a waste of time.

B.   primarily about avoiding getting on with real work.

C.   to last no longer than an hour.

D.   an example of investing time.

78:

Which of the following is NOT an application of a Gantt chart?

A.   Scheduling activities within a project.

B.   Assigning activities to individuals.

C.   Determining the cost of particular activities.

D.   Mapping the dependencies between activities.

79:

Delivering a motivating speech to employees can best be described as __________.

A.   spending time.

B.   wasting time.

C.   investing time.

D.   saving time.

80:

Which of the following statements is/are true?

i)It is generally more efficient to respond to crises as they arise rather than invest time in preventing them.

ii)An effective process should never be modified.

A.   Both are true

B.   Only i is true

C.   Only ii is true

D.   Neither is true

81:

Which of the following activities is not an example of 'investing' time?

A.   Attending a training course.

B.   Manufacturing products

C.   Designing a more efficient process

D.   Delegating a task to a subordinate

82:

Which of the following symptoms could NOT be the result of stress?

A.   Headaches

B.   Eczema

C.   Insomnia

D.   Forgetfulness

E.   All of these could result from stress.

83:

Which of the following statements is/are true?

i)Deadlines are always a motivating factor.

ii)Time management principles do not apply to the staff primarily engaged In routine tasks.

A.   Both are true

B.   Only i is true

C.   Only ii is true

D.   Neither is true

84:

Which of the following techniques was/were created by Jiro Kawakita?

A.   Pareto Charts

B.   Affinity Diagrams

C.   Nominal Group Technique

D.   To-do lists

A.   Both are true

B.   Only i is true

C.   Only ii is true

D.   Neither is true

86:

Which of these is a hindrance in overcoming procrastination?

A.   Completing the toughest task first

B.   Following a Time Management schedule

C.   Asking for help

D.   Effective management

87:

Which of the following might hinder the implementation of a Time Management approach?

i)Highly-motivated employees

ii)Lack of funds to invest in tools

iii)Predictable tasking

iv)Workplace culture

A.   Only i and ii

B.   Only i and iii

C.   Only i and iv

D.   Only ii and iii

E.   Only ii and iv

F.   Only iii and iv

88:

In which of the following situations would investing time be inadvisable?

A.   Getting a new member of staff up to speed.

B.   Where a return on the investment is not guaranteed.

C.   Where the cost of the investment is high.

D.   Where return on the invested time is small and will take a long time to realize.

89:

Which of the following variables must be balanced against 'schedule' to assess the effectiveness of a process?

i)Quality

ii)Scale

iii)Cost

A.   None of the above

B.   Only i

C.   Only ii

D.   Only iii

E.   Only i and ii

F.   Only i and iii

G.   Only ii and iii

H.   All of the above

90:

Which of the following statements is/are true?

i)Managers who delegate usually experience lower absenteeism and staff turnover.

ii)Someone who manages their time efficiently should never have to refuse to take on a task.

A.   Both are true

B.   Only i is true

C.   Only ii is true

D.   Neither is true

91:

________ is a drive and a stimulus that helps you to accomplish goals.

A.   Delegation

B.   Saying 'no'

C.   Procrastination

D.   Motivation

92:

Which of these is not necessarily a key element of a Time Management plan?

A.   Defining goals

B.   Prioritizing goals

C.   Ascertaining Time

D.   Controlling Time

93:

A/An ___________ is a specialized chart that exhibits data collected in such a way that important points necessary for the process under improvement can be demarcated.

A.   Pareto Chart

B.   Affinity Diagram

C.   Time Chart

D.   Control Chart

94:

Which of these is a principle of Time Management?

A.   Setting realistic goals

B.   Procrastination

C.   Time is reversible

D.   Be reactive, not proactive

95:

The 'Just-In-Time' approach to production means

A.   delivering products to customers more quickly.

B.   closely monitoring the hours worked by employees.

C.   prioritising 'schedule' above any other variable.

D.   minimising the amount of unused stock owned by a company.

96:

Which of the following is the best definition of 'spending' time?

A.   Using time unproductively.

B.   Using time productively, but without delivering future improvements.

C.   Using time to develop relationships with colleagues.

D.   Using time to source suppliers for procurement.

97:

Conducting a 'time and motion study' is primarily a means of:

A.   identifying where a process can be made more efficient.

B.   charting where employees are at a given time.

C.   identifying underperforming workers.

D.   identifying unprofitable products to be discontinued.

98:

Which of the following may affect your ability to handle stress?

i)Illness

ii)Hormones

iii)Tiredness

A.   None of the above

B.   Only i

C.   Only ii

D.   Only iii

E.   Only i and ii

F.   Only i and iii

G.   Only ii and iii

H.   All of the above

99:

Which of the following statements is/are true?

i)Some types of tasks are better suited to certain times of the day than others.

ii)It is always better to prioritize 'urgent' tasks above 'important' ones.

A.   Both are true

B.   Only i is true

C.   Only ii is true

D.   Neither is true

100:

According to the '5S' approach, which of the following implies keeping your environment clean and clear?

A.   Sorting

B.   Setting in Order

C.   Shine

D.   Standardizing