TIME MANAGEMENT METHOD AND SYSTEM

• US 20100131323A1
• Filed: 11/25/2008
• Published: 05/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Basson, Sara H., Rish, Irina, Kanevsky, Dimitri, Kelley, Edward Emile
• Application Number:
  US12/277,615
• Publication Number:
  US 20100131323A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

Disclosed is a time management method which includes detecting a current activity of a user on a computer, classifying the current activity according to a predetermined characteristic, prioritizing the current activity according to a predetermined order of importance, and prompting the user to work on the highest important activity if not already working on it. Also disclosed is a computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform a method of time management, a computer program product and a system for time management.

Claims

1. A time management method comprising the steps of:

detecting a current activity of a user on a computer;

classifying the current activity according to a predetermined characteristic;

prioritizing the current activity according to a predetermined order of importance; and

prompting the user to work on the highest important activity if not already working on it.

2. The time management method of claim 1 wherein the step of classifying comprising adaptively learning types of activities and preferences of the user for working on an activity.

3. The time management method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined characteristic in the step of classifying is work-related and nonwork-related activities.

4. The time management method of claim 3 wherein the nonwork-related activities are further classified as relaxation activities and time-wasting activities.

5. The time management method of claim 3 wherein the work-related activities are further classified by required date of completion.

6. The time management method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined order of importance in the step of prioritizing is a work-related activity has a higher importance than a non-work-related activity.

7. The time management method of claim 2 wherein adaptively learning comprises applying a data mining algorithm to an activity to determine whether the activity is a work-related activity or a non-work-related activity.

8. The time management method of claim 1 further comprising the step after prioritizing of delaying for a predetermined amount of time prior to prompting the user.

9. A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform a method of time management, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting a current activity of a user on a computer;

classifying the current activity according to a predetermined characteristic;

prioritizing the current activity according to a predetermined order of importance; and

prompting the user to work on the highest important activity if not already working on it.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9 wherein the step of classifying comprising adaptively learning types of activities and preferences of the user for working on an activity.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9 wherein the predetermined characteristic in the step of classifying is work-related and nonwork-related activities.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9 wherein the predetermined order of importance in the step of prioritizing is a work-related activity has a higher importance than a non-work-related activity.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein adaptively learning comprises applying a data mining algorithm to an activity to determine whether the activity is a work-related activity or a non-work-related activity.

14. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for a time management method, the computer readable program code means in the computer program product comprising;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to detect a current activity of a user on a computer;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to classify the current activity according to a predetermined characteristic;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to prioritize the current activity according to a predetermined order of importance; and

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to prompt the user to work on the highest important activity if not already working on it.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the computer readable program code means for causing a computer to classify comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to adaptively learn types of activities and preferences of the user for working on an activity.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the predetermined characteristic is work-related and nonwork-related activities.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the predetermined order of importance is a work-related activity has a higher importance than a non-work-related activity.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15 wherein the computer readable program code means for causing a computer to adaptively learn comprises the application of a data mining algorithm to an activity to determine whether the activity is a work-related activity or a non-work-related activity.

19. A system for time management comprising:

a module for detecting a current activity of a user on a computer;

a module for classifying the current activity according to a predetermined characteristic;

a module for prioritizing the current activity according to a predetermined order of importance; and

a module for prompting the user to work on the highest important activity if not already working on it.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the module for classifying further comprising a module for adaptively learning types of activities and preferences of the user for working on an activity.