goal setting

Goal Setting and Time Management

Jennifer ZimmermanAssistant Director

Academic Resource CenterMercer Universityhttp://faculty.mercer.edu

Time Management Questionnaire One of the greatest factors contributing to stress is our inability to manage time. Conversely, good time management skills allow

us to organize our lives and be more productive, both at work and at home. The following quiz will help identify trouble spots and guide us toward the goal of becoming successful time managers. A scoring key at the end will indicate how far you need to go.

1 - Always 2 - Usually 3 - Sometimes 4 - Never

1. I find that I have enough time for myself - to do the things I enjoy doing. _____

2. I'm aware of deadline and schedule my work to meet them in time. _____

3. I write down specific objectives in order to work toward goals. _____

4. I use a calendar to write down appointments, deadlines, and things to do. _____

5. I feel in control of time while at work and at home. _____

6. I plan and schedule my time on a weekly and/or monthly basis. _____

7. I make a daily to-do list and refer to it several times per day. _____

8. I set priorities in order of importance and then schedule time around them. _____

9. I'm able to find time when I need it in case something important comes up. _____

10. I'm able to say no when I'm pressed for time. _____

11. I try to delegate responsibility to others in order to make more time for myself. _____

12. I organize my desk and work area to prevent clutter and confusion. _____

http://www.healthnewsnet.com/time.html courtesy of Health News Network © 1998-2000 Health News Network

http://www.healthnewsnet.com/time.html

13. I find it easy to eliminate or reschedule low priority items. _____

14. I try to do things in a way that cuts down on duplicated effort. _____

15. I find that doing everything myself is very inefficient. _____

16. I try to shift priorities as soon as they change. _____

17. I find it easy to identify sources of time problems. _____

18. I find it easy to eliminate or reshuffle unnecessary paperwork. _____

19. My meetings and activities are well organized and efficient. _____

20. I know what I'm capable of and try not to overextend myself. _____

21. I find it easy to keep up with changes that affect my schedule or workload. _____

22. I try to schedule the most difficult work during my most productive times. _____

23. I know what my responsibilities and duties are at all times. _____

24. I try to get only the pertinent information before making a final decision. _____

25. I finish one job or task before going on to the next. _____

Time Management Questionnaire (cont’d)

Scoring key:25 - 40 = Excellent time manager41 - 55 = Good time manager56 - 100= Poor time manager



Prioritize tasks Develop daily, weekly, or monthly schedules Delegate responsibility Say no Write down objectives in order to meet deadlines Use a calendar or notebook to organize

commitments Shift priorities to make room for more urgent

matters or tasks Reduce clutter and/or unnecessary paperwork Give up total control Avoid procrastination

Recommendations



Goal

Plan

Action!

Make it large, ambitious, and specific . . . then write it down.

. . . then draw yourself a detailed roadmap.

Use your confidence, self-discipline, and a

sense of urgency to put your plan into

Seek practical advice, make a

Pauk, p. 15

Prioritize Your Goals and ActivitiesA, B, C Method

1. List all your goals

2. Rate each goal

A – High Value

B – Medium Value

C – Low Value

3. Plan A activities designed to accomplish A goals

Pareto Principle

Or the 80/20 Rule

1. List all A activities in order of importance

2. Accomplish top 2 of 10

Result – 80% Success Rate!

Pauk, p. 43

Focusing on top 20% of your “to do” list will get you 80%

of the way to your goal

Assess How You Use Your Time NowCreate an Activity Log

Record every change in activity Include all activities: sleeping, eating, working,

socializing, studying, etc. Jot down how you feel and highlight times when you

study most efficiently Accurately record your activities for a 2-week period Calculate how much time you spend in class and

studying, and calculate how much uncommitted time you have each week

http://www.tld.jcu.edu.au/netshare/learn/git/activitylog.html

Scheduling Considerations

Prime Time InternalExternal

Programmable Steps to Improved Retention and Recall of InformationRepetitionMultiple Learning Modalities

The Need to Cultivate High Level ThinkingAn effective long term strategy for improved retention and recallThe defining edge of what it means to be a master studentAn often overlooked goal that you can address explicitly in your

schedule

Rules of Thumb

Study Scheduling Tips

Set aside 2 hours study time for every hour in class, or Treat your college career like a 40-hour-a-week full-

time job Review every class at least once every 24 hours Schedule a weekly “where am I” review for every

course Limit yourself to 50-60 minutes continuous studying on

a single topic

Make Your Schedule Now!

“It’s all in the wrist” By Semester Monthly Weekly Daily Task-based

Experiment with different scheduling tools and find one that works for you Simple Reliable Flexible

Make Your Schedule Work – Part I

Swiss Cheese RulePunch holes in big tasksUtilize time that otherwise is lostThink ahead so you have tools and

resources making it possible to enjoy your “Swiss Cheese Moments”

http://www.gradresources.org/articles/time_management.shtml

Use Every Minute

Make Your Schedule Work – Part II

Quit ProcrastinatingThe Seven-Day Antiprocrastination Plan

Monday – Make it Meaningful

Tuesday – Take it Apart

Wednesday – Write an Intention Statement

Thursday – Tell Everyone

Friday – Find a Reward

Saturday – Settle it Now

Sunday – Say No!Ellis, p. 65

Make Your Schedule Work – Part III

Psychological Helps Take advantage of good moods

Give yourself a pep talk

E Make a promise to someone else

Build in rewards

Stress the benefits

Time Managementfor Right-Brained People Know your values Do less – make a list of what NOT to do Slow down – don’t operate on “launch” all day Remember people Focus on outcomes Handle it now Buy less Take time out to forget about time Experiment

Ellis, p. 54-55

Nist, Sherrie L. and Jodi Patrick Holschuh, Active Learning: Strategies for College Success. Needham Heights: Allyn & Bacon, 2000.Pauk, Walter, How to Study in College. 7th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2001.

Ellis, Dave, Becoming a Master Student. 8th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1998.

The End

goal setting

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