Time ManagementTime Management

A Study Skills Series Presented A Study Skills Series Presented by General Studiesby General Studies

Time management is the way Time management is the way you regulate or schedule your you regulate or schedule your time.time.

The key to successful time The key to successful time management is allowing enough management is allowing enough time to complete your work while time to complete your work while still finding time to participate in still finding time to participate in things you enjoy aside from work things you enjoy aside from work and school. and school.

Time Management Time Management InvolvesInvolves Knowing what your goals areKnowing what your goals are Deciding where your priorities lieDeciding where your priorities lie Anticipating future needs and Anticipating future needs and

possible changespossible changes Controlling your life by Controlling your life by

controlling your timecontrolling your time Making a commitment to being Making a commitment to being

punctualpunctual Not procrastinatingNot procrastinating Carrying out your plansCarrying out your plans

Ways to Organize Your Study Ways to Organize Your Study TimeTime

Create a semester calendarCreate a semester calendar

Prepare weekly task listsPrepare weekly task lists

Use daily “to do” listsUse daily “to do” lists

Time Management StrategiesTime Management Strategies

Study in 1 hour Study in 1 hour blocksblocks

Take breaksTake breaks Tackle difficult Tackle difficult

assignments assignments firstfirst

Switch subjectsSwitch subjects

Break tasks Break tasks downdown

Work aheadWork ahead Plan RewardsPlan Rewards

Creating a ScheduleCreating a Schedule

Plan out the Plan out the week on week on SundaySunday

Schedule Schedule weekly prioritiesweekly priorities

Identify when Identify when there is free there is free timetime

Use any small Use any small blocks of time blocks of time that are that are otherwise otherwise wastedwasted

Stick to the Stick to the schedule you schedule you createdcreated

Other Factors to ConsiderOther Factors to Consider

Take Care of your body in order Take Care of your body in order to achieve high productivityto achieve high productivity

Mental alertness is greatly Mental alertness is greatly affected by:affected by: FoodFood ExerciseExercise SleepSleep

Forms of ProcrastinationForms of Procrastination Ignoring the task, hoping it will Ignoring the task, hoping it will

go awaygo away Underestimating the work Underestimating the work

involved in the taskinvolved in the task Overestimating your abilities Overestimating your abilities

and resourcesand resources Deceiving yourself that Deceiving yourself that

mediocre performance or less is mediocre performance or less is acceptableacceptable

Substituting a worthy but lower-Substituting a worthy but lower-priority nonacademic activity priority nonacademic activity (escapist technique)(escapist technique)

Forms of Procrastination Forms of Procrastination cont.cont. Believing that repeated Believing that repeated

“minor” delays won’t hurt “minor” delays won’t hurt youyou

Dramatizing a commitment Dramatizing a commitment to a task rather than doing to a task rather than doing itit

Persevering on only one Persevering on only one part of the taskpart of the task

3 Main Causes of 3 Main Causes of ProcrastinationProcrastination

Self-downingSelf-downing

Low frustration Low frustration tolerancetolerance

HostilityHostility

Strategies to overcome Strategies to overcome procrastinationprocrastination Just get startedJust get started Set realistic goalsSet realistic goals Clarify the directionsClarify the directions Start with the easiest part of the Start with the easiest part of the

tasktask Avoid over schedulingAvoid over scheduling Create “to do” listsCreate “to do” lists Set prioritiesSet priorities

Strategies cont.Strategies cont.

Break down large tasksBreak down large tasks Recognize that not all assignments Recognize that not all assignments

are easyare easy Recognize that all courses are Recognize that all courses are

relevantrelevant Use positive feedback as Use positive feedback as

encouragementencouragement Use positive self-talkUse positive self-talk Identify escapists techniquesIdentify escapists techniques Plan rewardsPlan rewards

Tackle Time WastersTackle Time Wasters

Many students don’t say “no” to Many students don’t say “no” to a request for their time.a request for their time.

Decide what you need to do and Decide what you need to do and can realistically do. Say “no” to can realistically do. Say “no” to everything else.everything else.

Screen calls with an answering Screen calls with an answering machine and return calls at your machine and return calls at your convenience.convenience.

Learn to say “I can’t talk right Learn to say “I can’t talk right now.”now.”

Time wasters are often linked to Time wasters are often linked to a lack of self-discipline.a lack of self-discipline.

Reap the Benefits of Reap the Benefits of Managing Time EffectivelyManaging Time Effectively You are more productive.You are more productive. You reduce your stress.You reduce your stress. You improve your self-esteem.You improve your self-esteem. You achieve balance in your You achieve balance in your

life.life. You conquer multitasking.You conquer multitasking. You establish an important You establish an important

career skill.career skill. You reach your goals.You reach your goals.

Revisit Your ValuesRevisit Your Values

Knowing what is most Knowing what is most valuable to you gives valuable to you gives direction to your life.direction to your life.

Your energy should be Your energy should be oriented first toward things oriented first toward things that reflect the values that that reflect the values that are most important.are most important.

Examine your values to help Examine your values to help you make time management you make time management decisions.decisions.

Time Management ConcludedTime Management Concluded

Practice will enable you to get Practice will enable you to get better at sticking to a schedulebetter at sticking to a schedule

Breaking an old habit and Breaking an old habit and forming a new one takes forming a new one takes between 21 to 30 days between 21 to 30 days

DO NOT GIVE UP, it will get DO NOT GIVE UP, it will get easiereasier

THE ENDTHE END