GRAHAM GARNERFIRST-YEAR SEMINAR

SPRING 2008, SECTION 8

Time Management:Managing Your College

Schedule

Adapted from “Thriving in College & Beyond,” by Joseph B. Cuseo, Viki Sox Fecas, and Aaron Thompson

How Do You Spend Your Time?

College introduces new factors to your schedule

Less mandatory “seat time”Less supervisionFour out of five work part-timeTime is money – budget it

Itemize: What do you need to do, and when?

Map out how you spend your timeIdentify wasted patches of timeThink of it like a grocery listKeep an assignment booklet

Include all assignments and due dates from all classes

Keep a calendar Include your academic calendar, tasks and

appointments Keep it in clear view

Prioritize: How do you rank importance?

Urgency Tasks close to deadline should receive high priority

Gravity Tasks with the most “weight” should receive high

priority

Divide into categories A, B, and C A: Essential, or “must do” B: Important, or “should do” C: Trivial, or “could do”

Analysis, Evaluation and Synthesis

Develop a Time-Management Plan

Long range Identify the deadline dates

Mid range Identify intermediate dates to finish particular parts

Short range Work backward to determine start dates

Include reserve time for the unexpectedInclude a balance of work and recreationBe flexible

It’s your plan – you own it, you run it; it doesn’t own or run you.

Dealing with Procrastination

75% of college students say they are procrastinators

Myth 1: “I work better under pressure.” Don’t confuse rapidity with quality; creativity takes time.

Myth 2: “If I study early, I’ll forget it by test time.” Cramming loses REM sleep, where memory is formed

Psychological causes: Fear of failure Perfectionism Fear of success Indecisiveness

Combating Procrastination

Make the work meaningful Visualize your goals and connect them to your aspirations

Make the work manageable Break larger tasks into smaller pieces

Make starting as inviting or appealing as possible Start with the part you find most interesting

Adjust your schedule to intercept procrastination Use enjoyable parts as incentive to complete other parts

Combating Procrastination

Organization matters Have the right materials in the right place at the right

time

Location matters Choose a place without distractions Distractions come in two major forms: social or media

Momentum matters It’s easier to finish a task than restart it “Closing the deal” can give you a sense of satisfaction