Time Management

Time Management SkillsTime Management Skills

Created byCreated by

Ida HoelscherIda Hoelscher

Title III Academic Skills Title III Academic Skills CoordinatorCoordinator

Sul Ross State UniversitySul Ross State University

Is Time Management Is Time Management Important?Important?

Yes!!!Yes!!!• You don’t want to You don’t want to

feel like you’re feel like you’re walking a tightrope.walking a tightrope.

You never had to You never had to worry about it worry about it before!before!• Before you had study Before you had study

hall or your parents hall or your parents saying do your saying do your homework first.homework first.

College versus High College versus High SchoolSchool

In High School, you went to class from In High School, you went to class from early in the morning till mid-afternoon.early in the morning till mid-afternoon.

In college you go the hours you want.In college you go the hours you want. In High School you had time in class to In High School you had time in class to

complete projects.complete projects. In College you do most of your work In College you do most of your work

out of class.out of class.

ResponsibilityResponsibility

Now, as you’re probably Now, as you’re probably figuring out, you have to decide figuring out, you have to decide when to go to school, when to when to go to school, when to study, when to go to work, and study, when to go to work, and when to have fun.when to have fun.

If you do a poor job you can If you do a poor job you can often feel like this guy!often feel like this guy!

If you do a good job you will find If you do a good job you will find you have time for all these you have time for all these things and feel good about things and feel good about yourself too!yourself too!

First, What do you do First, What do you do now?now?

For a week keep For a week keep track of what you do track of what you do now:now:• when you sleep,when you sleep,• when you eat,when you eat,• when you work,when you work,• when you go to class,when you go to class,• when you study,when you study,• when you have fun,when you have fun,• and anything else.and anything else.

Evaluate & Decide on Evaluate & Decide on ChangeChange

Figure out how much Figure out how much time each week you time each week you spend on each task .spend on each task .

Are you spending it Are you spending it where you need to?where you need to?

What do you need to What do you need to spend more time on?spend more time on?

What do you need to What do you need to spend less time on?spend less time on?

Time you can’t changeTime you can’t change

56 hours for sleep,56 hours for sleep,• 8 hours are usually 8 hours are usually

adequate.adequate. 21 hours to eat,21 hours to eat,

• Don’t try to rush your Don’t try to rush your eating or skip meals.eating or skip meals.

20 hours for classes 20 hours for classes and labs,and labs,• Don’t try to skip one Don’t try to skip one

class to get work done class to get work done in another.in another.

Other committed timeOther committed time

Next, fill in other fixed Next, fill in other fixed commitments .commitments .• Work - unless hours vary from Work - unless hours vary from

week to week.week to week.• Meeting times, or practice Meeting times, or practice

times of clubs, organizations, times of clubs, organizations, or sports.or sports.

• Social time that doesn’t Social time that doesn’t change.change.

• Time where you sleep in on Time where you sleep in on Saturday or Sunday mornings.Saturday or Sunday mornings.

Principles of Time UsePrinciples of Time Use

Plan your day at the same time each day.Plan your day at the same time each day. Allow more time for learning new material, Allow more time for learning new material,

drafting a paper, grasping concepts, etc.drafting a paper, grasping concepts, etc. As you begin work on each part , jot down As you begin work on each part , jot down

the time you expect to finish ; give the time you expect to finish ; give yourself a mini-reward when you finish on yourself a mini-reward when you finish on time.time.

Review for only 15 to 45 minutes ,Review for only 15 to 45 minutes , especially before and after class.especially before and after class.

Principles - cont.Principles - cont.

Do something daily - don’t Do something daily - don’t procrastinate.procrastinate.

Schedule harder study tasks when Schedule harder study tasks when you are most alert.you are most alert.

Plan to learn the first time so the Plan to learn the first time so the other times you are just reviewing other times you are just reviewing , making up test questions, etc., making up test questions, etc.

Don’t try to allocate ALL your Don’t try to allocate ALL your time; just make sure you schedule time; just make sure you schedule what you have to get done.what you have to get done.

When to study.When to study.

Plan to study two hours Plan to study two hours for every hour you spend for every hour you spend in class.in class.

Study your difficult Study your difficult subjects first.subjects first.

Avoid marathon study Avoid marathon study sessions.sessions.

Study during the time Study during the time you are most alert each you are most alert each day.day.

Where to study.Where to study.

Find a regular study place:Find a regular study place:• It should be somewhere that It should be somewhere that

you don’t eat or sleep.you don’t eat or sleep.• Train your body that you Train your body that you

study there.study there. Don’t get too comfortable.Don’t get too comfortable.

• Don’t study on the bed.Don’t study on the bed.• Easy chairs & sofas are Easy chairs & sofas are

unsafe too.unsafe too. Use a library.Use a library.

Handling the Rest of the Handling the Rest of the WorldWorld

Pay attention to your mind Pay attention to your mind wandering.wandering.

Set rules & times with roommates, Set rules & times with roommates, spouses, & kids.spouses, & kids.

Avoid noise distractions.Avoid noise distractions. Talk to people who routinely Talk to people who routinely

interrupt.interrupt. Avoid the phone!Avoid the phone! Learn to say NO!Learn to say NO! Hang a “do not disturb” sign.Hang a “do not disturb” sign.

3 Rules of Time 3 Rules of Time ManagementManagement

Don’t create Don’t create

impossible impossible

situations.situations. Define priorities.Define priorities.

Avoid Avoid

distractions and distractions and

lack of focus.lack of focus.

Don’t Create Impossible Don’t Create Impossible SituationsSituations

Don’t try to do too much:Don’t try to do too much:• work full time,work full time,• school full time,school full time,• too many lab classes,too many lab classes,• single parent,single parent,• or too many extracurriculars.or too many extracurriculars.

Plan to study 2 hours for Plan to study 2 hours for every 1 hour of class.every 1 hour of class.

Decide which class you Decide which class you have to finish.have to finish.

Define PrioritiesDefine Priorities

Create lists to set priorities:Create lists to set priorities:• Weekly Calendar - this is your basic time Weekly Calendar - this is your basic time

budgeting guide - list courses, work , study budgeting guide - list courses, work , study time, meals, recreation.time, meals, recreation.

• Daily Calendar - this is what you want to do Daily Calendar - this is what you want to do today - homework, tests, housework, today - homework, tests, housework, shopping, recreation.shopping, recreation.

• Goal List - this is a list of things you have to Goal List - this is a list of things you have to do - list commitments, goals, etc.do - list commitments, goals, etc.

Avoid Distractions & Lack of Avoid Distractions & Lack of FocusFocus

Procrastination!Procrastination! Crisis management.Crisis management. Switching and Switching and

floundering.floundering. Television, Television,

telephonetelephone FriendsFriends Emotional blocksEmotional blocks SicknessSickness

Good Time Management Good Time Management StrategiesStrategies

Planning is important but just planning Planning is important but just planning doesn’t make it so.doesn’t make it so.• Study in 50-60 minute increments.Study in 50-60 minute increments.• Take breaks.Take breaks.• Switch subjects.Switch subjects.• Tackle difficult assignments first.Tackle difficult assignments first.• Plan rewards.Plan rewards.• Work until you finish scheduled tasks.Work until you finish scheduled tasks.• Work ahead.Work ahead.

ProcrastinationProcrastination

Causes:Causes:• low self-esteem,low self-esteem,• low frustration low frustration

tolerance,tolerance,• hostility,hostility,• protection from feelings protection from feelings

of inadequacy,of inadequacy,• poor time management,poor time management,• or habit. or habit.

Overcoming Overcoming ProcrastinationProcrastination

Set realistic goals.Set realistic goals. Use good time management Use good time management

skills.skills. Long term planning.Long term planning. Break down large tasks.Break down large tasks. Some tasks are not fun.Some tasks are not fun. Plan rewards.Plan rewards. Learn to see the relevance.Learn to see the relevance. Take action!Take action!

Being RealisticBeing Realistic

Monitor how well your Monitor how well your schedule is working.schedule is working.

Evaluate if you have Evaluate if you have enough study time.enough study time.

Admit when the Admit when the schedule you have schedule you have created is not working.created is not working.

Then reevaluate and Then reevaluate and start over, and over, and start over, and over, and over.over.