Managing Your Time For Study This workshop will:   help you investigate how you use your time include plenty of handy tips for managing time well while at university help you plan to manage your time more effectively. Louise Livesey Academic Skills Adviser 11/22/2018 Academic Skills Advice

Academic Skills Advice Today’s plan What is time management? Barriers to being effective Strategies Dealing with procrastination Breaking the day into 6 All in one click 11/22/2018 Academic Skills Advice

1.What is time management? Activity 1: Self-audit How did you score? 11/22/2018 Academic Skills Advice

1.What is time management? Getting more done in less time Balance between work and “real life”! Making and meeting deadlines Prioritising activities Being organised Being realistic Planning Efficiency Being in control Dealing with issues, not hiding them Having time to do everything you want to do Being honest 11/22/2018 Academic Skills Advice

1.What is time management? Tip 1: Failure to plan is planning to fail What you need to do! What you need to do it! When it needs to be done by! 1 click for each 11/22/2018 Academic Skills Advice

2.Barriers to Being Effective and Activity 2: More barriers What are the things that prevent you from making good use of your time and getting things done? What kind of things stop us from achieving these aims and managing our time effectively? 11/22/2018 Academic Skills Advice

2.Barriers to Being Effective Lack of time Friends Interruptions e-mail internet phone lectures study time work Sleep Illness Lack of a fixed routine Being distracted Not being organised Being in a panic Not interested SELF-SABOTAGE 1 click for all This leads neatly onto self-sabotage as, whilst there are some barriers which are beyond our immediate control, others are normally forms of self-sabotage. 11/22/2018 Academic Skills Advice

2.Barriers to Being Effective Tip 2: Be assertive when dealing with interruptions. 11/22/2018 Academic Skills Advice

2.Barriers to Being Effective Self-sabotage Do you do things you know you shouldn’t so you don’t have to study.?   Don’t understand the subject or the question? Don’t know how to start researching or writing? Lacking in confidence to successfully complete and pass the assessment? It just seems too big? Work out what it is that’s putting you off. Then do something: another student, your tutor, the Academic Skills Advice service, Counselling, whoever… 11/22/2018 Academic Skills Advice

How do you eat an elephant? 3.Strategies to help you manage time How do you eat an elephant? 1 click whole elephant; next click in chunks

Tip 3: the pizza principle - break down larger tasks. 3.Strategies to help you manage time Tip 3: the pizza principle - break down larger tasks. Pizza on first click for hint and test on second 11/22/2018 Academic Skills Advice

Academic Skills Advice 3.Strategies to help you manage time Bio-rhythms Are you a night-owl or an early bird? Do you prefer quiet study or background noise? Music or silence? Library or coffee shop? Where do you work best? Do you think best on the move? Read before walking to uni, then think through on the way Home or “office”? 1 click for all 11/22/2018 Academic Skills Advice

Tip 4: Identify where and when you work 3.Strategies to help you manage time Tip 4: Identify where and when you work best and maximise it 1 click for all Identify prime time and non-prime time – relative to task – your prime time for going to the gym is not the same as your prime time for reading for study When do you feel most creative? Most thoughtful? When do things seem to sink in best? – WHEN FOR THEM? What sort of conditions do you prefer? – this will effect not only when you work best, but also where– WHAT FOR THEM? Ask yourself frequently – is this the best use of my time now? - Make what you do fit the time you have available not visa versa You can learn when and where you learn best, and use to your advantage – don’t forget to take on fuel 11/22/2018 Academic Skills Advice

Academic Skills Advice 3.Strategies to help you manage time Keep “To-Do” lists and review frequently Prioritise tasks Finish things - get jobs off your lists Don’t waste time on recriminations/ regrets Be realistic/ honest 1 click for each point Lists: good but you must keep reviewing them Transfer undone tasks at the end of the day onto tomorrow’s list. If tasks keep getting transferred at the end of every day ask yourself why? Is it that you are procrastinating, in which case get on with the task. If it’s not important then take it off your list. Prioritise: not all tasks are equally important – more in a minute Make the list the same time each day Finish things: morale boosting! – you can see the strikes! Recriminations/regrets: don’t bother! – Wasted energy Be realistic: if you are having serious problems, talk to your tutor about rescheduling deadlines etc. Tasks on your list – large or small – should meet SMART criteria 11/22/2018 Academic Skills Advice

Academic Skills Advice 3.Strategies to help you manage time Tip 5: Get a ‘diary Expand on wall planners, diaries with timetable planned in and time for study also planned in! Include personal activities for completeness. Revision timetables. Use of colour and symbols for those who find these easier. Use of “to do lists” – to be effective these should be done either at the beginning or end of the day. 11/22/2018 Academic Skills Advice

Academic Skills Advice 3.Strategies to help you manage time When are your… Exams dates Days and times essays are due Any presentation dates and times Significant life events – interviews, work times, etc. Do the students know when they are? 11/22/2018 Academic Skills Advice

Tip 6 - Know your deadlines: know your module handbooks! 3.Strategies to help you manage time Tip 6 - Know your deadlines: know your module handbooks! Do the students know when they are? 11/22/2018 Academic Skills Advice

Academic Skills Advice Orange= today Yellow = directed study Red = coursework deadlines Blue = exams – you can add the specific dates for your exams as soon as the timetable comes out (usually early/mid-December) Green = vacation 11/22/2018 Academic Skills Advice

Why procrastinate? Solution 4.Dealing with procrastination Why procrastinate? Solution Break tasks into small chunks Reward yourself/ Do the hard tasks first Do the easy tasks first Get help Set your own deadlines Get some sleep/ relax The task seems too big It’s unpleasant We think we’re not good at it We don’t know how to do it It has no clear deadline or it’s far off We are too tired or panicking Why 1 click and solutions a click each What is procrastination? 11/22/2018 Academic Skills Advice

Academic Skills Advice 5. Breaking the day into 6 Compulsories = external factors giving you no choice e.g. lectures, labs, deadlines etc. Necessaries = must be done but you have some leeway as long as you fit them in e.g. meals, sleep, etc. Protected time = things that are important to you and your well-being, e.g. gym. Optionals = things you want to do to be effective but that are moveable, e.g. directed study. Compulsories = external factors giving you no choice e.g. lectures, labs, deadlines etc. Necessaries = meals, sleep, – must be done but you have some leeway – as long as you fit them in Protected time = things that are important to you and your well-being e.g. gym Options = things you would like to do but could give way if really necessary 11/22/2018 Academic Skills Advice

Academic Skills Advice 5. Breaking the day into 6 Activity 3: Your timetable AM 8-10 AM 10-12 PM 1-3 PM 3-5 EVE 6-8 EVE 8-10 Monday 11-12 Lecture 2-3 Lecture Tuesday 9-10 Seminar 4-5 ASAS workshop Gym Wed’ay 10-12 Lab 3-6 Debating Cinema Thu’day 1-2 ASAS workshop Friday 4-5 App with tutor Sat’day Essay Research Sunday Mum and Dad 11/22/2018 Academic Skills Advice

Academic Skills Advice Summary Compile a SMART and REALISTIC to-do list Identify urgent and important tasks Prioritise maintenance and progress tasks Review how you are doing Set the right environment Get the timing right Stay focused Avoid postponing important tasks Avoid interruptions Use “time-bites” 1 click for all Some things to think about and get into a healthy habit of doing. Time-bites: make good use of train journeys, short breaks etc. Maybe read but is it better to use the bus journey to make phone calls, text to arrange the weekend etc., so these things don’t eat into your prime time? 11/22/2018 Academic Skills Advice

Academic Skills Advice References Sáez, F. (2010) GTD and the benefits of routine. Facile Things. [online] Available at: http://facilethings.com/blog/en/routines [Accessed 12.6.2014] All visuals are from Clip Art or previous booklets. Thanks to all Academic Skills Advice service colleagues past and present 11/22/2018 Academic Skills Advice

Academic Skills Advice Service Where are we? Chesham Building B0.23. Give us a call or come speak to us Monday- Friday 9am-5pm (closing at 4pm Fridays). Who am I? Louise, the dedicated workshop adviser. Who can help me with study and writing skills? Lucy and Russell run Instant Study Skills Advice sessions every weekday and Writing Skills Clinics three times a week. You can also access self-help resources on our webpage. Who can give me maths advice? Helen and Michael specialise in Maths support for students though clinics and pre-booked appointment. How do I get in touch? Email: academic-skills@brad.ac.uk Telephone: 01274 236849 11/22/2018 Academic Skills Advice

Academic Skills Advice Any questions? 11/22/2018 Academic Skills Advice