Time Management Strategies

A cartoon to get us started... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hT76Grsz uHk&feature=related

Poor time management can be stressful! Typical symptoms of poor time management for students may include: feeling stressed and overwhelmed by a lack of time studying at hours when you are not fresh and productive procrastinating cramming the night before not getting assignments in on time. Poor time management can be stressful!

What are your Time Robbers? Take a look at your time logs you completed in class a few days ago. Which activities are you spending too much time on, when you could be doing something more productive?

Overcoming Procrastination Facebook...Internet...even washing the dirty dishes - all have been used as a form of procrastination when study needs to be done. The procrastination habit is like a comfortable bed - easy to get into but difficult to get out of. Often being aware that you are procrastinating and examining the causes of procrastination is the quickest way to beat procrastination.

Strategy #1:Use Your Agenda By planning your work you avoid the trap of last minute cramming sessions and stressful write-ups of assignments the night before. Record your homework, assignment due dates, and any other test or exam dates in your semester plan. This should give you an overview of your commitments for the semester. Agenda Check!

Strategy #2: Daily To-Do List When you get home from school use your agenda to write out a “TO-DO” list for the evening. Cross out tasks as you complete them.

Strategy #3: Plan Blocks of Study Time and Breaks Blocks ideally are around 50 minutes, but perhaps you become restless after only 30 minutes? Some difficult material may require more frequent breaks. What you do during your break should give you an opportunity to have a snack, relax, or otherwise refresh or re-energize yourself. Place blocks of time when you are most productive: are you a morning person or a night owl?

Task 1: Jot down one best time block you can study. How long is it? What makes for a good break for you? Can you control the break activity and return to your studies?

A short moment for a break http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOezCgfV780

Strategy #4: Dedicated Work Spaces Determine a place free from distraction (no cell phone or text messaging!) where you can maximize your concentration and be free of the distractions that friends or hobbies can bring! You should also have a back-up space that you can escape to.

Task 2: What is the best work space you can think of? What is another?

Strategy #5: Weekly Reviews Weekly reviews and updates are also an important strategy. Each week, like a Sunday night, review your assignments, your notes, your agenda. Be mindful that as deadlines and tests approach, your weekly routine must adapt to them! Task 3: What is the best time in a week you can review?

Strategy # 6: Prioritize Your Assignments When studying, get in the habit of beginning with the most difficult subject or task. You'll be fresh, and have more energy to take them on when you are at your best. Task 4: What subject has always caused you problems?

Time Management Summary http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yifzn5rMs L0