Time management and Study Habit July , 2019 Communication Skills and Health Professions Education (Medu) Time management and Study Habit July , 2019 Medical Education Department

Life Balance The common man is not concerned about the passage of time, the man of talent is driven by it. Shoppenhauer

Learning Outcomes: By the end of this lecture it is expected that you should be able to: Define what is time management. Identify your attitude toward time management. Discuss how you are going to manage your time effectively. Explain the effective study habits.

Definition of Time Management: Time management refers to the development of processes and tools that increase efficiency and productivity (for a student, for a business, for an organization) Time management doesn’t “just happen” for anyone – it is a skill that must be worked on, and that most people find to be a life-long challenge

Purpose of Time (Self) Management Stress=Managing time well can prevent much of the stress we are subject to. Balance=Good time habits can enable us to achieve a more balanced life, with adequate time and energy for work, home, family, self.

Purpose of Time (Self) Management Productivity=If you can become more effective with your time, you automatically increase your productivity. Goals=To make progress toward achieving your personal and professional goals, you need available time. Nothing can be done when you’re out of time.

Time Management Matrix:

Time Management Exercise

Three Key Steps to Good Time Management Preparing a long term plan to promote overall organization and future planning Developing a Weekly Schedule to provide an overview of free and committed time Writing a daily “to do list” to provide daily reminders to assure key tasks are not forgotten

Step 1: Long-Term Plans Best to use a monthly calendar Important to be able to look ahead by at least 4 weeks As soon as you are informed of deadlines for assignments, test dates etc. put them on the calendar so you can ensure that you’re able to do some long-range planning A very important step in preventing last minute cramming or rushed assignments

Step 2: Cont’d Creating a Weekly Schedule Fill in the weekly schedule in this sequence: Personal Maintenance (i.e. eating, sleeping, getting ready, travel) Your classes Your work commitments Other Commitments (volunteer, extra-curricular etc.) THEN fill in other OPTIONAL commitments

Step 3: Daily To-Do Lists It’s helpful to create a list with the following headings as a way to organize your time: Thursday, July 11 Task Time Req. Importance Other Notes Medu homework 1 hour Very Important English Assignment ½ hour important Playing football Biochemistry Quiz ½ hour Very important Cell structures Seminar Preparation ½ hour Important Extra help from Ahmed Ali

Step 3: Daily To-Do Lists It’s even more effective to actually create a daily schedule and block out the time when events will happen (see sample) It’s important to tick things off on your daily to-do list as you complete them – gives you a sense of accomplishment Try to put down a little more on your list that you think you can realistically accomplish Breaking down large projects into smaller tasks that you can accomplish in small chunks of time is one of the most effective TM strategies

How do you spend your time each day? Analysis peak inactivity 10 pm 7 pm 3 pm 7 am What is time curve? How do you spend your time each day?

Procrastination: Enemy of Time Management it also brings: Anxiety Reduced sleep Illness Lower grades Poorer quality of work Less learning as a result of being rushed A personal sense of disappointment In the end, it hurts you more than it helps you!

Time Wasters

Just say “no”

How to say no (Please share your Experience) How do you say it? “I can’t do it right now, but I can fit it in later.” “I am not the best qualified person for that job, how about asking…” “I just don’t have any room in my schedule for the next few weeks.” “I can’t focus on that right now.”

How do you say it? “I have made a commitment to complete my current project/task ahead of any other.” “Normally I would say yes, but I’ve had a few things come up unexpectedly and I have to deal with those first.” “I would rather say no than end up doing a second rate job for you.”

Tips for More Effective Time Management

Effective Study Habits Effective Study Strategies Need: Open-Mindedness – keeping your mind free and clear of distractions Meaningful learning– you must take responsibility for your learning Practice – review your learning experiences often Concentration - can be increased by developing your study habits, using time efficiently, & become involved with the learning task quickly Making sense – relate learning to real world or to our own experiences Critical thinking – question, summarize, & redefine new concepts and ideas

What is urgent in your life and what is important to your life are often very different things

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