Chapter 2 Using Time and Space Effectively

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2 | 2 Time is precious and irreplaceable: “All my possessions for a moment of time.” Queen Elizabeth I on her deathbed

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2 | 3 Ways to gain extra time Reclaim lost time Stick to a schedule Stay organized

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2 | 4 Reclaiming lost time Pinpoint areas of “hidden” time Cultivate time-saving habits

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2 | 5 Ways to find “hidden” time Carry pocket work Use your mind when it’s free Record study information Employ spare-time thinking Use your subconscious

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2 | 6 Changing your time habits Defy Parkinson’s Law Obey your alarm clock Limit and Internet time Take “time out” Listen to your body

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2 | 7 Sticking to a schedule Provides greater control Encourages relaxation Saves time Provides freedom Increases flexibility

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2 | 8 Dividing time in to blocks Makes tasks more manageable Helps you work at peak efficiency

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2 | 9 Tips for time blocks Don’t waste big blocks Study during prime time Study before recitation classes and after lecture classes Don’t let details tie your hands Include nonacademic activities

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2 | 10 The three-part scheduling plan The master schedule The weekly schedule The daily schedule

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2 | 11 Use a task- based schedule when Your days are unpredictable Your free time is fluid

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2 | 12 Standard time schedules Divide time into blocks

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2 | 13 Task-based schedules Divide goals into subgoals

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2 | 14 Task-based master schedule A series of long term goals divided into manageable subgoals

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2 | 15 Assignment- oriented weekly schedule Used for shorter assignments that span a week or less

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2 | 16 Daily task-based schedule Basically a to do list

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2 | 17 Efficiency vs. Effectiveness Schedules can provide a false sense of security if they’re filled with low-priority tasks The Urgency-Importance Matrix helps to clarify priorities

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2 | 18 The Urgency-Importance Matrix

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2 | 19 Interruptions are often urgent but not important Phone calls Unexpected visitors

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2 | 20 Busywork is usually not urgent and not important Straightening desk Sharpening pencils Checking excessively

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2 | 21 Scheduled classes Looming deadlines Emergencies or dangers Tasks that are both urgent and important take top priority and should not be ignored

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2 | 22 The most valuable tasks are not urgent but important Mastering your notes Beginning work on a long-term assignment

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2 | 23 Using the matrix to plan your time Tackle tasks in quadrant 1 first but try to keep them to a minimum Spend the bulk of your time in quadrant 2 Minimize tasks in quadrant 3 by finding a study environment where interruptions are rare Try to keep tasks from quadrant 4 off of your to do list.

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2 | 24 How to stay organized Devise a system Keep it flexible Minimize clutter

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2 | 25 Principles for a system of organization Find a place for everything Arrange your work materials intelligently Label items logically

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2 | 26 Finding a place for everything Divide your materials into basic groups: textbooks, notebooks, pens, mail, etc. Find a specific place for each basic group: shelves, draws, jars, inbox Go back and subdivide these groups: Math and science books on one shelf, history and language on another.

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2 | 27 Organizing things intelligently with the CIA system Current. Keep things you’re working on right now close at hand Imminent. Keep things you plan to work on nearby but not in your way Archived. Label seldom-used materials and then store them away

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2 | 28 Labels help you to locate things quickly Label folders or directories according to the course identifier Use separate labeled folders for different parts of a class Include enough information on each page or file so it can stand alone Provide an index for file folders

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2 | 29 The problem with inflexible organization Too rigid and demanding Too complicated

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2 | 30 Keeping things flexible Use loose-leaf paper: Easier to shift around and rearrange Use a different notebook per class: Lets you take only what you need

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2 | 31 Minimizing clutter Use the OHIO rule for papers and Don’t print out files if you don’t need to Allow time for cleanup and setup

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2 | 32 If time-saving seems uninspiring, ask yourself this: What am I saving time for?