1. Study groups, concentration, study breaks, rewards
TIME MANAGEMENT 2
Study groups,
concentration,
study breaks,
rewards

2. The Study Group
How many times have you wondered what the teacher said or what the book meant by a particular comment or paragraph?
Do you ask others what their
interpretation is?
While this may not be a common experience now, it can be at the college level.

3. The Study Group
Here are several suggestions that you can use to help form a study group
If you can, study with someone who is just a little better in the subject that yourself
if your study partner is too good, you won’t be helped and your partner might feel taken advantage of
if you are of the same ability, you aren’t improving the quality of your study time

4. Study Group Techniques
One of the common techniques is to divide up the study questions ahead of time. Each person should have a general understanding of all the questions and an in-depth understanding of the questions they were given or selected. Each person should thoroughly learn his/her selection before the study group gets together.

5. The Study Group When the study group meets, each person
should present his/her answers in-depth.
Some study groups have
typed copies of the answers
available for each member
of the group.

6. Concentration Tips
How long can you read hard material before losing concentration?
need to learn this about yourself
Concentration time will vary
as you become a better student
as the pressures of your daily life change

7. Concentration Tips
Perhaps there are not a lot of time conflicts in your studies now. However, there will be soon.
By practicing time
management now,
conflicts will not overwhelm
you later.

8. Time Management In some cases, you may need to seek outside help
parent
friend
tutor
a different text

9. Concentration Tips
You have to learn the material that is covered by the course description or risk being behind next year
Every core subject you now take is a building block for later subjects
You need to approach them all as important

10. Break Time What if you can’t concentrate? Then
it is probably time to take a break
a working schedule will include timed breaks
During the first couple of weeks working with your time management plan, you will need to determine how long you can concentrate

11. Break Time
The best way to do this is to keep a journal of your study time. Track the subject, the assignment, and the level of difficulty.
Write down your starting time and the time your concentration begins to drift.
For large tasks, write down how long your break was, especially if you were unable to restart the task in the scheduled study period.

12. Break Time
Sooner or later, you will probably experience a task that is either too hard or boring. Both of these problems need to be overcome. Tasks that seem boring may make ideal warm ups for your hard tasks.

13. Break Time
But what if the thought “I can’t do this” won’t go away. How do you tackle a hard task?

14. Break Time This is actually a break in concentration. You can
break the task into smaller parts
determine if there is missing information
Regardless, set aside the assignment and take a break
move to another assignment
get up and walk around
talk to someone else

15. Break Time
When you return, try to think of a different approach to the assignment
for a reading assignment
start at a different place from where your concentration drifted
for a packet
go to a different part and restart there
for a writing assignment
go to a different part of your outline and write those paragraphs then cut and paste all paragraphs together according to your outline

16. The Reward
Everyone likes to be rewarded a job well done. What about when you are the only one who knows or appreciates that the task you scheduled is done? Well, that means you have to reward yourself!

17. The Reward
This works in two ways to help us with our studying. First, by rewarding ourselves we feel better. Second, it gives us incentive to get the job done so we can have the reward.

18. The Reward It is important to set aside rewards until the task is done
When doing difficult assignments, break the work up
into a series or tasks which can each be rewarded
simple rewards
a phone call to a friend
an ice cream cone
bigger rewards
a movie
a new outfit
Involve parents or others for the largest rewards, but you should schedule your own rewards as well

19. The Calendar
An example of a time management calendar is included in this manual.
Each of you will have a different method and will vary the actual times to your own strengths and needs.

20. The Calendar
One of the first rules of a good time management calendar is to have it with you. Perhaps the easiest way to do this is to keep it in your three-ring binder.

21. The Calendar Schedule everything on one calendar
birthdays
holidays
important assignments
For personal items use the same calendar with a code for the event or task so only you will know what it is
for example: you could use “mt” to represent a mall trip or “sd” to mean a special date

22. The Calendar
It is important to create a calendar that reflects all of your time constraints. As your scheduling ability increases, you
should notice a freeing up of time and a lack of last minute rushing or pressure.