1. Time Management for Furman University Students Barbara M Foltz, Ed.D. Director of Academic Assistance

2. WHAT DO THESE PEOPLE SHARE IN COMMON? BARACK OBAMA MICHAEL PHELPS – WINNER OF 8 GOLD MEDALS, SWIMMING, 2008 OLYMPICS FURMAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

3. ALL HAVE SAME NUMBER OF MINUTES PER DAY (1440!) WE ARE GOING TO DISCUSS SOME TIPS FOR FURMAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS TO BE SUPER PRODUCTIVE WITH THE TIME THEY HAVE

4. TWO MOST IMPORTANT TIME MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES SETTING PRIORITIES—WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU IN YOUR LIFE, IN EVERY AREA OF LIFE: SCHOOL, SPORT, FRIENDSHIPS, FAMILY, SPIRITUAL, ETC. USING YOUR TIME WISELY TO ACHIEVE YOUR HIGHEST PRIORITIES

5. ACTIVITY: WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH BY THE END OF THIS SEMESTER? GRADE POINT AVERAGE HEALTH/PHYSICAL/ATHLETIC FRIENDSHIPS FAMILY OTHER

6. SECOND PART OF ACTIVITY NOW—WHAT IS ONE SMALL STEP YOU CAN TAKE THIS WEEK TO GET CLOSER TO YOUR GOALS?

7. USING YOUR STUDENT DAILY PLANNER START EACH SEMESTER WITH OVERALL SEMESTER PLANNING. USING A MONTHLY VIEW CALENDAR, CHART OUT YOUR SEMESTER. PUT IN ALL IMPORTANT ACADEMIC DATES FOR THE ENTIRE SEMESTER—TEST DATES, PROJECT DUE DATES, PAPER DUE DATES, ETC. ALSO PUT IN IMPORTANT ATHLETIC AND PERSONAL DATES—COMPETITIONS, TRIPS, IMPORTANT FAMILY DATES

8. USING YOUR STUDENT DAILY PLANNER, CONT. THEN EACH SUNDAY EVENING, USE THE WEEKLY AND DAILY PLANNING SECTIONS OF YOUR PLANNER TO MAKE YOUR “TO DO LIST”. FIRST SET YOUR OVERALL WEEKLY GOALS (PERSONAL/ACADEMIC/INTERPERSONAL). THEN SET GOALS FOR EACH DAY SO THAT YOU ACCOMPLISH YOUR GOALS FOR THE WEEK. AN EXCELLENT GOAL IS TO HAVE ALL OF YOUR READING, ASSIGNMENTS, ETC. DONE A WEEK BEFORE THE ACTUAL TEST DATE SO THAT THE WEEK BEFORE A TEST IS REVIEW TIME

9. ABC METHOD OF PRIORITIZING PRIORITIZE THE WEEK’S ACTIVIES: A” LIST—VERY IMPORTANT—MUST DO “B” LIST—WOULD BE GOOD TO ACCOMPLISH TODAY “C” LIST—DO IF YOU HAVE TIME REALIZE YOU PROBABLY AREN’T GOING TO GET TO YOUR C’S— UNLESS THEY BECOME A’S OR B’S

10. DON’T CONFUSE THE URGENT WITH THE IMPORTANT RUNNING OUT OF GAS—AN URGENT SITUATION—BUT NOT AN IMPORTANT SITUATION USING YOUR PLANNER TO PLAN OUT THE SEMESTER—AN IMPORTANT TASK, EVEN IF IT DOESN’T FEEL URGENT

11. MOST HELPFUL TIP I’VE GIVEN STUDENTS… 8 HOUR DAY—TREAT YOUR ACADEMICS AS A PROFESSIONAL JOB OUT OF THE RESIDENCE HALL EARLY—E.G. 8 A.M., DRESSED, FED & READY TO GO! DON’T RETURN TO RESIDENCE HALL BETWEEN CLASSES—GO TO LIBRARY OR A QUIET SPOT ON CAMPUS CAN TAKE A LUNCH HOUR, SHORT BREAKS, ETC., BUT STAY ON THE JOB UNTIL LATE AFTERNOON (4 PM FOR EXAMPLE)

12. 8 HOUR DAY, CON’T THEN TAKE A BREAK, EXERCISE, SOCIALIZE, EAT, ETC. THEN ONE OR TWO HOURS OVERTIME IN THE EVENING THIS WILL PROVIDE A STEADY, EFFICIENT SCHEDULE WHICH WON’T INCLUDE ALL NIGHTERS AND LATE- NIGHT CRAMMING

13. 80/20 RULE PEOPLE SPEND 80% OF THEIR TIME ON ACTIVITIES THAT ONLY PRODUCE 20% OF THE RESULTS, AND 20% OF THEIR TIME ON ACTIVITIES WHICH PRODUCE 80% OF THE RESULTS KEY IS TO IDENTIFY THE 20% WHICH ARE HIGH YIELD ACTIVITIES: REWRITING LECTURE NOTES, READING BEFORE LECTURE, USING LIBRARY, ETC. (VARIES AMONG INDIVIDUALS)

14. 80/20, CON’T. KEY IS T0 IDENTIFY YOUR MOST IMPORTANT PRIORITIES AND PRODUCTIVE ACTIVITIES, AND MAKE THEM “A” ACTIVITIES IN YOUR PLANNER OTHER 80/20’S: –80% OF CLOTHES YOU WEAR COME FROM 20% OF YOUR WARDROBE –80% OF THE INTERRUPTIONS COME FROM 20% OF THE PEOPLE –20% MORE EFFORT CAN RESULT IN AN 80% BETTER PRODUCT

15. BULK DECISION MAKING FOR DECISIONS WE MAKE EVERY DAY SAVE LOTS OF MINUTES EACH DAY BY THINKING ONCE AND REAPING BENEFITS FOR A WEEK OR LONGER! DECIDE WHAT TO WEAR FOR ENTIRE WEEK WHEN YOU’LL REWRITE YOUR NOTES WHEN YOU’LL CALL YOUR PARENTS WHEN YOU’LL WORK OUT, ETC

16. OTHER TIPS FOR STUDENTS PICK THE RIGHT TIME OF DAY FOR YOUR HARDEST CLASSES—WHEN YOU ARE MOST ALERT PLAN TO STUDY 2 HOURS FOR EVERY HOUR SPENT IN CLASS PLAN AHEAD FOR TESTS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE SEVERAL IN ONE WEEK SCHEDULE YOUR “DOWN TIME” FOR MUNDANE TASKS OR EASY ENJOYABLE ACTIVITIES GO TO CLASS STAY OUT OF BED!

17. IN SUM… WE ALL HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME, AND WE CAN MAKE THE BEST OUT OF IT BY… PRIORITIZING WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO US PLANNING AND GOAL SETTING BASED ON OUR VALUES AND PRIORITIES USING OUR BEST TIMES WISELY