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Time management

Adam Sandelson LSE Student Counselling Service

18 January 2012

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AimsAims

• Identify useful strategies for better time management

• Examine psychological issues • Explore common difficulties with

perfectionism and procrastination

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Message from a friend:Message from a friend:

Failing to plan … is planning to fail

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IntroductionIntroduction

How do yougo aboutmanaging your time?

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Five basic principlesFive basic principles• Be realistic about the task….how long will it

take?

• Be determined…..limit distractions/displacement

• Be organised………books, pens, coffee

• Balance the other parts of your life

• Be flexible…things may change

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Taking control of timeTaking control of time

Ask yourself from time to time:• How am I using my mental and

physical energy now?• Is this good use of my time?

• Identify priorities/commitments for the week ahead and write on blank sheet all sessions/ meetings; leisure activities; paid work; time for self; adequate rest/sleep.

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Personal Timetable

Sun Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat

08:00

09:00

10:00

11:00

12:00

1:00pm

2:00

3:00

4:00

5:00

6:00

7:00

8:00

9:00

10:00

11:00

12:00

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Use personal timetabling to:Use personal timetabling to:

• acknowledge what you have achieved• save mental energy • be purposeful and realistic• meet deadlines and keep up with work• have effective study time and effective

relaxation • Enjoy yourself without guilt and worry

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Causal Dimensions of Time Causal Dimensions of Time Management Problems for StudentsManagement Problems for Students

Intrinsic/Emotive Extrinsic/External• Feel overwhelmed &‘frozen’ by all the tasks

• Anxiety about what is expected of them

• Anxiety about writing: worried about the quality of their work

• Wanting to live up to other people’s standards

• Wanting to live up to their own image of themselves

• Bored – motivation is low

• Workload is heavy & appears overwhelming

• Lack of clarity about what is expected

• Student not experienced in managing time independently

• Cultural dimensions: come from a society that is relaxed

about time• Course is not interesting

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Tips for avoiding distractionTips for avoiding distraction• Start with the unpleasant tasks first • Set yourself a time limit for reading. • Use active reading techniques. • Distraction problems can occur when the

subject being studied appears totally removed from the real world.

• If you find a particular recommended or set book hard to follow, try another that offers you a simpler or clearer explanation.

• If other students are distracting you, go somewhere else. Where others are working quietly, you are likely to do the same.

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Four Tips for Managing TimeFour Tips for Managing Time1. Start with the unpleasant tasks first – get

them out of the way early. 2. Set yourself a short time limit for reading: 40

– 45 minutes tends to be the maximum time most people can read before their concentration slips. At the end of the set time, stop and take a break.

3. Don’t struggle with books you find hard to read. If you find a particular set book hard to follow, try another that offers you a simpler or clearer explanation of the same subject.

4. Keep your working area clear of clutter: the Wall Street Journal reported that typical US Executive wastes 5 hours a week looking for misfiled/mislaid items. (Lindley 2006).

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Writing StrategiesWriting Strategies• Free yourself up• Go for a walk; talk it out loud• Wait for a structure to arrive• Bullet points, mind maps, scribble ideas• Give yourself time to work it out – learning

and writing involve unconscious processes• Imagine looking back at this task in 6

months • Work with others, use study groups, etc.

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Common difficultiesCommon difficulties

• Perfectionism

• Procrastination

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Are you a perfectionist?Are you a perfectionist?• You are never good

enough, whatever you accomplish

• You can’t complete work or projects, waiting to get them just right

• You must always give 100% or else be mediocre or a failure

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What is perfectionism?What is perfectionism?• Self-defeating thoughts and behaviours associated with

high ideals, not realistic goals. • Often mistakenly seen as desirable or even necessary for

success. • Recent studies show that perfectionist attitudes actually

interfere with success. – The desire to be perfect can deny you a sense of

satisfaction and cause you to achieve far less than people with more realistic goals.

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Causes of perfectionismCauses of perfectionism

• You may have learned early in life that you were mainly valued for your achievements.

• You value yourself on the basis of other people's approval.

• Your self-esteem is based primarily on external standards.

• You are vulnerable and sensitive to the opinions and criticism of others.

• To protect yourself you decide that being perfect is the only defence.

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Negative thoughts andNegative thoughts and feelingsfeelings

• Fear of failure. • Fear of making

mistakes. • Fear of disapproval. • All-or-nothing

thinking. • Over-emphasis on

‘should’, ‘must’ and ‘ought’.

• Never being good enough.

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How is it maintained?How is it maintained?

• Current triggers – eg research pressure• Negative predictions – ‘I won’t do it well’• Unhelpful behaviours,

– eg avoidance of writing, constant checking• Confirming negative beliefs• Self Critical thoughts – ‘I’ve failed again’

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Vicious circleVicious circle

• Set an unreachable goal.• Fail, as the goal was impossible.• Constant pressure leads to

chronic failure and reduces effectiveness.

• Self criticism and self-blaming leads to low self - esteem, anxiety and depression.

• At this point you may give up completely on your original goal and set yourself another unrealistic goal, thinking "This time if only I try harder I will succeed".

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4 common myths with 4 common myths with perfectionism perfectionism

• You can’t succeed without it

• It gets you the best results

• It enables you to overcome obstacles

• It helps you achieve and please others

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What can I do about it?What can I do about it?

• Realize that perfectionism is undesirable– perfection is an illusion that is

unattainable.• Challenge self-defeating thoughts

and behaviours that fuel perfectionism.

• Cost benefit analysis of keeping high standards

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Strategies to move forwardStrategies to move forward• Set goals

– realistic, reachable, sequential• Experiment with standards for

success– Try for 80% or even 60%

• Focus on the process not the end result

• Evaluate success in terms of what you accomplished and what you enjoyed

• Celebrate and learn from mistakes

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Common difficultiesCommon difficulties

• Perfectionism

• Procrastination

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What is What is procrastination?procrastination?

• Putting off a task which needs to be done

• It can affect our study and writing• We may disguise avoidance by being

very busy • We may find things to do that are

interesting or even useful, but don't contribute towards the main goal

• It may involve feelings of anxiety, stress, guilt, shame and depression

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Overcoming ProcrastinationOvercoming Procrastination

• Use a diary• Prioritise and set

achievable targets• Revise targets• Acknowledge progress• Stay focussed• Avoid avoidant

activities!• Reward yourself

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Procrastination – Procrastination – so what can you do about it ?so what can you do about it ?Aversion to the task- Develop motivation• Find a personal engagement with subject …• … how can I use this idea ?• … what’s significant in this for me ?• Why have I found this difficult in the past ?

…• … how is this different now ?• If I had to explain this to others simply, how

would I best summarise it for them ?

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Procrastination – Procrastination – so what can you do about it ?so what can you do about it ?Impulsiveness / distractions- Long term vision - ‘Unpleasant’ tasks first- Short tasks / short term rewards- Involve others in pay-offs- Mix active / passive work e.g. reading- Study groups

• sharing research• teaching learning

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Procrastination – Procrastination – so what can you do about it ?so what can you do about it ?Time management issues:

- Allow more time for assignments … - … draft, leave, edit, redraft- Simple, realistic, daily goal-setting- Link short-term priorities to long-term

goals- Lower your expectations ?

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Procrastination – Procrastination – so what can you do about it ?so what can you do about it ?Environmental Factors

- Ask library staff for guidance- Find your favourite space- Keep it clear, focussed on one activity- Symbolise it ?

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Dynamics of studyDynamics of study

Pastrelationships

My relationship

with mystudies

Currentrelationships

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What can I do?What can I do?

• Look at your internal dynamics

• Write down any historic messages you carry about yourself

• Develop a more realistic assessment of your ability and worth as a person

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ConclusionsConclusions

• Look after yourself (diet, sleep)

• Keep a supportive structure for your daily life; have relaxation time

• See this as a time of discovery • Recall past achievements• Challenge negative thoughts• Imagine looking back at the

task from a future vantage point

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LSE Student Counselling LSE Student Counselling ServiceService

• Free and confidential • Groups and Workshops programme

– Self Esteem Group – Stress Management Group

• Website has information about the Service– Stress management handout– Relaxation tape MP3’s– Links to self help resources