Time Management

How to Schedule (and Put off Procrastinating)

Purpose of this PowerPoint

• The goal is to improve time management, a skill that many students have not needed to develop prior to college, but which may be a “make or break” skill for academic and professional success

• The focus is upon procrastination and planning, two areas that significantly impact management of time

• The PowerPoint provides clear information to help you understand why we procrastinate; and, specific strategies to help reduce procrastination

• The PowerPoint also provides a simple, user friendly system to help you schedule and plan better, as this is often a critical aspect of time management and success

• Finally, it provides additional time management tips

Contents of this PowerPoint

• Procrastination (slides 4-7)

– Reasons why we procrastinate– Specifics on how we procrastinate– Specific strategies/skills to procrastinate less

• Planning and Scheduling (slides 8-17)

– Benefits: Why it makes so much sense– A simple system for planning and scheduling– Specific examples for applying the system

• Additional time management tips (slide 18)

Why Do We Procrastinate?

• It’s the easiest thing to do -at least in the short-run- due to immediate reward from…– doing something more natural, fun, or easier– relief from avoiding something that is challenging

• Outside influences (friends, etc.)• It may have worked well enough in the past• We are used to having others prompt us• A lack of awareness/success with other approaches• Not yet having built up tolerance…

– to work through the inertia of starting challenges– to resist the natural pull to avoid what is hard and do

what is easy

How Do We Procrastinate?• By using self-talk that is an attempt to rationalize

putting something off – Such talk is unnoticed yet extremely influential– It may involve unexamined “untruths” accepted as fact

• “I’ll have plenty of time to work on this tomorrow”• “I’ll only be on face book for a few minutes”• “I’ll wait until I’m in the mood to do this”.

• By using vague, non-committed planning (e.g., I will work on this assignment “later” or ‘this weekend”).

• By choosing to participate in activities that are more enjoyable instead of work (e.g. social media, music).

• By attempting to work in an environment conducive to procrastinating (e.g., social distractions, having Facebook up, texting).

How To Change This

• Build new habits to meet new challenges: We will review use of a planner for this.

• Get specific; “to do” lists are nice, but…– they can make tasks seem overwhelming.

Example: “how will I ever do all of this?!”– they are often not specific for action planning

Example: “later” or “tonight” planning.

• Plan to avoid settings and circumstances that create enticing competition and distractions

• Recognize and challenge rationalizing self-talk

How To Change This (c0nt.)

• Examples of challenging rationalizing self-talk.– “I’ll have time to do this later”.– Challenge: “I have the time to do it now; later is no

guarantee. That usually causes me more stress.” “I could be done later.”

– “I’ll just be on Facebook for a few minutes”.– Challenge: “There is no way I’ll only be on face book for a

few minutes.”– “I’ll wait until I’m in the mood.”– Challenge: “I may never get in the mood through avoidance,

and once I get started it will get easier.”– “This is too hard!”– Challenge: “This is challenging but not TOO hard, and I can

schedule getting help where needed.”

Scheduling and Using a Planner

Benefits• Feel and be more in control and organized• Prevent stress and anxiety (especially last minute)• Enjoy free time more: you won’t have nagging

thoughts and feelings about what you’re putting off • Be less distracted while doing school work from

wondering and worrying about assignments due – you will have already addressed this in your planner– you won’t have to try and study while juggling other

assignments and due dates in your head– when wondering, refer to your planner and reassure

yourself you have time planned for your tasks

• Improve your learning, quality of life, confidence, and life skills because of the above

A System for Using a Planner

• Get a planner with enough space to schedule your planning (you received one)

• Keep your planner and a pencil -yes a pencil- with an eraser with you

• Electronic/phone calendars and reminders are great but may not be as helpful in seeing the bigger picture at a glance

A System for using a Planner (cont.)

• Once you have the planner:1. From your syllabus record due dates for exams,

papers, etc.2. Record start dates/times to begin working on

projects and/or studying for exams3. Throughout the semester schedule specific times

to work on all assignments (e.g., papers, reading, test preparation)

4. Take a few minutes daily to review your planner• To help you prioritize your scheduling• to see what is coming up and prompt you• to make any modifications

Example of a Fairly Straight Forward Planner System

10/8

10/9

10/10

10/11

10/12

10/13

10/14

Political Science Midterm 3 pm

Keystone Paper Due 10 amUsing your syllabus, record due dates for all of your bigger projects and assignments

Step 1.

Begin paper for Keystone 3-5 that is due at 10 am on Oct 10th

Study for Political Science Midterm 1-3 that will be at 3 pm on Oct. 11th

Record prompts to remind you when to begin working on these projects and assignments that you have recorded due dates for

Step 2

Read Sociology Chap. 2 from 1-3 for Mon.

Spend 5-minutes reviewing planner

Spend 5-minutes reviewing planner

Spend 5-minutes reviewing planner

Spend 5-minutes reviewing planner

Spend 5-minutes reviewing planner

Spend 5-minutes reviewing planner

Do Math homework due Tues from 4-6.

Schedule specific times to do ongoing homework, projects and assignments

Spend 5-minutes reviewing planner each day

Step 3

Step 4

Begin paper for Keystone 3-5

Continue Keystone paper 1-3

Study for Political Science Midterm 1-3

Spend 5-minutes reviewing planner

Spend 5-minutes reviewing planner

Do reading for Lit. 1 for Thurs.

Prompts that you previously recorded to remind you when to begin projects that are due

Continue to schedule specific times to do homework and assignments. Note that this now includes the Keystone paper you prompted yourself to begin on Oct. 1st.

Cont. 5-min. daily planner review

10/8

10/9

10/10

10/11

10/12

10/13

10/14

Political Science Midterm 3 pm

Keystone Paper Due 10 am

Review Keystone Paper 7-8 pm

Cont. Study for Political Sci. Midterm 1-3

Due dates you recorded previously

Continue daily 5-minute planner review

Cont. to schedule specific times to work on projects and assignments. Note that in this example some are from earlier prompts for bigger projects, and the other is a short-term assignment.Read Soc. Chap. 2 for Mon. 12-2

Some Time Management Tips

• Plan your day and combine errands/tasks• Plan to work on things when you are at

your peak• Take care of your body and brain• Prioritize• Don’t be a perfectionist when you don’t

have to be• Be cautious of socializing at the wrong

time