Time Management

What You Will Learn• How to set goals and priorities How to set goals and priorities • How to create a time-management system How to create a time-management system • How to assess your energy level and time How to assess your energy level and time

wasters wasters • How to work in alignment with your learning How to work in alignment with your learning

style style • How to overcome procrastination How to overcome procrastination • How to handle interruptionsHow to handle interruptions

Barriers to Time Management

•Factors that affect time Factors that affect time management:management:– Your attitude Your attitude – Your energy level Your energy level – Your ability to concentrateYour ability to concentrate

Assessment

•Where Does Your Time Go?Where Does Your Time Go?– You can divide time into three You can divide time into three

areas:areas:– Committed Time Committed Time – Maintenance Time Maintenance Time – Discretionary TimeDiscretionary Time

Committed TimeCommitted Time

• Committed time includes activities Committed time includes activities involved in achieving your immediate involved in achieving your immediate and long-term goalsand long-term goals

•School School •Studying Studying •Work Work •Commuting Commuting •Family timeFamily time

Maintenance TimeMaintenance Time

• Maintenance time is the time you Maintenance time is the time you spend maintaining yourselfspend maintaining yourself

•Eating Eating •Sleeping Sleeping •Bathing Bathing •Exercising Exercising •Maintaining your homeMaintaining your home

Discretionary TimeDiscretionary Time

• Discretionary time is time that is yours Discretionary time is time that is yours to use as you pleaseto use as you please

• Use discretionary time for things you Use discretionary time for things you value most in lifevalue most in life

– Building relationships Building relationships – Contributing to the community Contributing to the community – Contributing to your physical, mental, Contributing to your physical, mental,

and spiritual well-beingand spiritual well-being

Managing Your TimeManaging Your Time

•First tip—focus on priorities

•Not activities

TIPS• first rule of time management is to set goalsfirst rule of time management is to set goals• are Your days a treadmill of activities, crises, and are Your days a treadmill of activities, crises, and

endless tasks?endless tasks?• Do you you focus on the important as well as the Do you you focus on the important as well as the

urgent?urgent?• Time-Management StrategiesTime-Management Strategies• Write A daily to-do list. Write A daily to-do list. • Make a project board. Make a project board. • Do the tough tasks first. Do the tough tasks first. • Break projects down into smaller tasks. Break projects down into smaller tasks. • Consolidate similar tasksConsolidate similar tasks

Time Management Study Tips

• Study at your high-energy time. Study at your high-energy time. • Study everywhere and anywhere. Study everywhere and anywhere. • Study in short segments throughout Study in short segments throughout

the daythe day• Get organized Get organized • Be flexible, patient, and persistentBe flexible, patient, and persistent

Organizing

Organizing• Organize your office, study area, and activities to Organize your office, study area, and activities to

achieve your goalsachieve your goals• Use positive reinforcement to motivate yourselfUse positive reinforcement to motivate yourself• Monitor your attitude, behavior, expectations, and the Monitor your attitude, behavior, expectations, and the

results you are creatingresults you are creating • Keep all your class information in one place• Organize your computer files so you can find them

easily• Don’t sell you books back, many times you can go

back to texts and use them to complete assignments throughout the program

Organizing• Set daily priorities. Set daily priorities. • Break the project into small tasksBreak the project into small tasks• Interruptions steal your time—find ways to work for Interruptions steal your time—find ways to work for

shorter timesshorter times• You may need to schedule frequent breaks but You may need to schedule frequent breaks but

negotiate with family members to not interrupt for 15-negotiate with family members to not interrupt for 15-30 minute intervals30 minute intervals

• Don’t let the telephone and other people control you, Don’t let the telephone and other people control you, let phone calls go to the answering machine for short let phone calls go to the answering machine for short periods of time. periods of time.

• Combine socializing with exercising or eating lunch or Combine socializing with exercising or eating lunch or dinnerdinner

Organizing• Create an organized place to study, well Create an organized place to study, well

lightedlighted• Create a good time to study—schedule it on Create a good time to study—schedule it on

your calendaryour calendar• Create quiet time. Create quiet time. • Study in the library. Study in the library. • Do first things first. Do first things first.

•Just say no!Just say no!

Juggling Work Load• Be flexibleBe flexible• Communicate expectationsCommunicate expectations• Increase your energyIncrease your energy• Find good daycareFind good daycare• Create positive timeCreate positive time• Delegate and developDelegate and develop• Create a support systemCreate a support system• Get organizedGet organized• Balance your lifeBalance your life

Counting hours• There are 168 hours in a week

– Sleep – Grooming– Study—reading, writing, researching– Work– Commuting– Shopping– Paying bills– Going to class (plan 203 hours for every UNIT you are taking)– Family and friends time– Other responsibilities

Rules of Managing Time• Be realistic!• Be kind to yourself• Take responsibility for only those jobs that are

your responsibility• Learn to say “NO!” Nicely of course• If you are faced with a decision, always pick

the choice that brings you closer to yourself, your loved ones