Time Management

Chapter 3

How Can You Manage Your Time?

Make a schedule. Keep a planner. Schedule daily/weekly goals that support

long-term goals. (These goals can be viewed as actions to be taken.)

Prioritize activities in schedule-making.

Take Responsibility for How You Spend Your Time Make a schedule each week. Make and use to-do lists. Make time management a priority. Keep monthly and yearly calendars in several

places. Schedule down time. Be flexible.

Have back-up plans for anticipated changes. Learn to deal with unanticipated changes.

Procrastination

Putting Things Off Until Later

Reasons for Procrastination

Being a perfectionist. Avoiding acknowledgment of limitations. Not knowing what to do next. Facing an overwhelming task. Fearing failure and having poor self-esteem.

Strategies to Help Fight Procrastination Evaluate the effects of procrastinating vs

doing what needs to be done now. Set reasonable goals. Break the task into smaller parts. Get started whether you “feel like it” or not. Ask for help. Don’t expect perfection. Reward yourself.

Other Time Traps to Avoid

Saying “yes” when you don’t have the time. Choosing the wrong time and/or place to

study. Letting social time interfere with necessary

tasks. Taking on too many tasks and projects.

Scheduling Lets You:

Understand what you can realistically achieve with your time.

Plan to make the best use of the time available.

Leave enough time for the things you absolutely must do.

Allow for contingency time to do the “unexpected.”

Minimize stress by avoiding over-commitment to yourself and others.

Suggestions to Help Deal with Time Management Problems1. Review long-term and intermediate goals

often.2. Try to eliminate unnecessary tasks not

related to your goals or to maintaining a balanced life style.

3. Take advantage of your natural cycles by scheduling your most difficult activities when you are most alert.

4. Learn to say “No” to people, including family and friends.

5. Reward yourself for effective time management.

6. Ask for cooperation from those around you.7. Meet your need for spontaneity in your life.8. Be realistic and work toward an

individualized approach that makes sense to you.

9. Write down schedules, priorities, and plans.

Time Management Tips

1. Realize that complete time management is a myth.

2. Find out where you are wasting time.3. Create time management goals. The focus

is changing your behavior, not changing time.

4. Put into action a time management plan and check your progress.

5. Use time management tools that work for you.

6. Prioritize ruthlessly.7. Learn to delegate.8. Establish routines and stick to them as much

as possible.9. Get in the habit of setting time limits for

tasks.10. Organize your work. Know where to find the

things you need.11. Don’t waste time waiting.