Time Management
 Getting an education takes time. But time is sometimes
hard to come by and even harder to use wisely. This section will explore issues related to molding your time to maximize
learning.
Setting priorities
(a.k.a., planning)
How we use the time we have each day is fundamentally an
issue of goals and priorities. Whenever we don't get something
done, it's due to something else being more important.
Louisiana State University has an online workshop in
time management which clearly shows the connection between our goals and
our use of time. The workshop includes activities in which
students reflect on their lives as continuums from birth to death, with
points along the way for particular agendas. For example,
Long term
Why
am I in college at all?
What
do I need to study first? next? eventually?
Short term
What
are my course-specific goals/deadlines? (tests, papers, etc.)
What
are the other important things in my life right now?
It's definitely worth the 20 minutes that it takes to go
through the
LSU time management workshop.
Procrastination and distractions
Get started as soon as possible after you find out about
an assignment. Procrastination gives the illusion of reducing anxiety,
because you give yourself a little distance from a difficult or
unpleasant task, but it eventually only increases your
stress.
How can a person overcome procrastination? Several strategies have
been helpful.
1. If you can't face an assignment by yourself, go
to a place where other people are working on similar tasks. Sometimes
just being near others who are working can give you the energy to get
started. If you can't get focused at home, come to campus or go to
a nearby library.
2. Sometimes it is necessary to ask for help. The
Center for Academic Assistance
staff are willing to help you brainstorm, offer a few hints, or
otherwise give you a nudge in the right direction.
3. Sometimes you'll need to set up a reward system
for yourself. Allow yourself a piece of candy or a
few minutes outside in the sunshine after just 15 or so minutes of
working on an assignment. After you get a little momentum for the
task, you can stretch out your required work period to 30 minutes or
even an hour. But always give yourself something nice for doing
your work.
Staying on task
Designing and using calendars.
Routines and habits
Accountability
Handling distractions
internal (e.g., feeling hungry, thinking about someone, etc.)
external (e.g., telephones, TV, other people, etc.)
http://www.gmu.edu/gmu/personal/time.html
http://www.ucc.vt.edu/stdysk/TMInteractive.html
http://www.bucks.edu/~specpop/sched.htm
http://www.d.umn.edu/student/loon/acad/strat/time_audit.html
http://www.utexas.edu/student/utlc/handouts/1441.html
Handling Procrastination
http://www.unc.edu/depts/unc_caps/Procrast.html
Time-related issues.
Get to class on time. Instructors sometimes outline the main
points for that day's class at the beginning of the period.
Establish a study routine.
where
will homework be done
environment
desk in a room with the door shut?
background music/silence (no TV)
different environments work for different learning styles
when will
homework be done
immediately after class?
biorhythms: when do
you peak?
snatches vs stretches
|
