1. Time Management

2. Why Are We Talking About This?
Time management is essential to your success not just in this class, but in life.
The primary reason we only meet once a week in this class is so you have time to work on your assignments, which are quite demanding. You need to make sure that you are working on your assignments throughout the week and not at the last minute.
You also need to make sure you are seeking help, whether from me or other sources, sooner rather than later.
I understand that sometimes emergencies happen, but you need to be prepared.

3. Time Management and Attendance
Part of time management is making sure you are in class on time. This ensures that you will not miss important information, like opening activities.
You need to listen for the entire class and write down important reminders. Lately, I’ve been receiving a lot of questions that are asking things I explained in detail in class. This will enable you to plan better.
If you are absent, you need to be aware of what we did in class. The syllabus is on the website and always has been, and materials from Monday’s class are added to the site on Tuesdays.
If your absence could be considered excused, you need to me and let me know so I can make that determination. If you have additional questions about class that week, you need to me sooner rather than later.

4. Time Management and Assignments
Based on when I am receiving questions about assignments, my guess is that the majority of you are not even thinking about these assignments until late Thursday or early Friday. You need to be starting them sooner.
These are not assignments that you can complete in one sitting. They take thought and work and need to be completed over time. You should be working on them progressively each day. This way, if questions come up, you can have them answered in a timely manner.
This applies even more to large assignments like drafts. You can’t wait to start a draft until the day before it’s due and expect to do well.

5. How Do You Handle All the Work?
I understand that you have other classes and events, and also that you have a life. In order to do everything you need to do in your daily life, you need to be organized so that it doesn’t overwhelm you.
The first thing you need to have to make this happen is awareness. You need to know what you have to do and when. You can’t leave a class and then forget about it just because an assignment isn’t due for a few days.
You also need to be aware of your own limitations. A Friday due date isn’t the most optimal due date, but things in life, whether school or work or otherwise, are not always going to happen at optimal times. You have to adapt to it.

6. Strategies
We’ll talk about several strategies you can use to help you manage your time effectively.
1: Make a list of everything you have to do.
2: Break your work up into manageable chunks.
3: Plan a week in advance.
4: Plan big projects the moment you know they exist.
5: Plan little tasks that will keep you organized.
6: Use a reward system to keep you motivated.
7: Have a family member or friend hold you accountable if you can’t do it yourself.
8: Plan for emergencies.

7. 1: Make A List
Make a to do list. This will give you an idea of everything you have to do and how much time you need to do it.
You can make one by hand. There are also a variety of apps out there that you can use. I prefer Awesome Note and will put a link to it on our website.
Make your list in a timely manner. I prefer to redo sections of my to do list as events happen. So, for example, I have a class on Monday night. On Tuesday morning, when I wake up, I look at the syllabus for that class and make my to do list for the week so I know what has to be done by next Monday. This way I have the maximum amount of time to complete those tasks.

8. 2: Manageable Chunks
Break your work into manageable chunks. This way you can get a little done each day, rather than waiting until the last minute to try and get everything done at once.
For example, in my Monday night class, an average work load is to read one novel and 2-3 articles a week, as well as write a response. That’s more than you could realistically complete in one day, and certainly the quality would not be high if you waited.
Instead, I make a plan that entails reading a portion of the novel each day throughout the week, and then plan which days I will read the articles based on how busy the rest of my schedule is. I make sure I’m done by Sunday so I have plenty of time on that day to write the response before Monday night.
Just because you only have one assignment doesn’t mean you can’t chunk it out. Plan to do one part one day, then another the next, and also leave yourself time to ask questions and revise.

9. 3: Advance Planning
You can’t break your work into manageable chunks if you don’t plan in advance. The strategy listed on the previous slide only works if you know what you have to do early rather than late.
Sit down at the beginning of each week and look at your schedule. What are your busy days? What days do you have more free time? What are you going to have to do? Make sure you have a plan for getting it done.
Revise your list throughout the week as described in the last slide as things happen. After this class, for instance, sit down Monday night or Tuesday morning and make a list of what you have to do.

10. 4: Plan Big Projects Sooner
It’s easy to look at a syllabus and see that a draft of a paper or some other big project is due and say that you will think about it later because it’s not due for four weeks. This is a big mistake. Four weeks will have passed before you even realize what happened.
Put big project due dates on your to do list, and then plan out how you’re going to work on them. At first, if you’re not sure what will be required, just put a note on your to do list for each day that says something like “Work on Rough Draft.” Lots of to do list apps have a function that lets tasks repeat daily, so just make sure you do a little each day and you will make it a lot easier on yourself.

11. 5: Plan Little Things
Plan even the little things that will help you keep organized. If you let the little things fall to the side, they quickly become big things.
For example, I have a note on my to do list that repeats daily that reminds me to check my school . That way, I make sure I don’t miss any important communications that could alter my assignments or schedule.
Having little things on your to do list is also a good way to give yourself a pat on the back. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a step back, do a small task, and then say okay, that’s done, I can feel good about that. Then you can re-focus and move on.

12. 6: Rewards
Reward yourself if you do something on your to do list. Finished reading an article or a chapter for class? Take a little break.
You can even plan out things you want to do each day for you on your to do list. For example, I have a note reminding me to clear out my Hulu queue each day. This way I get to relax a bit and watch some of my favorite shows, and I can cross something off of my to do list.
The only catch here is that you can’t let the reward outweigh the work. You can’t work for 20 minutes and then take a five-hour break, because you won’t get enough work done.
This will also help you prioritize what’s most important to you in terms of your free time.

13. 7: Outside Motivation
If you have trouble motivating yourself, have someone else help you. Get a family member or a friend to text or call you each day and say, hey, have you worked on your rough draft today? If someone else is holding you accountable, you’ll be more likely to complete your work.
Remember that, in life, other people will always be holding you accountable. As your teacher, I hold you accountable for your work in this class, just like a boss will hold you accountable for what he or she asks you to do at work.

14. 8: Plan for Emergencies
It might sound counterintuitive to plan for an emergency. They’re emergencies because you can’t plan for them, right? But, if you follow the techniques listed on previous slides, you’ll be more prepared when one does happen.
For example, your assignments are due on Fridays. If you’re working throughout the week and an emergency happens on Friday (getting sick, a family issue, a surprise event), you should already be almost finished with your assignment. You shouldn’t be ing me and saying you got sick, so you need more time on your assignment, when you’ve had all week to work on it.
Ultimately, what you need to remember here is that life will always be happening. You cannot use it as a perpetual excuse to miss deadlines.

15. Miscellaneous Advice
Even using these techniques, you still might not get everything done. However, you have to prioritize. What needs to be done the most?
This means you also need to be aware of consequences and be able to accept them. Always be aware of what could happen if you skip one more class than allowed or call in to work, or if you turn an assignment in late or not at all.
Make sure you communicate with the people who are relying on you. If you don’t communicate, people tend to make the assumption that you don’t care, when that may not be the case at all.

16. Questions?
What questions do you have about time management?

17. Activity
You’re going to make a homework plan for this week. You can work alone or in pairs or groups, and you can also ask me for help if you need it.
Several things need to be included in this plan.
1: A plan to get your reading done for the week before your assignment is due on Friday.
2: A plan for completing your BA4 assignment before Friday so that you have time to revise in on Friday before you turn it in.
3: A plan for continuing to work on your draft throughout the week.
4: Include any events, such as attending office hours, going to the Writing Center, and going to Thursday’s study session.
Make your plan as specific as possible.