How to Schedule (and Put off Procrastinating) 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: From your syllabus record due dates for exams, papers, etc. Record start dates/times to begin working on projects and/or studying for exams Throughout the semester schedule specific times to work on all assignments (e.g., papers, reading, test preparation) 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 Step 1. Using your syllabus, record due dates for all of your bigger projects and assignments 10/10 Keystone Paper Due 10 am 10/11 Political Science Midterm 3 pm 10/12 10/13 10/14

Begin paper for Keystone 3-5 that is due at 10 am on Oct 10th Step 2 Record prompts to remind you when to begin working on these projects and assignments that you have recorded due dates for Study for Political Science Midterm 1-3 that will be at 3 pm on Oct. 11th

Step 4 Step 3 Spend 5-minutes reviewing planner each day Read Sociology Chap. 2 from 1-3 for Mon. Schedule specific times to do ongoing homework, projects and assignments Spend 5-minutes reviewing planner Do Math homework due Tues from 4-6.

Cont. 5-min. daily planner review Spend 5-minutes reviewing planner Begin paper for Keystone 3-5 Spend 5-minutes reviewing planner Do reading for Lit. 1 for Thurs. 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. Prompts that you previously recorded to remind you when to begin projects that are due Continue Keystone paper 1-3 Study for Political Science Midterm 1-3

Continue daily 5-minute planner review 10/8 Review Keystone Paper 7-8 pm 10/9 Cont. Study for Political Sci. Midterm 1-3 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. 10/10 Keystone Paper Due 10 am Due dates you recorded previously 10/11 Political Science Midterm 3 pm 10/12 10/13 Read Soc. Chap. 2 for Mon. 12-2 10/14

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