Time Management Online Workshop Welcome procrastinators, prioriters, pessimist or positive people alike as we learn about Time Management! This workshop will be providing a brief overview of Causes for poor time management and then suggest strategies and tools to help you create your own time management plan. As you complete the readings and assignments in this workshop, do so with an open mind and a desire to make the most of the information presented. Good Luck! Chandler-Gilbert Community College

Workshop Instructions It is best to complete this workshop one page at a time and not try to fly through it by trying to see what is on the next page before you are ready to move on. There are several assignments in this workshop that you will need to printout, complete, and then bring to your appointment when meeting with a counselor. Let’s get started. Click the “Next” button below.

Self-Assessment Survey Exercise #1 To the right is a link titled “Time Management Survey”, print it out and complete it. After completing the survey, answer these three questions on the backside of the survey print out: Based on your responses, how would you rate your present grasp and use of time? Poor-Fair-Good-Excellent Explain your answer. Where do you see a need for improvement? What have you tried in the past to improve your use of time when things started piling up, or you found yourself not able to accomplish all you needed to get done? After answering these questions, return here and proceed to the next page.

Time Wasters? On a sheet of paper, under the heading “Time Wasters”, write down two things you do/don’t do which cause you to feel or get behind. Do not go to the next page until after you have written down your responses

TIME WASTERS Now compare your two things with what other students have knowingly admitted as causes to wasting time Want to “sit and relax” which turns into three straight hours of television Texting (while in class, at work, home, etc – definitely redirects my attention) Get side-tracked while looking up information on the internet - so basically surfing the web Traffic Wait until the last night or two to finish a paper or project Shopping to simply see what’s new Internet/video games… but just one, right? Unplanned visitors especially friends Chaotic/disorganized home or home life

So basically “Time Wasters” means spending a lot of time doing something that is unnecessary or does not produce any benefit.  )

Surprised? Or maybe surprised that many of them sound familiar and sadly admitting yes, most are unnecessary? …oh the bitter truth

Time Management Objective: No need to fear . . . the goal of this workshop is to help you learn tools and strategies so you can be more productive and efficient with your time while saving the unnecessary and non-beneficial things for the end.

What exactly is Time Management? The development of a process and/or tools which help you be more productive and efficient

What Exactly is Time Management Time Management (TM) is the process of encompassing multiple skills within a 24 hour day. The ultimate goal is to optimize and work smarter to complete tasks. Everybody’s different but the techniques used are similar.

What Exactly is Time Management? For example, we have been taught in our classes and in our personal and professional lives to set goals. Other techniques include planning, prioritizing and scheduling. Once a person has these aspects completed, decision making and delegating of tasks become routine strategies that help us become better organized and efficient with our time.

What Exactly is Time Management? In summary, there are many tools that one can use to improve TM; whether it be using a computer, a smart phone, or the internet, information needs to be processed and analyzed in order for a person to make better decisions and improve their own time management.

Exercise #2 Where does the time go? Sometimes it is easier to recognize how to improve TM once you can see how your day/week is spent. Exercise #2 Where does the time go? Click the link to the right titled “Where does the time go” and complete the exercise to determine how you spent yesterday’s time. Print your results and continue to the next page.

Exercise #3 “Two Day’s Worth” Where does the time go? Hopefully Exercise #2 gave you a little insight as to how quickly the time goes. Now with that perspective in mind, complete the following exercise: Exercise #3 “Two Day’s Worth” There are two document links to the right that you need to print out and fill in for this exercise. First complete the “Two Days Worth” schedule filling in all that you did in your life over the last 48 hours. Once you fill that in, complete the second document “ Analyzing the last two days” by adding up all your hours and then answering the five questions.

Where does the time go? Please click the next button to watch the following video on procrastination - enjoy 

Procrastination After viewing the video, it becomes clear that procrastinators put things off until a later time, and most often choose low-priority tasks over more important tasks. Ask yourself: When do I procrastinate, and why do I procrastinate? If you are waiting to the last minute to always complete your school assignments and studying, chances are you have not made your education a priority, you believe you can “wing” your way through college, or you are allowing laziness and more desirable ”fun” short term distractions guide the use of your time.

Poor Approaches to Time Management The following pages provide examples of poor strategies or excuses used when we are not managing our time wisely. Ownership of time Multitasking Forgetting to address time wasters

Poor Approaches to Time Management “Ownership of Time” Do you have the feeling someone else, or something else, dictates the use of your time? Your job, your family, friends, or just plain keeping up with the house chores are things that students claim keeps them from putting more time and focus on their studies. It is like you are not in control of your life . . . Life seems to be controlling you!

Poor Approaches to Time Management Multitasking Research shows that when we attempt to do two things at once, we are not as effective at either one, and both tasks will take longer to accomplish than if we were to focus on one activity at a time. We know that we can get more done when we are able to concentrate on a specific area. It’s one of the reasons we come in to work early and stay late-the interruptions are limited at those times and we can focus on the task at hand. Besides mental limitations with multitasking behaviors, there are also physical repercussions. Driving accidents due to distractions are one example of serious consequences. Good TM helps you to focus on one thing at a time, get it done, and then move on to the next thing that needs attention.

Poor Approaches to Time Management Forgetting to address your time-wasting habits. Time management will only help so much if you leave all time-wasting habits in place Easily distracted Have a cluttered work environment Can’t find books/notes or too many distractions scattered around like magazines Always study in the evening but by that time you forget what was discussed in class Sitting in front of the TV/video games or constantly texting

Poor Approaches to Time Management Taking into consideration these three time-wasters: Ownership of Time Multitasking: a poor time management strategy Forgetting to address your time wasting habits What can you do to improve?

Strategies to Help Manage Time Time is the one commodity we all have in common. No matter how hard we try, we really can’t save time or buy time. Yet, we can learn to spend our time wisely to avoid losing time. Sometimes all we need is a few simple modifications. The following suggestions can easily be incorporated into your daily life to improve time management strategies and help you find time in your day.

Strategies to Help Manage Time For visual learners create visual reminders like “post-its” and post them on things you will see like your bathroom mirror, car window, door, etc or put reminders in your phone or work calendar to remind you throughout the day.

Strategies to Help Manage Time Exercises #4 and #5 Another easy and common TM strategy is to create a calendar of important school-related priorities for the day, week and/or month: Exercise #4: Print out and complete the “Things to Do” assignment provided in the link to the right. Exercise #5: If you use a weekly/monthly planner please bring it to your meeting with the counselor. If you do not use a planner, download and print the monthly calendar provided in the link to the right. Print out the months of this semester. The instructions for this exercise is for you to enter when all major exams, papers, quizzes, and other important assignments are due. You will need to refer to the course syllabus from each class you are taking this semester. After entering this information, you can enter other personal important dates.

Strategies to Help Manage Time Practice Rewards Whenever you feel like doing one of the “time wasters” discussed at the beginning of the workshop, first tell yourself to spend a half hour on your assignment and then 15 minutes on the internet, cable, video games, etc. Continue the process until you have completed the priority. It is actually a good idea to make time for fun, just in moderation.

Strategies to Help Manage Time One of the best ways to remember something and change habits is by associations. Associate common daily activities with something else. For example, while drinking your morning coffee make a to-do list of the day’s priorities. Keep a copy of your calendar and/or syllabus next to your bed so every night (or early morning)before you go to sleep, go over the next day’s requirements/needs. One last idea, keep a small pad and pen in your car to write down important things you must remember. When you get in the car, write down things you don’t want to forget and leave the pad open to that page. When you get back in your car at a later time, it will remind you. Associate the pad with important things you must remember.

Strategies to Help Manage Time If prioritizing isn’t the problem, but rather distinguishing which is the top priority, then remember these two questions: 1. Is it important? 2. Is it urgent? (Taken from Stephen Covey’s book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People) Example: You have a 3-page paper due tomorrow on a topic which interests you (you have not started) worth 50 points and a test due today worth 100 points. Are both important – yes! Which is most urgent or HAS to be done today? Hopefully the conclusion you come to is first study for the test and if anything you still have the afternoon and evening after you take the test to write the 3-page paper.

Strategies to Help Manage Time Attitude is everything! The power of being a Creator can help. (believing your choices can generate the outcomes in your life – On Course by Skip Downing, 2008) Avoid using “I must” or “I have to” because it creates a sense of being forced and the end result is resistance (a.k.a. school work not completed) Try using “I choose”, “I want” or “I get to” which ultimately creates a sense of power and choice. So basically you are saying “I choose to complete my homework now” instead of “I have to do this dumb work and I don’t want to.” The more you use Creator Language, the more you will feel in control and your attitude will improve (a.k.a. school work completed).

Some Final Words on TM Well, you have successfully completed this workshop. Here are two final bits of information we want you to recall: The first thing is the definition of TM: The development of a process and/or tools which help you be more productive and efficient – We restate this definition to remind you of why we had you complete the activities in this online workshop. You need to decide what YOUR plan is going to be for improving TM and what tools you plan to use. We have introduced only a small fraction of the tools and strategies that students can use and it is now up to you to decide if they are worth while and beneficial to you. Taking control of your time is a much better feeling than time controlling you. Start today with making a change in how you approach the many demands on your life.

Clarify and Strengthen your Goals And Finally, Clarify and Strengthen your Goals Time management strategies and tools are meant to be a resource that helps you move quicker, easier, clearer, and more organized towards achieving your life goals. It has been found that the use of TM tools and strategies is a primary factor in accomplishing the goals you set out to accomplish; one of those goals is a college degree In relation to college graduates, “The United States does a good job enrolling teenagers in college, but only half of students who enroll end up with a bachelor’s degree” (New York Times, Sept. 9, 2009). TM is key to student success and completing this workshop is the first step towards better organizing yourself to meet the demands of college and accomplishing your educational goals.

Three final proactive suggestions for this semester: 1. Set three goals you want to accomplish this semester related to school (e.g., GPA of 3.0, # hrs to study a week, buy and use a weekly planner) 2. Catch yourself procrastinating and make a conscious effort to use your time more wisely. Create your success, don’t wait for it to happen on its own. 3. Click the “TM Strategies” link located on the right for other TM strategies the CGCC Counseling Faculty have made available for you.

Checklist Exercise #1 Time Survey Exercise #2 Where does the time go? Congratulations!, you have completed the module on Time Management. The following checklist reflects the assignments and printouts you need to bring to your appointment with a counseling faculty member who will review them with you and verify your completion of this online module. We will provide you with the verification of completion form (VCF) that you will give your instructor to receive the credit for completing this CLASI module. Exercise #1 Time Survey Exercise #2 Where does the time go? Exercise #3 Two Day’s Worth Exercise #4 Things to Do Exercise #5 Semester Calendar