GET AHEAD SUMMER PROGRAMME 2011 Time management Sara Steinke

Aims of the session To explore your long-term goals To consider how to prioritise your tasks To establish a study timetable

Why consider time management? adult learners have many, often competing/conflicting, demands on their time, particularly involving family and work in most cases, it is not ability that prevents students from achieving their best, but poor time management related to other study skills required at university – study space, essay writing process, presentations, exams, reading for learning

Think about the following What current pressures are there on your time? Have you thought about how you are going to fit in studying? If so, what ideas have you had? Don’t worry if not, this session is a good opportunity to start and will suggest some ideas.

Studying lectures, reading, writing sleeping/ eating exercise/ relaxation home/ personnel work travel socialising

How well do I use my time? YesMay -be No 1.I use small pockets of time effectively. 2.I am well motivated to start work quickly. 3.I do enough rather than aiming at perfection. 4. I say ‘NO’ when I lack time. 5.I use a diary to prioritise my activities.

1.Small pockets of time – around 45 minutes – are more productive. Short and frequent portions of time soon add up. 2.Recognise and deal with procrastination; set short, medium and long term goals; identify your time wasters (self-inflicted and given) 3.Pareto Principle – 20% of our efforts deliver 80% of our results; 20% effort delivers an acceptable result, not perfect, but good enough 4.L’Oreal principal – ‘because you’re worth it’; educate your family, friends and colleagues to respect your study space/time 5.Use one diary to create a ‘to-do list’; prioritise tasks; note deadlines; write down dates you must begin working towards the deadlines.

Long term goals –3 year Medium term goals – next year Professional/ work Short term goals – this year Long term goals Medium term goals Personal Short term goals Long term goals Medium term goals Education/ac ademic Short term goals

Establishing a study timetable Write down three time management aspects that you have learnt/thought about in this class. How are you going to use these ideas to plan – and stick to – a study timetable?

Recap We started to identify how well you use your time and how you will fit in your study (known as a study skills audit) We explored your short, medium and long term goals – S.M.A.R.T. We thought about techniques for prioritising your tasks and establishing a study time table

Cottrell, S. (2008) The Study Skills Handbook, 3 rd Edition (London, Palgrave) chapter 4 ‘The C.R.E.A.M. Strategy for learning’ pp skills4study/studyskills/ learning/time.asp (relevant tips and activity related to the above book) mybirkbeck/services/facilities /support/time-management (online resources available on the Birkbeck Library website) mybirkbeck/get-ahead-stay- ahead/skills/organisational- skills (a 20 minute interactive tutorial supporting this Get Ahead Summer programme)