Timely Tips for Managing Your Summer Study Load

Time Management Questionnaire One of the greatest factors contributing to stress is our inability to manage time. Conversely, good time management skills allow us to organize our lives and be more productive, both at work and at home. The following quiz will help identify trouble spots and guide us toward the goal of becoming successful time managers. A scoring key at the end will indicate how far you need to go. 1 - Always  2 - Usually  3 - Sometimes  4 - Never 1. I find that I have enough time for myself - to do the things I enjoy doing. _____ 2. I'm aware of deadline and schedule my work to meet them in time. _____ 3. I write down specific objectives in order to work toward goals. _____ 4. I use a calendar to write down appointments, deadlines, and things to do. _____ 5. I feel in control of time while at work and at home. _____ 6. I plan and schedule my time on a weekly and/or monthly basis. _____ 7. I make a daily to-do list and refer to it several times per day. _____ 8. I set priorities in order of importance and then schedule time around them. _____ 9. I'm able to find time when I need it in case something important comes up. _____ 10. I'm able to say no when I'm pressed for time. _____ 11. I try to delegate responsibility to others in order to make more time for myself. _____ 12. I organize my desk and work area to prevent clutter and confusion. _____ of Health News Network © Health News Network

13. I find it easy to eliminate or reschedule low priority items. _____ 14. I try to do things in a way that cuts down on duplicated effort. _____ 15. I find that doing everything myself is very inefficient. _____ 16. I try to shift priorities as soon as they change. _____ 17. I find it easy to identify sources of time problems. _____ 18. I find it easy to eliminate or reshuffle unnecessary paperwork. _____ 19. My meetings and activities are well organized and efficient. _____ 20. I know what I'm capable of and try not to overextend myself. _____ 21. I find it easy to keep up with changes that affect my schedule or workload. _____ 22. I try to schedule the most difficult work during my most productive times. _____ 23. I know what my responsibilities and duties are at all times. _____ 24. I try to get only the pertinent information before making a final decision. _____ 25. I finish one job or task before going on to the next. _____ Time Management Questionnaire (cont’d) Scoring key: = Excellent time manager = Good time manager = Poor time manager of Health News Network © Health News Network

 Prioritize tasks  Develop daily, weekly, or monthly schedules  Delegate responsibility  Say no  Write down objectives in order to meet deadlines  Use a calendar or notebook to organize commitments  Shift priorities to make room for more urgent matters or tasks  Reduce clutter and/or unnecessary paperwork  Give up total control  Avoid procrastination Recommendations of Health News Network © Health News Network

G oal P lan A ction! Make it large, ambitious, and specific... then write it down.... then draw yourself a detailed roadmap. Use your confidence, self-discipline, and a sense of urgency to put your plan into Seek practical advice, make a Pauk, p. 15

Goal: Positive Restatement: Precise Date/Time/Amount etc.Performance MeasureRealistic?Low/High?Rank Goal: Positive Restatement: Precise Date/Time/Amount etc.Performance MeasureRealistic?Low/High?Rank Goal: Positive Restatement: Precise Date/Time/Amount etc.Performance MeasureRealistic?Low/High?Rank

Prioritize Your Goals and Activities A, B, C Method 1.List all your goals 2.Rate each goal A – High Value B – Medium Value C – Low Value 3.Plan A activities designed to accomplish A goals Pareto Principle Or the 80/20 Rule 1.List all A activities in order of importance 2.Accomplish top 2 of 10 Result – 80% Success Rate! Pauk, p. 43 Focusing on top 20% of your “to do” list will get you 80% of the way to your goal

Assess How You Use Your Time Now Create an Activity Log Record every change in activity Include all activities: sleeping, eating, working, socializing, studying, etc. Jot down how you feel and highlight times when you study most efficiently Accurately record your activities for a 2-week period Calculate how much time you spend in class and studying, and calculate how much uncommitted time you have each week

Assess How You Use Your Time Now Develop a Schedule Visit Interactive exercises at

Scheduling Considerations Prime Time  Internal  External Programmable Steps to Improved Retention and Recall of Information  Repetition  Multiple Learning Modalities The Need to Cultivate High Level Thinking  An effective long term strategy for improved retention and recall  The defining edge of what it means to be a master student  An often overlooked goal that you can address explicitly in your schedule

Rules of Thumb Study Scheduling Tips  Set aside 2 hours study time for every hour in class  Review every class at least once every 24 hours  Schedule frequent “where am I” reviews for every course  Limit yourself to minutes continuous studying on a single topic

Finals are Right Around the Corner Study Scheduling Tips  Block out time to study for every exam on your first draft of your schedule  Schedule preparatory activities for papers  Take extra care to set aside time for repetitive reviews since your semester schedule is compressed  Use this example as a model – but remember studying on weekends is a MUST Use this example as a model

Make Your Schedule Now! “It’s all in the wrist”  By Semester By Semester  Monthly Monthly  Weekly Weekly  Daily Daily  Task-based Task-based Experiment with different scheduling tools and find one that works for you  Simple  Reliable  Flexible

Make Your Schedule Work – Part I Swiss Cheese Rule  Punch holes in big tasks  Utilize time that otherwise is lost  Think ahead so you have tools and resources making it possible to enjoy your “Swiss Cheese Moments” Use Every Minute

Make Your Schedule Work – Part II Quit Procrastinating The Seven-Day Antiprocrastination Plan M onday – M ake it Meaningful T uesday – T ake it Apart W ednesday – W rite an Intention Statement T hursday – T ell Everyone F riday – F ind a Reward S aturday – S ettle it Now S unday – S ay No! Ellis, p. 65

Make Your Schedule Work – Part III Psychological Helps Take advantage of good moods  Give yourself a pep talk  Make a promise to someone else  Build in rewards  Stress the benefits

Time Management for Right-Brained People  Know your values  Do less – make a list of what NOT to do  Slow down – don’t operate on “launch” all day  Remember people  Focus on outcomes  Handle it now  Buy less  Take time out to forget about time  Experiment Ellis, p

Nist, Sherrie L. and Jodi Patrick Holschuh, Active Learning: Strategies for College Success. Needham Heights: Allyn & Bacon, Pauk, Walter, How to Study in College. 7 th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, Ellis, Dave, Becoming a Master Student. 8 th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, Link to this PowerPoint Presentation at: