TIME MANAGEMENT 2

1. TIME MANAGEMENT 2 Study groups, concentration, study breaks, rewards

2. The Study Group How many times have you wondered what the teacher said or what the book meant by a particular comment or paragraph? Do you ask others what their interpretation is? While this may not be a common experience now, it can be at the college level.

3. The Study Group • Here are several suggestions that you can use to help form a study group • If you can, study with someone who is just a little better in the subject that yourself • if your study partner is too good, you won’t be helped and your partner might feel taken advantage of • if you are of the same ability, you aren’t improving the quality of your study time

4. Study Group Techniques One of the common techniques is to divide up the study questions ahead of time. Each person should have a general understanding of all the questions and an in-depth understanding of the questions they were given or selected. Each person should thoroughly learn his/her selection before the study group gets together.

5. The Study Group When the study group meets, each person should present his/her answers in-depth. Some study groups have typed copies of the answers available for each member of the group.

6. Concentration Tips • How long can you read hard material before losing concentration? • need to learn this about yourself • Concentration time will vary • as you become a better student • as the pressures of your daily life change

7. Concentration Tips Perhaps there are not a lot of time conflicts in your studies now. However, there will be soon. By practicing time management now, conflicts will not overwhelm you later.

8. Time Management • In some cases, you may need to seek outside help • parent • friend • tutor • a different text

9. Concentration Tips • You have to learn the material that is covered by the course description or risk being behind next year • Every core subject you now take is a building block for later subjects • You need to approach them all as important

10. Break Time • What if you can’t concentrate? Then it is probably time to take a break • a working schedule will include timed breaks • During the first couple of weeks working with your time management plan, you will need to determine how long you can concentrate

11. Break Time The best way to do this is to keep a journal of your study time. Track the subject, the assignment, and the level of difficulty. Write down your starting time and the time your concentration begins to drift. For large tasks, write down how long your break was, especially if you were unable to restart the task in the scheduled study period.

12. Break Time Sooner or later, you will probably experience a task that is either too hard or boring. Both of these problems need to be overcome. Tasks that seem boring may make ideal warm ups for your hard tasks.

13. Break Time But what if the thought “I can’t do this” won’t go away. How do you tackle a hard task?

14. Break Time • This is actually a break in concentration. You can • break the task into smaller parts • determine if there is missing information • Regardless, set aside the assignment and take a break • move to another assignment • get up and walk around • talk to someone else

15. Break Time • When you return, try to think of a different approach to the assignment • for a reading assignment • start at a different place from where your concentration drifted • for a packet • go to a different part and restart there • for a writing assignment • go to a different part of your outline and write those paragraphs then cut and paste all paragraphs together according to your outline

16. The Reward Everyone likes to be rewarded a job well done. What about when you are the only one who knows or appreciates that the task you scheduled is done? Well, that means you have to reward yourself!

17. The Reward This works in two ways to help us with our studying. First, by rewarding ourselves we feel better. Second, it gives us incentive to get the job done so we can have the reward.

18. The Reward • It is important to set aside rewards until the task is done • When doing difficult assignments, break the work up into a series or tasks which can each be rewarded • simple rewards • a phone call to a friend • an ice cream cone • bigger rewards • a movie • a new outfit • Involve parents or others for the largest rewards, but you should schedule your own rewards as well

19. The Calendar An example of a time management calendar is included in this manual. Each of you will have a different method and will vary the actual times to your own strengths and needs.

20. The Calendar One of the first rules of a good time management calendar is to have it with you. Perhaps the easiest way to do this is to keep it in your three-ring binder.

21. The Calendar • Schedule everything on one calendar • birthdays • holidays • important assignments • For personal items use the same calendar with a code for the event or task so only you will know what it is • for example: you could use “mt” to represent a mall trip or “sd” to mean a special date

22. The Calendar It is important to create a calendar that reflects all of your time constraints. As your scheduling ability increases, you should notice a freeing up of time and a lack of last minute rushing or pressure.