Time management Adam Sandelson LSE Student Counselling Service 18 January 2012

1. Time management Adam Sandelson LSE Student Counselling Service 18 January 2012

2. Aims • Identify useful strategies for better time management • Examine psychological issues • Explore common difficulties with perfectionism and procrastination

3. Message from a friend: Failing to plan … is planning to fail

4. How do you go about managing your time? Introduction

5. Five basic principles • Be realistic about the task….how long will it take? • Be determined…..limit distractions/displacement • Be organised………books, pens, coffee • Balance the other parts of your life • Be flexible…things may change

6. Ask yourself from time to time: How am I using my mental and physical energy now? Is this good use of my time? Identify priorities/commitments for the week ahead and write on blank sheet all sessions/ meetings; leisure activities; paid work; time for self; adequate rest/sleep. Taking control of time

8. acknowledge what you have achieved save mental energy be purposeful and realistic meet deadlines and keep up with work have effective study time and effective relaxation Enjoy yourself without guilt and worry Use personal timetabling to:

9. Intrinsic/Emotive Extrinsic/External Causal Dimensions of Time Management Problems for Students • Feel overwhelmed & • ‘frozen’ by all the tasks • Anxiety about what is expected • of them • Anxiety about writing: worried about • the quality of their work • Wanting to live up to other people’s • standards • Wanting to live up to their own • image of themselves • Bored – motivation is low • Workload is • heavy & appears • overwhelming • Lack of clarity about what is • expected • Student not experienced in managing • time independently • Cultural dimensions: come • from a society that is relaxed • about time • Course is not interesting

10. Tips for avoiding distraction • Start with the unpleasant tasks first • Set yourself a time limit for reading. • Use active reading techniques. • Distraction problems can occur when the subject being studied appears totally removed from the real world. • If you find a particular recommended or set book hard to follow, try another that offers you a simpler or clearer explanation. • If other students are distracting you, go somewhere else. Where others are working quietly, you are likely to do the same.

11. Four Tips for Managing Time • Start with the unpleasant tasks first– get them out of the way early. • Set yourself a short time limit for reading: 40 – 45 minutes tends to be the maximum time most people can read before their concentration slips. At the end of the set time, stop and take a break. • Don’t struggle with books you find hard to read. If you find a particular set book hard to follow, try another that offers you a simpler or clearer explanation of the same subject. • Keep your working area clear of clutter: the Wall Street Journal reported that typical US Executive wastes 5 hours a week looking for misfiled/mislaid items. (Lindley 2006).

12. Writing Strategies • Free yourself up • Go for a walk; talk it out loud • Wait for a structure to arrive • Bullet points, mind maps, scribble ideas • Give yourself time to work it out – learning and writing involve unconscious processes • Imagine looking back at this task in 6 months • Work with others, use study groups, etc.

13. Perfectionism Procrastination Common difficulties

14. You are never good enough, whatever you accomplish You can’t complete work or projects, waiting to get them just right You must always give 100% or else be mediocre or a failure Are you a perfectionist?

15. What is perfectionism? • Self-defeating thoughts and behaviours associated with high ideals, not realistic goals. • Often mistakenly seen as desirable or even necessary for success. • Recent studies show that perfectionist attitudes actually interfere with success. • The desire to be perfect can deny you a sense of satisfaction and cause you to achieve far less than people with more realistic goals.

16. You may have learned early in life that you were mainly valued for your achievements. You value yourself on the basis of other people's approval. Your self-esteem is based primarily on external standards. You are vulnerable and sensitive to the opinions and criticism of others. To protect yourself you decide that being perfect is the only defence. Causes of perfectionism

17. • Fear of failure. • Fear of making mistakes. • Fear of disapproval. • All-or-nothing thinking. • Over-emphasis on ‘should’, ‘must’ and ‘ought’. • Never being good enough. Negative thoughts and feelings

18. Current triggers – eg research pressure Negative predictions –‘I won’t do it well’ Unhelpful behaviours, eg avoidance of writing, constant checking Confirming negative beliefs Self Critical thoughts – ‘I’ve failed again’ How is it maintained?

19. Set an unreachable goal. Fail, as the goal was impossible. Constant pressure leads to chronic failure and reduces effectiveness. Self criticism and self-blaming leads to low self - esteem, anxiety and depression. At this point you may give up completely on your original goal and set yourself another unrealistic goal, thinking "This time if only I try harder I will succeed". Vicious circle

20. You can’t succeed without it It gets you the best results It enables you to overcome obstacles It helps you achieve and please others 4 common myths with perfectionism

21. Realize that perfectionism is undesirable perfection is an illusion that is unattainable. Challenge self-defeating thoughts and behaviours that fuel perfectionism. Cost benefit analysis of keeping high standards What can I do about it?

22. Set goals realistic, reachable, sequential Experiment with standards for success Try for 80% or even 60% Focus on the process not the end result Evaluate success in terms of what you accomplished and what you enjoyed Celebrate and learn from mistakes Strategies to move forward

23. Perfectionism Procrastination Common difficulties

24. What is procrastination? • Putting off a task which needs to be done • It can affect our study and writing • We may disguise avoidance by being very busy • We may find things to do that are interesting or even useful, but don't contribute towards the main goal • It may involve feelings of anxiety, stress, guilt, shame and depression

25. Use a diary Prioritise and set achievable targets Revise targets Acknowledge progress Stay focussed Avoid avoidant activities! Reward yourself Overcoming Procrastination

26. Procrastination – so what can you do about it ? • Aversion to the task • Develop motivation • Find a personal engagement with subject … • … how can I use this idea ? • … what’s significant in this for me ? • Why have I found this difficult in the past ? … • … how is this different now ? • If I had to explain this to others simply, how would I best summarise it for them ?

27. Procrastination – so what can you do about it ? • Impulsiveness / distractions • Long term vision • ‘Unpleasant’ tasks first • Short tasks / short term rewards • Involve others in pay-offs • Mix active / passive work e.g. reading • Study groups • sharing research • teaching learning

28. Procrastination – so what can you do about it ? • Time management issues: • Allow more time for assignments … • … draft, leave, edit, redraft • Simple, realistic, daily goal-setting • Link short-term priorities to long-term goals • Lower your expectations ?

29. Procrastination – so what can you do about it ? • Environmental Factors • Ask library staff for guidance • Find your favourite space • Keep it clear, focussed on one activity • Symbolise it ?

30. Dynamics of study

31. Look at your internal dynamics Write down any historic messages you carry about yourself Develop a more realistic assessment of your ability and worth as a person What can I do?

32. Look after yourself (diet, sleep) Keep a supportive structure for your daily life; have relaxation time See this as a time of discovery Recall past achievements Challenge negative thoughts Imagine looking back at the task from a future vantage point Conclusions

33. LSE Student Counselling Service • Free and confidential • Groups and Workshops programme • Self Esteem Group • Stress Management Group • Website has information about the Service • Stress management handout • Relaxation tape MP3’s • Links to self help resources