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Welcome to. Managing your time. Adam Segal, Learning Skills Program www.yorku.ca/cdc. Time Management Defined. Time management is best thought of as “self-management”, the skill of making smart decisions about how to allocate one’s time and energy to articulated goals.
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Welcome to... Managing your time. Adam Segal, Learning Skills Program www.yorku.ca/cdc
Time Management Defined • Time management is best thought of as “self-management”, the skill of making smart decisions about how to allocate one’s time and energy to articulated goals.
Time awarenessLet’s look at the numbers… • The term is 2184 hours long.. • Each week is 168 hours long. • Each day is 24 hours long. • This deceptively seems like a lot of time. • Let’s breakdown these hours…
WARNING! • Half of our time goes to 4 things: sleeping, eating, commuting, personal grooming • (None of these things are majors at York!)
Time awareness • After the basics, there are 1092 hours available for use in pursuing your goals. • Full course loads require 15-20 hours of classroom, tutorial, lab, and studio time • (Going to class is essential, but it isn’t enough by itself.)
Time awareness • So, after the basics, classes and tutorials, there are 897 hours available per term for use in pursuing your goals. • Which translates into roughly 69 hours per week to manage • Therefore, only 10 hours a day are really yours to manage.
WARNING! • For every lecture and tutorial hour, you’ll need to schedule approximately 2 hours for homework if you intend on completing the work. • (A recent York study found that students spend 5.7 hours per week per course doing homework.)
Time awareness • So, after the basics, classes and tutorials, and homework, there are 507 hours available per term • You’ll have 39 hours each week with which to pursue outside tasks. • On average, only 5.5 hours a day are really yours to use in other ways.
WARNING! • And, keep in mind that you lose about 1 hour’s time daily to fatigue, stress, disorganization, not knowing what to do next, and avoidance of stressful tasks
The Point! • There are many fewer hours than you think there are! • Students need to have a strategy in place to help them use this time productively • Stress is one of the main inhibitors of success. - Having a PLAN helps us feel in control, relaxed and motivated!
Setting Realistic Goals • Be Committed – it’s ok to not “like” the task – but still do it! -Be Specific, Realistic and Precise with details of goal <when, for how long etc.> • A big “chunk of time” is not necessarily a good thing – Structure your time!
Some tips on using time... • Take on fewer tasks or goals than you think will fill your time because tasks tend to expand beyond the limits planned for them
Some tips on using time... • Create more accurate, workable plans by subdividing larger tasks into smaller, more manageable ones.
Some tips on organizing your study time... • Organize course notes • Identify key information • Build course ideas together • Rehearse/review • Self-test
Some tips on using time... • Set interim deadlines. • They provide ongoing feedback and motivation. • They can tell you when you need to adjust your plan.
Some tips on using time... • Learn to get value from using small blocks of time effectively. Just a half hour a day can add up to weeks of productive time every year. • What are your EXPECTATIONS?
Some tips on using time... • Aim to keep a balance of school, work, social life, exercise, and personal time…but don’t forget to study!
The Point! • Even though there are common statements we can make about students’ time use, time management is a very personal activity. • Manage your own time: compare you with you! • Think: how long does it take me to do this kind of task? How long will I spend doing this task? What priority will I assign to this task?
Using a Weekly Planner • It is important to use a weekly planner • Many students purchase a planner but have difficulty using the planner in a helpful and constructive way • A lot of us think we can have it all planned “in our head”…
Do the tasks in your Schedule • Take breaks but watch for the “Never Ending Break” • Take breaks that use a different part of your brain • Vary your study tasks • Plan flex and buffer time
Doing the tasks cont. • Reward yourself <e.g. With breaks, nights off etc.> • Be realistic when you set up your Weekly schedule • Get to know your “Best Study Time” • Part-time Jobs – BEWARE!
Further Resources • Learning Skills Program • E-mail: lsp@yorku.ca • Web: www.yorku.ca/cdc/lsp • Phone: 416-736-5297 • College Academic Advisors