Time Management Goals

1. Time Management Goals explain the importance of setting goals and planning rewards short-term, intermediary, long-term goals gain awareness of how you currently spend your time estimate the amount of time you spend each week on different activities actually track your time for a week and analyze where your time went compare your estimate to the actual time log look for places where time is wasted or where you can add additional study time

2. Time Management Goals • recognize how much time you need for learning – rule of thumb for college • use a monthly calendar to schedule a term • major projects • tests • social events • use a weekly schedule to plan projects and daily responsibilities

3. Time Management Goals develop a daily to-do list define procrastination and identify several ways to overcome it begin applying the information to effectively manage your time and reach your goals

4. Goals are SMART • S – specific, exact, clearly stated • M – measurable; how, when, where, … • A – achievable; attainable • R – realistic; can I see myself doing this? • T – timely; when …

5. NOT SPECIFIC: learn computers study more eat healthy SPECIFIC: exercise aerobically three times each week for 45 minutes study two hours every day for every one hour I am in class Specific

6. Measurable • measure your progress in numbers, percentages, milestones, dates, etc. • how, when, where … • in present tense • not what you can do, but what you will do • have to be yours, not friend, parent, teacher

7. Achievable • what obstacles might you encounter when working on your objective? • what might come up that would prevent you from obtaining it? • consider early in the process what could go wrong • take action to put contingency plans into place • resolve problems before they occur • if goal is perfect attendance, but car is unreliable and do not live on metro bus route …

8. Realistic • goals should challenge you • should not be a fantasy or daydream • I will run three miles every day – when you haven’t really run in years. • do not set yourself up to fail • make them hard enough to stretch a bit • when you experience success, you gain more confidence to set harder ones next time

9. Timely • should have target dates • set time limits • define start and stop dates • multiple action steps – each has a target date

10. Goals: • need to be written down or else you’ll tend to edit in your head as you go along • major accomplishments deserve a special treat • should have a reward attached to them • either extrinsic • attend special event, watch TV, socialize, a massage • or intrinsic • increased self-esteem, more confidence, the pleasure of a job well done, etc.

11. Short-Term Goals something you want to achieve within the next week to six months may be broken into smaller steps or goals attending all my classes this week completing each course this term with a B grade or better learning a new computer program planning a surprise party

12. Intermediary Goals • something you want to achieve over a time period of a year or more • achieved after the completion of a series of short-term goals that serve as benchmarks, motivators • linked to a long-term goal • decide on a major • taken courses in interest areas • finished some general education classes • will lead to a long-term goal of graduation in field of choice

13. Long-Term Goals • usually measured in terms of years • achieved after the completion of a series of intermediary goals • getting a college degree • planning a wedding • buying a house

14. Schedules … • are tools that help you plan your time and work • are time maps with every task spread out in plain sight • show you are in control • allow you to move the tasks around and change the amount of time you wish to allot • will work well since everything is planned and accounted for the way you want it to be

15. Schedules

16. Semester Schedule

17. Filling in Your Semester Schedule • make a separate calendar for every month of the term • fill in all school holidays and important school events • from the information provided in your syllabus • fill in the dates for tests, quizzes, research paper, projects • daily assignments should not be written on this form; they will be included on the daily planner • write the dates of any important social events you already know about, such as family get-togethers, parties, concerts, etc. • can be placed in daily planner as well

18. Month of October

19. Establish Base Rates • determine approximately how long different tasks will take – their base rate • actual time on a task will vary with your energy level and time of day • best way to establish a base rate is to observe how long it takes to do something and when you do it • write this information down and use it to help create your schedule

20. 6:00 am Get up and shower 6:30Eat breakfast 7:00 Commute to work 7:30 ‘’ 8:00Work 8:30 ‘’ 9:00 ‘’ 9:30 ‘’ 10:00 ‘’ 10:30 ‘’ 11:00 ‘’ 11:30 ‘’ 12:00 pmLunch / Go to class 12:30Class 1:00 ‘’ 1:30 ‘’ 2:00 ‘’ 2:30 ‘’ 3:00Class 4:00 ‘' 4:30Commute home 5:00Watch TV 5:30 Make dinner 6:00 Eat dinner 6:30 Clean up 7:00 Phone calls 7:30 Fix window 8:00 Check e-mail 8:30 Read newspaper 9:00 Study 9:30‘’ 10:00 Read in bed / Get snack 10:30 ‘’ 11:00 Watch TV 11:30 Go to sleep 12:00 a.m. 1:00 1:30 Sample Daily Log

21. Assess Your Use of Time Track your time — if you have no idea where your time goes • once an hour write down in 15 – 30 minute segments how you used the previous hour • do this for seven days during waking hours • study the results and make adjustments • you may learn that you spend more time in one area or activity than you had anticipated

22. Allotted Study Time plan on two to three hours of study per week for every academic credit hour spread out through the week, including weekends mostly during day light hours if you're spending more than four hours per credit hour, you may be studying ineffectively only you can determine how much time you truly need

23. Weekly Schedule

24. Create Your Weekly Schedule FIXED classes meetings work appointments meals FIXED STUDY 2:1 ratio label each class/block FLEX STUDY two or three blocks GOALS ANDRESPONSIBILITIES goals chores exercise errands LEISURE social family friends recreation personal time

25. A Weekly Schedule • reflects a realistic life balance • provides adequate time for study blocks • makes good use of all blocks of time • includes hours of employment • shows specific times for work and leisure • has strong, consistent patterns – can easily become routine

26. A Weekly Schedule • includes time for specific personal goals • provides time for meals, exercise, and adequate sleep • remains more or less the same each week • establishes a routine to go to sleep each night • provides for study on all seven days

27. Daily Schedule – To Do list

28. Daily Schedule – To Do List • provides you with quick reference list of time blocks and specific tasks for day • helps you move through day efficiently • use index card, daily planner, electronic organizer • do each night before you go to bed • keep in a convenient place

29. ABC Method with a To Do List assign a priority letter A, B, C to all items on your To Do List • A items – the most important to you or the ones you want or need to do first • B items – not as high a priority as the A items • C items – not of such immediate importance • begin working on the A items

30. Procrastination • learned behavior • involves putting off or postponing something until a later time • quite consistently choosing low-priority tasks over high- priority tasks • doing C tasks before A or B tasks • can be unlearned, reduced, or eliminated

31. Four Simple Reasons for Procrastination • Difficult - the task seems hard to do • naturally tend to avoid difficult things in favor of those which seem easy • Time-consuming - the task will take large blocks of time • large blocks of time are unavailable until the weekend • Lack of knowledge or skills - no one wants to make mistakes • so wait until you learn how before you start • Fears - everyone will know how you screwed up

32. The cure … • do everything opposite • tell yourself: • this isn't so hard • it won't take long • I am sure that I know how to do it • I can learn while I'm doing it • no one else really cares because they are all so busy with their own problems

33. Four Complex Reasons for Procrastination • Perfectionism – unrealistically high expectations or standards • everything must go completely right • it may either be imposed or self-imposed • the perfectionist is long on criticism and short on praise How to resolve: • try self-reassurance that this effort or version will be good enough • make an effort to praise what you have done • it's impossible to eradicate all mistakes; you have undoubtedly found all the fatal errors by now • remind yourself that great writers, poets, artists at one time or another completed their work; therefore, it will be okay to say that yours is done also

34. Four Complex Reasons for Procrastination • Anger/Hostility – unhappy with someone, we'll often withhold our best efforts • if you are upset with a professor, you are likely to delay in starting a demanding project as a way of “getting even.” • you are the one who loses; you are the one with the low grade How to resolve: • determine that you are the one who is feeling upset and see how your actions will actually harm you in the long run • you are not going to let how you feel about a particular class stand in the way of your personal future, are you?

35. Four Complex Reasons for Procrastination • Low Frustration Tolerance - circumstances overwhelm you easily • you find situations radically intolerable and terribly unfair • characterized by whining and complaining, and such phrases as “it isn't fair,” “this is too hard,” and “no one else has to,” etc. • feeling the way you do, it seems reasonable to “put it off” until you feel better about doing the work • trouble is, you feel just as frustrated the next day How to resolve: • the more you want something and can't have it, the greater your level of frustration • get help from someone who can show you how to solve the problem • learn how to temporarily postpone your desires • most of the time, you will eventually get what you want

36. Four Complex Reasons for Procrastination • Self-Downing - continually minimize your own skills and abilities and express doubt about your ability to succeed • habitually puts self down; tends to disbelieve even when successful: it was “just dumb luck.” • may also find it hard to accept praise and compliments for work performed - false modesty How to resolve: • practice accepting compliments about your work performance by simply saying "Thank you." • figure out why you feel uncomfortable with success • significant others in your life often make you feel that way? • taught to minimize your success? • why is success so scary? • will it make you stand out in the crowd? • feel as though others will not accept you if you are successful? • remember to compliment and praise yourself for work accomplished

37. Time Management Recap • explain the importance of setting goals and planning rewards • gain awareness of how you currently spend your time • recognize how much time you need for learning • define procrastination and identify several ways to overcome it • begin applying the information to effectively manage your time and reach your goals