Study Guides and Strategies - Time Management

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T i m e m a n a g e m e n t

Developing time management skills is a journey

that may begin with this Guide, but needs practice and other guidance along the way.

One goal is to help yourself become aware of how you use your timeas one resource in organizing, prioritizing, and succeeding in your studies

in the context of competing activities of friends, work, family, etc.

First: try our exercise intime management:

How do you spend your time each day?

Strategies on using time:

These applications of time management have proven to be effective as good study habits.

As we go through each strategy, jot down an idea of what each will look like for you:

Blocks of study time and breaksAs your school term begins and your course schedule is set, develop and plan for, blocks of study

time in a typical week. Blocks ideally are around 50 minutes, but perhaps you become restless after

only 30 minutes? Some difficult material may require more frequent breaks. Shorten your study

blocks if necessary-but don't forget to return to the task at hand! What you do during your break

should give you an opportunity to have a snack, relax, or otherwise refresh or re-energize yourself.

For example, place blocks of time when you are most productive: are you a morning person or a

night owl?

Jot down one best time block you can study. How long is it? What makes for a good break for

you? Can you control the activity and return to your studies?

Dedicated study spacesDetermine a place free from distraction (no cell phone or text messaging!) where you can maximize

your concentration and be free of the distractions that friends or hobbies can bring! You should

also have a back-up space that you can escape to, like the library, departmental study center, even

a coffee shop where you can be anonymous. A change of venue may also bring extra resources.

What is the best study space you can think of? What is another?

Weekly reviewsWeekly reviews and updates are also an important strategy. Each week, like a Sunday night, review

your assignments, your notes, your calendar. Be mindful that as deadlines and exams approach,

your weekly routine must adapt to them!

What is the best time in a week you can review?

Prioritize your assignmentsWhen studying, get in the habit of beginning with the most difficult subject or task. You'll be fresh,

and have more energy to take them on when you are at your best. For more difficult courses of

study, try to be flexible: for example, build in reaction time when you can get feedback onassignments before they are due.

What subject has always caused you problems?

Achieve "stage one"--get something done!The Chinese adage of the longest journey starting with a single step has a couple of meanings:

First, you launch the project! Second, by starting, you may realize that there are some things you

have not planned for in your process. Details of an assignment are not always evident until you

begin the assignment. Another adage is that "perfection is the enemy of good", especially when it
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prevents you from starting! Given that you build in review, roughly draft your idea and get going!

You will have time to edit and develop later.

What is a first step you can identify for an assignment to get yourself started?

Postpone unnecessary activities until the work is done!Postpone tasks or routines that can be put off until your school work is finished!

This can be the most difficult challenge of time management. As learners we always meetunexpected opportunities that look appealing, then result in poor performance on a test, on a

paper, or in preparation for a task. Distracting activities will be more enjoyable later without the

pressure of the test, assignment, etc. hanging over your head. Think in terms of pride of

accomplishment. Instead of saying "no" learn to say "later".

What is one distraction that causes you to stop studying?

Identify resources to help youAre there tutors? An expert friend? Have you tried a keyword search on the Internet to get better

explanations? Are there specialists in the library that can point you to resources? What about

professionals and professional organizations. Using outside resources can save you time and

energy, and solve problems.

Write down three examples for that difficult subject above?Be as specific as possible.

Use your free time wiselyThink of times when you can study "bits" as when walking, riding the bus, etc. Perhaps you've got

music to listen to for your course in music appreciation, or drills in language learning? If you are

walking or biking to school, when best to listen? Perhaps you are in a line waiting? Perfect for

routine tasks like flash cards, or if you can concentrate, to read or review a chapter. The bottom

line is to put your time to good use.

What is one example of applying free time to your studies?

Review notes and readings just before classThis may prompt a question or two about something you don't quite understand, to ask about in

class, or after. It also demonstrates to your teacher that you are interested and have prepared.How would you make time to review?

Is there free time you can use?

Review lecture notes just after classThen review lecture material immediately after class.

The first 24 hours are critical. Forgetting is greatest within 24 hours without review!

How would you do this?

Is there free time you can use?

Select one of the ten applications above.

and develop a new study habit!

Try something you have a good chance of following through and accomplishing.

Nothing succeeds like a first successful try!

Try the University of Minnesota'sAssignment Calculator

Develop criteria for adjusting your schedule

to meet both your academic and non-academic needs

Effective aids:
http://www.lib.umn.edu/help/calculator/http://www.lib.umn.edu/help/calculator/http://www.lib.umn.edu/help/calculator/http://www.lib.umn.edu/help/calculator/


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Create a simple "To Do" listThis simple program will help you identify a few items, the reason for doing them, a timeline for

getting them done, and then printing this simple list and posting it for reminders.

Daily/weekly plannerWrite down appointments, classes, and meetings on a chronological log book or chart.

If you are more visual, sketch out your schedule

First thing in the morning, check what's ahead for the day

always go to sleep knowing you're prepared for tomorrow

Long term plannerUse a monthly chart so that you can plan ahead.

Long term planners will also serve as a reminder to constructively plan time for yourself

M y d a i l y s c h e d u l e :

Review how you spend your time in order to help you prioritize your goals and objectives.

This exercise may help:

How did you do?

Continue with the time management series:

Time management| My daily schedule |My weekly schedule|Scheduling your school calendar|My

goals|Organizing my tasks|

Creating to-do lists| Avoiding procrastination|Developing self-discipline

Text of the exercise:(See also theText/Java version)

Determine how you spend a "typical" 24-hour day:Enter the hours or parts of hours for each activity, the total is 24 hours!

Don't be discouraged if you have to go back and change time spent on each activity.

Classes: Studying: Family commitments:

Sleeping: Personal care/ Meal preparation/
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grooming: eating/clean-up:

Exercise/sports: Socializing/entertainment

(with friends):

Relaxing/TV/

video games, etc. (alone):

Transportation

(school, work, etc):

Work/internship: Other:

Flash exercise contributed by Angela Tank, Bridgette Lynch; Dr. Brad Hokanson, Interactive Media (DHA

4384) School of Design, University of Minnesota; refinements by Steve Kladstrup, Independent Flash

Developer, Minneapolis, MN.

M y w e e k l y s c h e d u l e : : t i m e m a n a g e m e n t e x e r c i s e

Determine how you spend a typical week.

As you enter the hours or parts of hours for each activity,

that amount is subtracted from each day's total

M a n a g i n g s t r e s s

Select the text below for guidance:


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Managing stress(text summary from Flash piece, above)

First, recognize stress:

Stress symptoms include mental, social, and physical manifestations. These include exhaustion, loss

of/increased appetite, headaches, crying, sleeplessness, and oversleeping. Escape through alcohol, drugs,

or other compulsive behavior are often indications. Feelings of alarm, frustration, or apathy may

accompany stress.

If you feel that stress is affecting your studies,

a first option is to seek help through your educational counseling center.


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Stress Managementis the ability to maintain control

when situations, people, and events make excessive demands.

What can you do to manage your stress?

What are some strategies?

Look around

See if there really is something you can change orcontrol in the situation

Set realistic goals for yourself

Reduce the number of events going on in your lifeand you may reduce the circuit overload

Exercise in stress reductionthrough project management/prioritizing

Remove yourself from the stressful situation

Give yourself a break if only for a few moments

daily

Don't overwhelm yourself

by fretting about your entire workload. Handle each

task as it comes, or selectively deal with matters in

some priority

Don't sweat the small stuff

Try to prioritize a few truly important things and let

the rest slide

Learn how to best relax yourself

Meditation and breathing exercises have been

proven to be very effective in controlling stress.

Practice clearing your mind of disturbing thoughts.

Selectively change the way you react,

but not too much at one time. Focus on one

troublesome thing and manage your reactions to

it/him/her

Change the way you see your situation; seek

alternative viewpoints

Stress is a reaction to events and problems, and

you can lock yourself in to one way of viewing your

situation. Seek an outside perspective of the

situation, compare it with yours. and perhaps lessen

your reaction to these conditions.

Avoid extreme reactions;

Why hate when a little dislike will do? Why generate

anxiety when you can be nervous? Why rage when

anger will do the job? Why be depressed when you

can just be sad?

Do something for others

to help get your mind off your self

Get enough sleep

Lack of rest just aggravates stress

Work off stress

with physical activity, whether it's jogging, tennis,

gardening

Avoid self-medication or escape

Alcohol and drugs can mask stress. They don't help

deal with the problems

Begin to manage the effects of stress

This is a long range strategy of adapting to your

situation, and the effects of stress in your life. Try

to isolate and work with one "effect" at a time.

Don't overwhelm yourself. for example, if you are

not sleeping well, seek help on this one problem.

Try to "use" stressIf you can't remedy, nor escape from, what is bothering you, flow with it and try to use it in a productive

way

Try to be positive

Give yourself messages as to how well you can cope rather than how horrible everything is going to be.

"Stress can actually help memory, provided it is short-term and not too severe. Stress causes more

glucose to be delivered to the brain, which makes more energy available to neurons. This, in turn,

enhances memory formation and retrieval. On the other hand, if stress is prolonged, it can impede the
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glucose delivery and disrupt memory."

"All Stressed Up",St. Paul Pioneer Press Dispatch,p. 8B, Monday, November 30, 1998

Most importantly:

if stress is putting you in an unmanageable state or interfering with your schoolwork, social and/or work

life,

seek professional help at your school counseling center

G o a l s e t t i n g

In the exercise below, write in three tasks or goals that you would like to accomplish.

Then develop each into one to three steps.

Then prioritize them, print and follow up as in a "to do" list.

Step 4:Schedule your school calendar

Optional exercise: Print and complete a.pdf print-outof the following

List three goals or objectives that are most important to you,

and indicate whether they are long range, medium range, or immediate:

1. Goal one:(long range) (medium range) (now!)

2. Goal two:(long range) (medium range) (now!)

3. Goal three:(long range) (medium range) (now!)

How much time have you set aside to meet each goal during your week?

1. Goal one:2. Goal two:3. Goal three:

Does your time allocation reflect the priority of your goals?

Can you change your hourly commitments to meet your priorities?

Where do you have the most flexibility: weekdays or weekends?

Can you change one or the other? or both?

Can you change your goals? What are your options?

Can you postpone any goals until school breaks?

How will assignments and tests affect your time allocation?

What can you change to meet your class responsibilities?

How did you do?
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M a n a g i n g s t r e s s a n d o r g a n i z i n g t a s k s

In the exercise below, enter three tasks you need to accomplish

in order to organize and prioritize your tasks, and reduce your stress.

(If you cannot access the exercise, follow this text exercise:

1. Develop each task into three steps.If each task has less, no problem.

2. Organize!Re-arrange each of the steps from earliest due date

(1 or highest priority) to those further out (12 or less).

3. Print and post as ato-do list.
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T h e w h a t , w h y a n d h o w o f t o - d o l i s t s

Developing time management skills is a journey

that may begin with this Guide, but needs practice and other guidance along the way.

What:

Listing!A simple presentation of three to five tasks that enables you to identify and visualize a core groupof tasks in one place for easy reference

It grows and shortensas you work through items

Postedon a bulletin board, refrigerator or space

readily reminds you of what you prioritize to do and when you need to do it (deadlines)

Organize!It is an organizational tool that can be used for scheduling with

electronic calendaring, strategic post-it notes, email, instant messenger, SMS and other

communication services, etc.

It can be a Not-to-do list where the time is not right, but you don't want to forget the item May help you develop timelines, sub-tasks, etc. to get the job done!

(but separate from the to do list!)

Why:

Reduce stressYou can reduce stress by itemizing and prioritizing tasks and giving them a place in your life.

Remind yourselfA list displayed in a prominent place can remind you of what you consider important to do.


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Strategize completionWhen reminded, you also are thinking about the task,

as well as what resources, strategies and options for completing the task!

It can be fun!Playing with the list can encourage thinking outside of the box for solutions.

Add images and pictures to create a more enjoyable even accurate presentation.How:

Use the simple exercise above to identify tasks Go toPrioritizing tasksto build an operational sequence Enter items into electronic calendaring, strategic post-it notes, email, instant messenger, SMS and

other communication services

ShareWith friends, family and colleagues for assistance and insights

to communicate what you are working on and where you are

Cross off items and celebrate their completion Apply the to do list to your daily life

A v o i d i n g p r o c r a s t i n a t i o n

Is your procrastination related to a project?

or is it a habit?

To remedy procrastination:

1. Begin with one, modest project2. Answer these basic questions3. Keep the answers before you as you mark your progress

What do you want to do?

What is the final objective, the end result?It may be obvious, or not

What are the major steps to get there?Don't get too detailed: think big

What have you done so far?Acknowledge that you are already part of the way,

even if it is through thinking!

The longest journey begins with a first step

Why do you want to do this?

What is your biggest motivation?Do not concern yourself if your motivation is negative!

This is honest and a good beginning.

However, if your motivation is negative,

re-phrase and re-work it until it is phrased positively

What other positive results will flow from achieving your goal?Identifying these will help you uncoverbenefits that you may be avoiding: Dare to dream!

List out what stands in your way

What is in your power to change? What resources outside yourself do you need?

Resources are not all physical (i.e. tools and money),

and include time, people/professionals/elders, even attitude
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What will happen if you don't progress?It won't hurt to scare yourself a little...

Create a simple "To Do" list

This simple program will help you identify a few tasks, the reason for doing them, a timeline for getting

them done, and then printing this simple list and posting it for reminders.

Develop your plan, list

Major, realistic stepsA project is easier when it is built in stages;

Start small;

Add detail and complexity as you achieve and grow

How much time each will takeA schedule helps you keep a progress chart

and reinforce that there are way-stations on your path

What time of day, week, etc. you dedicate yourselfto work. This helps you

develop a new habit of working,

build a good work environment, and

distance distractions(It is much easier to enjoy your project when distractions are set aside.) Rewards you will have at each station

and also what you will deny yourself until you arrive at each station

Build in time for reviewFind a trusted friend, elder, or expert to help you

motivate yourself or monitor progress

Admit to:

False starts and mistakes as learning experiencesThey can be more important than successes,

and give meaning to "experience"

Distractions and escapesDo not deny they exist, but deny their temptation

EmotionAdmit to frustration when things don't seem to be going right

Admit that you have had a problem, but also that you are doing something about it

FantasySee yourself succeeding

Finally, if procrastination is a habit of yours:

Focus on the immediate task and project, and build up from there.

Each journey begins with one step.

D e v e l o p i n g s e l f - d i s c i p l i n e

Self-discipline

Self-discipline can be considered a type of selective training, creating new habits of

thought, action, and speech toward improving yourself and reaching goals.

Self-discipline can also be task oriented and selective.

View self-discipline as positive effort, rather than one of denial.
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Schedule a small task for a given time of the day;

Practice deliberate delaying.

Schedule a particular task in the morning and once in the evening. The task should not take more than 15 minutes. Wait for the exact scheduled time.

When the schedule time is due, start the task. Stick to the schedule for at least two months.

Advantages:Scheduling helps you focus on your priorities.

By focusing on starting tasks rather than completing them, you can avoid procrastination.

Schedule a task and hold to its time;Avoid acting on impulse.

Track your progress;At the end of the allotted time, keep a record of accomplishment that builds over time.

Advantage:Building a record will help you track how much time tasks take.

If you begin to have surplus time, fill it with small tasks, make notes to yourself, plan other tasks,etc.

Harness the power of routine.

Instead of devoting a lot of hours one day, and none the other and then a few on an another dayand so on, allocate a specific time period each day of the week for that task.

Hold firm. Don't set a goal other than time allocation,

simply set the habit of routine.

Apply this technique to your homework or your projects, you will be on your way to getting thingsdone

Advantage:You are working on tasks in small increments, not all at once. You first develop a

habit, then the habit does the job for you.

Use self discipline to explore time management

Time management can become an overwhelming task.

When you do not have control over your own self, how can you control time?

Begin with task-oriented self-discipline and build from there.

Advantage:As you control tasks, you build self-discipline.

As you build self-discipline, you build time management.

As you build time management, you build self-confidence.

Maintain a self-discipline log book.

Record the start and end times of the tasks. Review for feedback on your progress

Advantage:This log book can be a valuable tool to get a better picture over your activities in

order to prioritize activities, and realize what is important and not important on how you spend

your time.


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Schedule your work day and studies.

When you first begin your work day, or going to work take a few minutes and write down on apiece of paper the tasks that you want to accomplish for that day.

Prioritize the list. Immediately start working on the most important one.

Try it for a few days to see if the habit works for you. Habits form over time: how much time depends on you and the habit.

Advantage: When you have a clear idea as to what you want to achieve for the day at its start,

the chances are very high that you will be able to proactively accomplish the tasks. Writing or

sketching out the day helps.

Discouragement:

Do not be intimidated; do not be put off by the challenge If you slip, remember this is natural Take a break and then refresh the challenge

Tricks:

Associate a new habit with an old one:If you drink coffee, make that first cup the time to write out and prioritize your tasks.

Advantage:Association facilitates neural connections!

Mark your progress:

On a calendar in your bathroom, on a spreadsheet at your computer, on your breakfast table: Check off

days you successfully follow up. If you break the routine, start over!

Advantage:Visualizing is a ready reinforcement of progress

Role models:

Observe the people in your life and see to what extent self discipline and habits help them accomplish

goals. Ask them for advice on what works, what does not.

Study Guides and Strategies - Time Management

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