Time Management

Mrs. Sheri YechMrs. Sheri Yech

Academic Skills Academic Skills CenterCenter

Mulligan- near post Mulligan- near post officeoffice

2002c2002c

References

Becoming A Master StudentBecoming A Master Student, , 8th edition. 8th edition. – Dave Ellis. Houghton Mifflin. 1997Dave Ellis. Houghton Mifflin. 1997

How to Study in CollegeHow to Study in College,, 6th ed 6th ed. . – Walter Pauk. Houghton MIfflin. 1997 Walter Pauk. Houghton MIfflin. 1997

College Reading & Study SkillsCollege Reading & Study Skills, , 2nd ed2nd ed– Kathleen McWhorter. Harper Collins. 1997Kathleen McWhorter. Harper Collins. 1997

Secrets Our Body Clocks RevealSecrets Our Body Clocks Reveal– Perry, Dawson. Macmillan Publishing, 1988Perry, Dawson. Macmillan Publishing, 1988

First Things FirstFirst Things First– Steven Covey. Simon/ Schuster. 1994Steven Covey. Simon/ Schuster. 1994

Photos by Don LintnerPhotos by Don Lintner– University of Wisconsin-ParksideUniversity of Wisconsin-Parkside

A Fordham University A Fordham University Study of first year Study of first year students found the students found the following:following:

– On weekdays students spentOn weekdays students spent TWICETWICE as much time on as much time on leisure activities as on leisure activities as on studying.studying.

– On weekends students spent On weekends students spent SIX TIMESSIX TIMES as much time on as much time on leisure activities as on leisure activities as on studying. studying.

What’s your “LQ”Leisure Quotient?

Sometimes we just Sometimes we just don’t realize how don’t realize how much time we spent much time we spent in non productive in non productive ways.ways.

Here are some Here are some examples of leisure:examples of leisure:– Visiting between classesVisiting between classes

– Listening to CD’sListening to CD’s

– Watching tvWatching tv

– DaydreamingDaydreaming

What others can you What others can you think of?think of?

To Realize the Value of:

ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed a grade.ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed a grade. ONE MONTH, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby.ONE MONTH, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby. ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper.ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper. ONE DAY, ask a daily wage laborer with kids to feed.ONE DAY, ask a daily wage laborer with kids to feed. ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet. ONE MINUTE, ask a person who missed the train.ONE MINUTE, ask a person who missed the train. ONE SECOND, ask a person who just avoided an accident.ONE SECOND, ask a person who just avoided an accident. ONE MILLISECOND, ask the person who won a silver medal in the ONE MILLISECOND, ask the person who won a silver medal in the

Olympics.Olympics.

Tick When I Should Tock?

Am I trying to Tick when my Body Wants to Tock?

Circadian RhythmsCircadian RhythmsCircadian rhythms are internal biological Circadian rhythms are internal biological

clocks that regulate many functions and clocks that regulate many functions and activities, including sleep, temperature, activities, including sleep, temperature, metabolism, alertness, blood pressure, metabolism, alertness, blood pressure, heart rate and hormone levels and heart rate and hormone levels and immunitiesimmunities. .

About every 24 hours our bodies cycle About every 24 hours our bodies cycle through metabolic and chemical through metabolic and chemical changes.changes.

These Circadian Rhythms are reset by These Circadian Rhythms are reset by sunlight each morning.sunlight each morning.

Whether you are a “Morning Person” or a Whether you are a “Morning Person” or a “Night Owl” is determined by these “Night Owl” is determined by these cycles.cycles.

Maximize your EfficiencyWork With Your Body Cycles-not Against Them

If we learn to listen to our bodies, we If we learn to listen to our bodies, we can work with these natural rhythms can work with these natural rhythms instead of fighting them.instead of fighting them.

We can make more efficient use of our We can make more efficient use of our time by scheduling certain activities at time by scheduling certain activities at certain times of the day.certain times of the day.

Cognitive Tasks8am - 12 noon*

Cognitive, or mental, tasks such as Cognitive, or mental, tasks such as reading, calculating, and problem reading, calculating, and problem solving are performed most efficiently in solving are performed most efficiently in the morning.the morning.

*If you are a Night Owl, shift these times about 3-4 hours later in the day.

Short term memory6 am - 10 am

Short term memory tasks such as Short term memory tasks such as last minute reviewing for tests last minute reviewing for tests are best performed early in the are best performed early in the morning.morning.

*If you are a Night Owl, shift these times about 3-4 hours later in the day.

Long term memory1 pm - 4pm*

*If you are a Night Owl, shift these times about 3-4 hours later in the day.

Longer term Memory tasks such as memorizing speeches and information for application are best performed in the afternoon.

Manual Dexterity2 pm to 6 pm*

You are most efficient at tasks involving the You are most efficient at tasks involving the use of your hands such as keyboarding and use of your hands such as keyboarding and carpentry in the afternoon and early carpentry in the afternoon and early evening.evening.

*If you are a Night Owl, shift these times about 3-4 hours later in the day.

Physical Workouts4 pm to 9 pm *

Because of Circadian Rhythms it is best to engage in Because of Circadian Rhythms it is best to engage in physical activity in the evening when your large physical activity in the evening when your large muscle coordination is at its peak. muscle coordination is at its peak.

Studies show you will Studies show you will perceiveperceive the workout to be the workout to be easier in the evening.easier in the evening.

Exercising about 5 hours before bedtime improves Exercising about 5 hours before bedtime improves the quality of sleep.the quality of sleep.

*If you are a Night Owl, shift these times about 3-4 hours later in the day.

Student Lag, aka Jet Lag

Are you creating the equivalent of jet lag Are you creating the equivalent of jet lag by keeping an inconsistent sleep by keeping an inconsistent sleep schedule?schedule?

Answer the following questions to find Answer the following questions to find out. out.

Do you Suffer from Student Jet Lag?

Do you get up at about the the same time each morning?Do you get up at about the the same time each morning?

Yes___No____ Yes___No____

Do you wake up without an alarm most mornings?Do you wake up without an alarm most mornings?Yes___No____Yes___No____

Do you almost always get 7-9 hours of sleep per night?Do you almost always get 7-9 hours of sleep per night?Yes___No____Yes___No____

Student Jet Lag

If you answered no to any of the If you answered no to any of the questions, you are compromising your questions, you are compromising your body’s efficiency.body’s efficiency.

Conquer Procrastination

It’s All about Endorphins - The Feel Good Hormone

• Develop a Conditioned Response to the Tasks you Develop a Conditioned Response to the Tasks you Procrastinate Procrastinate

• Set a goal to complete a task/projectSet a goal to complete a task/project• After completing the task, reward yourself with something After completing the task, reward yourself with something

that is pleasurable for youthat is pleasurable for you• The body releases endorphins- the feel good The body releases endorphins- the feel good

hormonehormone• Over time with repetition, you will come to associate feeling Over time with repetition, you will come to associate feeling

good with completing a task/projectgood with completing a task/project• You won’t procrastinate as muchYou won’t procrastinate as much

Divide and Conquer Procrastination

A father gave his son a bundle of sticks and asked him to break it. A father gave his son a bundle of sticks and asked him to break it. After the boy struggled, the father took the bundle, untied it and After the boy struggled, the father took the bundle, untied it and broke one stick at a time.broke one stick at a time.

We procrastinate because the “A” tasks seem too lengthy or too We procrastinate because the “A” tasks seem too lengthy or too difficultdifficult– Divide a lengthy task into smaller, shorter parts that seem easier to complete Divide a lengthy task into smaller, shorter parts that seem easier to complete – Divide a forty page chapter into 10 page sections Divide a forty page chapter into 10 page sections – Reward yourself after completing each section.Reward yourself after completing each section.

If you are going to Procrastinate,at least take the blame!

Student to Teacher…Student to Teacher…““I don’t have my paper today I don’t have my paper today

because the lab assistant because the lab assistant couldn’t get the printer to couldn’t get the printer to work.”work.”

““I’m late to class because I I’m late to class because I couldn’t find a parking couldn’t find a parking space.”space.”

““I’d like to study on a regular I’d like to study on a regular basis, but it isn’t always basis, but it isn’t always possible with my hectic possible with my hectic sleeping schedule!”sleeping schedule!”

Pacing

Pacing

Athletes know the phenomenon of running with someone ahead of them to increase their times.

The same effect can be achieved with studying and completing schoolwork.

Because work expands or contracts to fit the time allotted, make pacing work for you by doing the

following:

Estimate the time needed to complete a task.Estimate the time needed to complete a task.

Set a timer to help you reach the goal of Set a timer to help you reach the goal of completing the task in reduced time.completing the task in reduced time.

Take the Offensive With a Planner

Take the Offensive with a PLANNER

A planner helps you:A planner helps you:

See the big pictureSee the big picture

Plan ahead to avoid Plan ahead to avoid “11th Hour” efforts“11th Hour” efforts

Be time efficientBe time efficient

Using a Planner Effectively

Select a planner that you Select a planner that you will be likely to carry with will be likely to carry with you.you.

At the beginning of each At the beginning of each semester, record test semester, record test dates, project due dates dates, project due dates etc from all of your syllabi etc from all of your syllabi for your classes.for your classes.

Use pencil because Use pencil because schedules changeschedules change

Keep your planner handyKeep your planner handy

Be Realistic in your Expectations

Be Realistic

Examine your schedule.Examine your schedule. Be realistic about what Be realistic about what

you can accomplish.you can accomplish. Don’t try to juggle too Don’t try to juggle too

many things.many things. Don’t set yourself up for Don’t set yourself up for

failure.failure.

The Two to One Rule of Thumb

For every hour you are in class, you For every hour you are in class, you should study at least two hoursshould study at least two hours

=

SCHOOL IS A FULL TIME JOB

Full time student spends 15 hours in class Full time student spends 15 hours in class per weekper week

Full time student spends a Full time student spends a minimumminimum of 30 of 30 hours per week studyinghours per week studying

15 plus 30 equals 45 hours per week15 plus 30 equals 45 hours per week Work an absolute MAXIMUM of 20 hours Work an absolute MAXIMUM of 20 hours

per weekper week

SCHOOL IS A FULL TIME JOB!SCHOOL IS A FULL TIME JOB!

9. Is The Jar Full? Stephen Covey in his book,Stephen Covey in his book,

First Things FirstFirst Things First, shares the , shares the following story experienced by following story experienced by one of his associates:one of his associates:

I attended a seminar once I attended a seminar once where the instructor was where the instructor was lecturing on time. At one point, lecturing on time. At one point, he said, "Okay, time for a quiz." he said, "Okay, time for a quiz." He reached under the table and He reached under the table and pulled out a wide-mouthed pulled out a wide-mouthed gallon jar. He set it on the table gallon jar. He set it on the table next to a platter with some fist-next to a platter with some fist-sized rocks on it. "How many of sized rocks on it. "How many of these rocks do you think we these rocks do you think we can get in the jar?" he askedcan get in the jar?" he asked. .

After we made our After we made our guess, he said, "Okay. guess, he said, "Okay. Let's find out." He set Let's find out." He set one rock in the jar . . . one rock in the jar . . . then another . . . then then another . . . then another.  I don't another.  I don't remember how many he remember how many he got in, but he got the jar got in, but he got the jar full. Then he asked, "Is full. Then he asked, "Is this jar full?"  Everyone this jar full?"  Everyone looked at the rocks and looked at the rocks and said, "Yes."said, "Yes."

Then he said, "Ahhh" Then he said, "Ahhh" He reached under the He reached under the table and pulled out a table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. Then bucket of gravel. Then he dumped some gravel he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar and in and shook the jar and the gravel went in all the the gravel went in all the little spaces left by the little spaces left by the big rocks. Then he big rocks. Then he grinned and said once grinned and said once more, "Is the jar full?"more, "Is the jar full?"

By this time the class By this time the class was on to him. "Probably was on to him. "Probably not," we said.  "Good!" he not," we said.  "Good!" he replied. He reached under replied. He reached under the table and brought out the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand started dumping the sand in and it went into all of in and it went into all of the little spaces left by the little spaces left by the rocks and the gravel. the rocks and the gravel. Once more he looked and Once more he looked and said, "Is this jar full?"  said, "Is this jar full?"  "No!" we roared. "No!" we roared. 

He said, "Good!" and he He said, "Good!" and he grabbed a pitcher of grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour water and began to pour it in. He got something it in. He got something like a quart of water in like a quart of water in that jar. Then he said, " that jar. Then he said, " Well, what's the point?"  Well, what's the point?"  Somebody said, "Well, Somebody said, "Well, there are gaps, and if you there are gaps, and if you work really hard you can work really hard you can always fit some more always fit some more things into your life."things into your life."

"No," he said, "that's not really "No," he said, "that's not really the point. the point.

The point is this:The point is this:

Put thePut the Big RocksBig Rocks

in Firstin First

Be The BunnyBe The Bunny

Just KeepJust KeepGoingGoingAnd goingAnd goingAnd goingAnd goingAnd goingAnd goingAnd going…And going…

Don’t Forget

An important part of making An important part of making these strategies work is the these strategies work is the daily reminder.daily reminder.

Take the time to place Post-Take the time to place Post-its in conspicuous places its in conspicuous places such as your alarm clock, such as your alarm clock, refrigerator, television, and refrigerator, television, and bathroom mirror to serve as bathroom mirror to serve as a constant reminder.a constant reminder.

Adapted from:

Kathleen RiepeKathleen RiepeLearning AssistanceLearning Assistance

Riepe@uwp.eduRiepe@uwp.edu

University of Wisconsin-ParksideUniversity of Wisconsin-Parkside