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The A, B, C’s of Time Management
Summer 2013
Getting More Miles Per Gallon
Think of the hours in your week as the gas in your car
You all have the same size gas tank yet…..Some get much further on their
tank of gas than others To get more MPG you have to
work smarter not harder
A = Attendance
Every hour of time you spend in class saves you 3 hours of study time
If you’re going to cut corners, don’t skip class
B = Budgeting Time
We all get 168 hours per week Being a student is a full time job Keep a calendar to plan out all your
weekly activities Classes Projects Clinicals Reading Study time (2-3 hour blocks) Exams And all other outside commitments
Break projects into small pieces
C = Clutter
Procrastination, clutter, and confusion go together
Don’t put things ‘down’ put them ‘away’
The semester leaves no time for procrastination
Eliminate distractions Do one thing at a time Clear study area of clutter Use your wastebasket
D = Dirty Jobs
Look at ‘to do’ list for the day and circle the thing you dread doing most -----Do it first If you postpone it will hurt your
concentration all day and then you’ll procrastinate till tomorrow
E = Efficiency vs. Effectiveness Efficiency is the process of doing
something right Effectiveness is doing the right thing
the right way Decide what needs to be done and
do it the right way Tips for personal effectiveness
Meet basic human needs Plan frequently Take breaks De-clutter and organize work area Study in quiet place without interruptions Handle papers only once
F = Filing System
Be organized – don’t waste time looking for things
Disorganization is a big time waster Have one notebook for all classes or
designated folders for each class. Think of your brain as a filing
system You can’t just throw things in the general
direction of your brain and expect to find it in the file later
G = Goal Oriented
Identify your goal and write it down
Write down ways to reach your goal
Focus your time and energy on that goal for maximum effect
H = Hang In There
Finish the work at hand no matter how attractive doing the laundry becomes
Active avoidance and passive procrastination cost you lots of valuable time
Reward yourself for completing your task at hand
I = Investments
Think of class attendance, library time, and study sessions as deposits
Repeated small deposits add up to big rewards (A’s on exams) and store information into long term memory
Cramming goes to short term memory only
J = Jot It Down
Make lists and use themMake a list each evening for the
following dayMake it manageable and realisticRank in order of importance
Will keep you organized and help you avoid wasted motion
K = Knocking Off
When you reach a point of diminishing returns stop doing what you’re doing.
It’s a waste of time to go for perfectionism
L = Log
Keep an activity log (q 15 minutes) for 3 days to see how you spend your time
Tells you about InterruptionsHow organized you areWhen you are most productive How you waste time
Everyday make a color coded prioritized plan
M = Multitasking
Cook the week’s meals in one day and freeze
Barter services Don’t procrastinate = more weekend
and evening time Study at school immediately after
class Avoid busywork – don’t major in
minor activities It gives a false sense of accomplishment
Don’t take pride in your efforts – Take pride in the results
N = No
Learn how to say it The greatest time saving device
ever invented
O = Other People’s Time
Know how to divide chores and delegate everything you possibly can
If relying on other people’s time plan far ahead
P = Prime Time
Everyone has 2-4 hours each time when they are in top form
Find your prime time and protect it – don’t procrastinate
Use it for high priority items that demand concentration and focus
Q = Questions
Several times each day ask yourself the following questions: Is this the best use of my time
right now? Is this activity helping me achieve
one of my goals? If I didn’t do this, what would
happen?
R = Regrets
Don’t waste time mourning what might have been or wallowing in guilt or self pity
Learn how to acknowledge the disappointment and move on to the next opportunity
S = Study Tools
Have everything you need to study handyBooksNotes pens / paperResourcesetc
T = Tomorrow
Tomorrow never comes DO IT TODAY!
U = Urgency
Urgent things are not always important
Important things are not always urgent
Ignore the pseudo-important things that clamor for your attention
V = Vacillating
Be decisive If you give yourself a deadline –
stick to it If you decide your study time is
2:00 – 4:00 then do it.
W = Wasters
Identify Time WastersChildren, family, spouse, friends,
phone, etc. Plan breaks for this socialization
Personal Disorganization Use lists, calendars, planners
Downtime Keep notebook, study materials
handy at all timesWhat are your time wasters?
X = Xeroxing
Keep copies of all your important papers and assignments
Photocopy anything you may want to carry with you for quick moments of time to study
Y = Yakety Yak
Don’t let the phone or a drop in visitor ruin your study time.
“I can’t talk right now but I’ll call you back at 9”
Leave message on your phone “I’m unavailable until 6 and I’ll get back to you then”
Z = ZZZZZZZ’s
Schedule rest and relaxation periods
Get the sleep you need so you are sharp and thinking clearly
Now…..
Let’s plan your semester!