Time Management and Organizational Strategies

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Time Management and Organizational Strategies

• Get It Together
• Presentation provided by UTPB West Texas Literacy
  Center an HSI funded program. HSI is a federally
  funded program granted by the Department of
  Education Title V programs.
• Developed by Ana Miller, M.A.. Ed., Reading
  Specialist

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Taking Control of Your Time and Your Life

• Why is this important?
• Time seems to slip away
• Promotes authority over our lives and ourselves
• Characteristic of successful people

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Determining Your Needs

• Document
• Categorize time spent on
• Class attendance
• Study time
• Work
• Commute time
• Social
• Family
• Other

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Assess and Evaluate

• Ask yourself
• Will the way I am spending my time contribute to
  my college success?
• Do I need to make adjustments?
• Which college related areas will require more of
  my time?
• Am I willing to make the necessary changes to
  achieve college success?

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TIME TOOL 1 A Calendar

• Long-range perspective
• BIG picture
• Due dates
• Test dates
• Holidays, vacations, special events
• Target dates

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TIME TOOL 2 A Weekly Schedule

• Balanced
• Study time 2 hours per week per credit hour
• Regular time-regular place
• ASAP after class
• Utilize odd hours
• Limit No more than 2 hours per course at one
  time
• Trade time
• Cumulative review for each course

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Additional Weekly ScheduleTips

• Color code
• Post it in obvious places
• Computer-generated
• Easier to adjust
• Include weekend study hours

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Organizational Strategies HOW to Get Organized

• Set Up Your Own System
• Separate courses
• Set up a simple filing system
• Course folders
• Academic information folders
• Personal information folders
• Organize your study area
• Locate and regularly use an IDEAL
• study location
• Minor disasters can be anticipated and avoided

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KEY TO SUCCESS

• Test Period
• Follow your schedule for approximately three
  weeks
• Adjust as the semester
• progresses.

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TIME TOOL 3 To Do List

• List everything you need or want to get done.
• Set your priorities.
• A - Must be done
• B Should be completed if at all possible
• C Low priority, completed only after doing As
  and Bs
• Prioritize tasks within each group.
• Developing this habit will increase productivity.
  

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TIME TOOL 4 Sample Assignment Record

• Estimate time needed
• Library research estimate and add 2 hours
• Count back from due date
• Consult Master schedule
• Use the time

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Anticipating and Planning for Courses Course
Planning

• Syllabi Your road map for each class
• After first day in each course
• fill in the Semester Map
• Long-range planning begins on day one

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TIME TIPS

• Ask yourself What is the best use of my time
  right now?
• Utilize small blocks of time that you might
  normally waste.
• ALWAYS have study material with you.
• Tape lecture notes or personal notes and listen
  while you drive.

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PROCRASTINATION Dealing with Deadlines

• Putting off Anxiety/Stress
• Stop thinking about the assignment and TAKE
  ACTION!
• Break down large tasks into manageable smaller
  tasks

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MORE HELPFUL TIPS

• Work when you have the highest level of energy.
• Eliminate external distractions.
• When tired or distracted, change activities
  Mix it up
• Acknowledge the work you have accomplished.

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TO CRAM OR NOT TO CRAM?

• AVOID CRAMMING
• Think about the connotation of the word cram.
• Ineffective study method
• Inhibits storage of information in your long-term
  memory
• LEARNING OVER A PERIOD OF TIME USING REPETITIVE
  PRACTICE IS A MORE EFFIECIENT AND EFFECTIVE TOOL
  FOR RETAINING INFORMATION.

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PRIORITIZING The Balancing Act

• KEEP SIGHT OF YOUR GOALS
• ATTEND CLASS
• IDENTIFY YOUR RESPONSIBLITIES
• PRIORITIZE
• SCHEDULE
• JUST DO IT!

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References

• Covey, S. (1989). The 7 Habits of Highly
  Effective People. New York Simon and Schuster.
• Covey, S. (1994). First Things First. New
  York Free Press.
• Feldman, Shattles, McKenzie. (2004). Oracle
  EDU 1110. Unpublished manuscript, Southern
  Methodist University, Dallas, TX.
• Leonard, E. (2007). What Every Student Should
  Know AboutStudy Skills. New York Pearson.