Wait…What? There is a test today?
MidWeek 10 Seminar SeriesFirst Year Success
Time Management Tips
Create a Semester Calendar
Utilize your syllabus for each class and write down your
important due dates, deadlines, and exams.
Pencil in commitments, appointments, personal
projects, etc.
Review your semester calendar at least once a
week.
Resolve time conflicts immediately!
If you think you are going to miss a class due to an
appointment talk to your professor to ensure you do
not fall behind.
Create a To-Do ListRefer to your semester calendar as a starting point.
Create a realistic list. Recognize your limitations so you don’t go to bed feeling as if you didn’t get
anything accomplished.
Break larger tasks into smaller chunks.
Cross off as you go. It is important to see that you have completed what you set out to do.
Doing this will keep stress at bay.
Beware of common time zappers!
Turn off the phone, tv, computers, etc. Every little beep, ping, or ring will
distract you from the task and, ultimately it will take you longer to finish
the work.
Tomorrow won’t be better. It will be the same task. It won’t be any more fun and still won’t want
to do it.
It only gets worse. Now not only do you have to write that dreaded paper, you have to
do it under the influence of your fight-or-flight hormones.
Ideas need time to jell. When you throw together a paper or report at the last minute, your
ideas are half-baked. And your professors will know it.
Managing Your Time
Think of time as money- it needs to be managed. We have
168 hours in a week- no more, no less. How you decide to spend this
valued commodity is up to you, but use it wisely so you won’t feel
regretful about wasting it.
Time & Organization
Develop a good filing system. Organization is a skill, a value, and a
challenge.
Take a time out. Take deep breaths. Be kind
to yourself. If you manage your time effectively you will
have more free time.
Black Holes of Time Management
Keep a log for a week and see where these black holes exist in your daily life.
• Phone Interruptions• Drop-In Visitors• Email/text Interruptions• Hobbies• Inability to say “no” to outside school requests• Socializing• Errands and Shopping• Perfectionism• Family Commitments/Appointments• Looking for Misplaced Items• Redoing Mistakes• Jumping from Task to Task• Surfing the Web• Reading Newspapers, Magazines, Recreational
Books• Waiting For Public Transportation
Compartmentalize these areas into categories:
-Big Problem For Me-Often a Problem
-Seldom a Problem-Controllable
-Uncontrollable
Do you see any patterns? Are there areas that seem uncontrollable at first, but can actually be controlled?
Fun Self TestsHow Good is Your Time Management?http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_88.htm
Time/Self Management Testhttp://www.workingresources.com/timeselfmanagementsurvey/
Study Tipshttp://www.how-to-study.com/
**Remember to cut yourself a little slack as this is your freshman year of college and things are different then they were in high school.
Remember that you are not alone in this! You have advisors, counselors, professors and peers who are here to help!
If you need anything, please do not hesitate to contact the FYS Academic Advisor!