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!