Time Management
First, let's see what type of "time manager" you are. Take the survey below to find out!
Avoid Common Freshman Mistakes
Make a plan. It's never too early to start figuring out how you'll do all the work in each of your five classes. In fact, the very first day of classes is the right time. Enter all the assignments—including weekly assignments, quizzes, and exercises or short papers—into your electronic or print calendar. Then develop a plan for both your run-of-the-mill weekly studying and the mondo research paper or killer final.
Rule of Thumb: 1 hour of lecture time = 2 hours of study time. Plan accordingly.
Rule of Thumb: 1 hour of lecture time = 2 hours of study time. Plan accordingly.
MISCONCEPTION 1: A common misconception, is that if you structure your time, you schedule will be filled with nothing but work, class, study and sleep. YIKES!!!
NOT SO! It is just as important to fit in your "me time" and time for friends and fun activities too. If it is not balanced, you will be miserable and first of all you won't stick to it. and second of all, it will throw your mental and/or physical health off balance which is exactly what we are trying to avoid making a schedule in the first place!!!
On the contrary, Managing your time will leave you room for having fun! You will be less stressed and more well-rested, which will make having fun more easy and you will be more fun to be around!
NOT SO! It is just as important to fit in your "me time" and time for friends and fun activities too. If it is not balanced, you will be miserable and first of all you won't stick to it. and second of all, it will throw your mental and/or physical health off balance which is exactly what we are trying to avoid making a schedule in the first place!!!
On the contrary, Managing your time will leave you room for having fun! You will be less stressed and more well-rested, which will make having fun more easy and you will be more fun to be around!
MISCONCEPTION 2: Keeping a schedule will not allow me to be spontaneous. Or, what if something unexpected happens and I really want to change me plans? I wouldn't be able to do any of that if I had a schedule!
NOT SO! There is no stone and chisel used to form this schedule. (In other words, this schedule is not "set in stone). Unexpected things happen all of the time! The cool thing is we can shuffle things around in our schedule to make things work. This helps us figure out how to "have our cake and eat it too".
In fact, keeping a schedule will actually help you when an unexpected fun event pops up that you want to go to! HOW? Well, the natural tendency of being human, is that without having a schedule, we tend to put things off until the last minute, when we absolutely have to do them. However, people that stick to a set schedule most of the time, spread out that work so that they are not having to do a lot of work at the last moment.
Here's an example.
Betty and Larry both have a project due for class on Monday. Betty doesn't keep to any set schedule, but Larry is very good about keeping to a study schedule of about 3-4 hours per day of study/homework time. Larry already started his project and only has a few odds and ends to do to get it to the point of perfection. Its Friday night and Betty has planned that she will spend all day Sunday on the project.
Betty and Larry have a mutual friend named Pete that just scored 8 free tickets for Lollapalooza that weekend! Pete and his friends are going to camp out Saturday night and spend the entire weekend in the desert listening to bands and having a great time. Pete asks Betty and Larry if they would like to come!
Larry said yes. Larry was able to spend a couple of hours before he left for the desert and put those final touches on his project. Larry was relaxed and knew he did his best work on the project. He was able to get a ride with all of his friends which was a lot of fun, too. Larry had a great time that weekend and received 100% on the project.
Betty really wanted to go, but she hadn't even started her project. Betty decided she would stay up all night and do it as fast as possible and drive up later the next morning to meet everyone. Betty did finish a mediocre project, but she was very tired and was very stressed. Betty was also not in a great mood. She had had a long drive by herself and was obviously stressed and kept complaining to everybody about the "stupid, pointless project" that she had to do for her class. She was embarrassed that she didn't do her best work and she received only 60% credit on the project.
Planning really can make a biog difference!
NOT SO! There is no stone and chisel used to form this schedule. (In other words, this schedule is not "set in stone). Unexpected things happen all of the time! The cool thing is we can shuffle things around in our schedule to make things work. This helps us figure out how to "have our cake and eat it too".
In fact, keeping a schedule will actually help you when an unexpected fun event pops up that you want to go to! HOW? Well, the natural tendency of being human, is that without having a schedule, we tend to put things off until the last minute, when we absolutely have to do them. However, people that stick to a set schedule most of the time, spread out that work so that they are not having to do a lot of work at the last moment.
Here's an example.
Betty and Larry both have a project due for class on Monday. Betty doesn't keep to any set schedule, but Larry is very good about keeping to a study schedule of about 3-4 hours per day of study/homework time. Larry already started his project and only has a few odds and ends to do to get it to the point of perfection. Its Friday night and Betty has planned that she will spend all day Sunday on the project.
Betty and Larry have a mutual friend named Pete that just scored 8 free tickets for Lollapalooza that weekend! Pete and his friends are going to camp out Saturday night and spend the entire weekend in the desert listening to bands and having a great time. Pete asks Betty and Larry if they would like to come!
Larry said yes. Larry was able to spend a couple of hours before he left for the desert and put those final touches on his project. Larry was relaxed and knew he did his best work on the project. He was able to get a ride with all of his friends which was a lot of fun, too. Larry had a great time that weekend and received 100% on the project.
Betty really wanted to go, but she hadn't even started her project. Betty decided she would stay up all night and do it as fast as possible and drive up later the next morning to meet everyone. Betty did finish a mediocre project, but she was very tired and was very stressed. Betty was also not in a great mood. She had had a long drive by herself and was obviously stressed and kept complaining to everybody about the "stupid, pointless project" that she had to do for her class. She was embarrassed that she didn't do her best work and she received only 60% credit on the project.
Planning really can make a biog difference!
How to DO MORE in LESS TIME!
1) Study BETTER not HARDER.
Find the best study methods that work for you. For most of us, simply reading, is actually the worst way to learn! The best way to learn is to DO something with that information. Organize a flowchart, make a story, draw a diagram, it doesn't matter as long as it make sense to you and help you remember the material!
In fact, the methods used by memory champions are similar. If they are asked to memorize a list of unrelated items, they will formulate a story that integrates the items, creating context. Another example, is that if they are asked to memorize a number they might visualize a familiar space such as their living room. Then they will place the numbers on different objects in the room and they visualize themselves walking through that room.
In fact, the methods used by memory champions are similar. If they are asked to memorize a list of unrelated items, they will formulate a story that integrates the items, creating context. Another example, is that if they are asked to memorize a number they might visualize a familiar space such as their living room. Then they will place the numbers on different objects in the room and they visualize themselves walking through that room.
2) Organize Your Space.
How many minutes a year, a month, a week, or even a day, is wasted trying to find your keys, purse, wallet, backpack, computer, dog, okay hopefully you can find the dog... But it is probably more time that you would like. So what should we do?
Get organized! "Cleanliness is next to Godliness". This old saying may be a little grandiose for most of us, but there is something to be said for the state of the surrounding of a person being a reflection of the state of inside of a person. I find when my house is the most unorganized, is when I am the most busy. The busier I get, the less organized things around me become, which means the less organized my mind becomes and the less peace I have. You might be able to relate to this. Well since you are reading this, you probably don't have time for a full Spring Cleaning a the moment, but you can designate a few key places for those important items that you always need to have handy. Find a spot for those things, and get in the habit of putting those things in their designated spots at all times! Resist the urge to toss everything on the floor when you come in the door to collapse. (I am talking to myself with this one).
Get organized! "Cleanliness is next to Godliness". This old saying may be a little grandiose for most of us, but there is something to be said for the state of the surrounding of a person being a reflection of the state of inside of a person. I find when my house is the most unorganized, is when I am the most busy. The busier I get, the less organized things around me become, which means the less organized my mind becomes and the less peace I have. You might be able to relate to this. Well since you are reading this, you probably don't have time for a full Spring Cleaning a the moment, but you can designate a few key places for those important items that you always need to have handy. Find a spot for those things, and get in the habit of putting those things in their designated spots at all times! Resist the urge to toss everything on the floor when you come in the door to collapse. (I am talking to myself with this one).
Learning to say "No"
Learning to say "No" is one of the best skills you can learn about self-respect, success and managing your time.
What if my friends/significant others don't like me anymore if I tell them No?
If anyone ever does not support your decision to say "No" so you can study or do homework, then they are not supportive of you as a person and only have their own self-interest in mind. Those types of people will continue to take and take from you and will give very little if anything in return. You are better off surrounding yourself with supportive like-minded people that want the best for you in life.
If anyone ever does not support your decision to say "No" so you can study or do homework, then they are not supportive of you as a person and only have their own self-interest in mind. Those types of people will continue to take and take from you and will give very little if anything in return. You are better off surrounding yourself with supportive like-minded people that want the best for you in life.
How to balance your college course load and homework (and still have a life).
- College is like juggling. ...
- Block your courses. ...
- 2. Make a plan. ...
- Rule of Thumb: 1 hour of lecture time = 2 hours of study time. ...
- Aim to make all the classes. ...
- Determine whether you're an owl or a rooster. ...
- Extra Pointer. ...
- Keep a log.