POSTGRADUATE ORIENTATION 2012

Time Management

Sara Steinke

Aims of the session

This session helps you to consider how to prioritise tasks and to make the most of your limited time. We will identify key organisational and time management skills.

Prioritisation Planning Procrastination Perfectionism

Importance of time management

Poor organisational skills prevents students from achieving their best "Time management is the skill which above all others can make the difference between graduating and drop out.” Ruth Pickford and Sally Brown, Assessing Skills and Practice (London: Routledge, 2006), page 47

What is time management?

• Time management is about organising your competing priorities in the limited time available • Time management often has very little to do with time • It is about organising your life around what’s important to you, dealing with and confronting more emotional issues like fear, inadequacy and other people’s demands on you

1.

2.

3.

Consider the following

What current pressures are there on your time?

Have you thought about how you are going to fit studying into your wider schedule? Can you foresee any problems which may arise?

Prioritisation

1. The Quadrant of Necessities 2. The Quadrant of Quality 3. The Quadrant of Deception 4. The Quadrant of Waste

List of things to do A Importance

Need to do scale 6 (unimportant) to 10 (essential)

B Urgency

Do now

C

Subtract the score in column B from column A.

scale 1 (must be done at once) to 5 (it can wait) The higher scores in column C are priorities .

D

Order of priority/ When to do Number the order of priorities 1.

Essay – deadline today 2.

Presentation – next week 10 8 1 4 9 4

How well do I use my time?

1. I use small pockets of time effectively.

2. I do enough rather than aiming at perfection.

3. I say ‘NO’ when I lack time.

4. I use a diary to prioritise my activities.

5. I am able to work on my own, and set my own goals.

Yes No

1. Small pockets of time – around 45 minutes – are more productive; short portions of time soon add up; take frequent breaks 1. Recognise and deal with procrastination; set goals; identify your time wasters (self-inflicted and given) 2. Pareto Principle – roughly 80% of results/effects come from 20% of effort/causes; 20% effort delivers an acceptable result, not perfect, but good enough 3. L’Oreal principal – ‘because you’re worth it’; educate your

family, friends and colleagues to respect your study space/time

4. Use one diary to create a ‘to-do list’; prioritise tasks; note deadlines; write down dates you must begin working towards the deadlines, establish study timetable

• • • • • • • • • • • • • Procrastination Perfectionism Lack of self discipline Worrying Personal disorganisation Lack of priorities Inability to say ‘no’ Indecisiveness Socialising (too much) Intrusions (visitors, calls) Not finding resources Excessive family demands Not able to contact people

1. Which of these time wasters apply to you? 2. How are you going to deal with these time wasters?

Time saving suggestions: study skills

• • • • • Effective note-taking – mind maps, linear notes Reading for academic purposes – SQ3R (survey, question, read, recite, review) Dedicated study space and equipment Goal setting – s.m.a.r.t. (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound) Follow 7 point procedure for writing essays – 1. clarify the task 2. collect/record information 3. organise/plan 4. engage/reflect/evaluation 5. write plan/first draft 6. work on first draft 7. final draft

New (academic) year resolutions

Psychologists (at the University of Hertfordshire) have identified 5 success factors for individuals who managed to achieve their New Years’ Resolutions. 1. Breaking down goals into small steps 2. Rewarding achievement 3. Telling other people what you’re trying to achieve 4. Focussing on the benefits of success 5. Keeping a progress diary

Recap of the session

• Study skills audit of how well you use your time – – – What are you doing well What action do you need to take to organise your time Difference between under and post graduate study • Identified techniques to maximise prioritisation and planning • Recognised how to void procrastination and perfectionism

Cottrell, S. (2008) The Study Skills Handbook, 3 rd Edition (London, Palgrave) chapter 4 ‘The C.R.E.A.M. Strategy for learning’ pp.70-79 http://www.palgrave.com/ skills4study/studyskills/ learning/time.asp

(relevant tips and activity related to the above book) http://www.bbk.ac.uk/ mybirkbeck/services/facilities /support/time-management (online resources available on the Birkbeck Library website) http://www.bbk.ac.uk/ mybirkbeck/get-ahead-stay ahead/skills/organisational skills (a 20 minute interactive tutorial supporting this Get Ahead programme)