Transcript Chapter 3

EGR 105
Foundations of Engineering I
Time Management
-You NEED This!!!
Fall 2013
Speaking of Time…
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“Time is money.”
“I don’t have the time.”
“I need to be on time.”
“Don’t waste my time.”
“How much more time do I have?”
“My time is valuable.”
“Time’s up.”……
What About Time?
• Only 24 hrs in each day
• Cannot create more time in a day
– (i.e. 25 hrs in a day???)
• Need to use time effectively
• Need to “invest” time
– (make wise choices)
• Need to budget time just like money
– (prioritize)
Question
Can you create more time?
Yes…Well Sort of…
• You can
–work more effectively
–work more efficiently
• Therefore, you can
–“make more time” in your schedule
Another Question
Can you manage your time?
Observation
"You can't manage time, it just
is. So "time management" is
a mislabeled problem, which
has little chance of being an
effective approach."
So Then…..
What Exactly
Do You Really Manage?
What do you think?
You Really Manage
Your activity during
periods of time
Sports Analogy
Football
What is the primary role
of a quarterback in
the game?
Quarterback’s Primary Role
To manage the game
- which meansTo manage the clock
How Does Quarterback
Manage the Clock?
By deciding…
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What result is desired (outcome)
What to do to get result (goals)
How to do it (prioritize)
When to do it (timing)
One More Question
So then how do you manage
your activities?
How Do You Do It?
By defining outcomes and
physical actions required to
manage what you do.
Goals vs Outcomes
What’s the difference?
Goal
• a single step on the road
to an outcome
• all steps/goals should be
easily achievable
Outcome
The desired result that
the goals help you
achieve
Why Goals and Outcomes?
• If you only have goals…then
– you cannot achieve an outcome
– because you have no idea where
you are heading
Why Goals and Outcomes?
• If you only set an outcome and
have no goals…then
– the outcome remains too far away
– you soon give up trying…
• because you feel it is unobtainable
• you get discouraged
Exercise (10 minutes)
• Outcome - be debt free in 2 years
• Goals - what are they for this?
(break into groups of 3-4)
• Determine a clear set of
achievable goals to accomplish
this outcome
• Be able to defend your goals
Open Discussion of
Exercise
What Outcomes Are You
Planning For?
• Short-term
– Today
– For this class
– For this semester…….
• Long-term
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For this year
For your degree
For your employment
For your future
For your life…….
Open Discussion of
Your Outcomes
What Are Your Goals?
• Short-term
– Today
– For this class
– For this semester…….
• Long-term
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For this year
For your degree
For your employment
For your future
For your life……..
Open Discussion of
Your Goals
Learn to Manage Activities
• Place a high value on your
time (activity management),
goals, and outcomes
• Schedule your activities (time)
• Make a serious commitment to
your study activity (time)
Priorities
Need to determine and
set your priorities
to be able to
effectively manage
your activities
How Can You Do This?
Some suggestions from Franklin Covey
(time management training and effectiveness planning)
“Seven Habits of
Highly Effective People”
Priority Management
(Stephen Covey – Seven Habits of Highly Effective People)
• Decide what has high personal value
(school, family, health, work, etc.)
• For each thing to be done decide
– How urgent is it? (Requires immediate attention;
doesn’t require immediate attention)
– How important is it based on personal values?
(Important; or not important)
• Unimportant things, urgent or not
===>Ignore them!<===
Priority Management
(Stephen Covey – Seven Habits of Highly Effective People)
• Things that are both important and
urgent (crisis management) must be
tended to
• Things that are important but not
urgent – tending to them is the key to
overall effectiveness
What To Avoid
“The tyranny of the urgent”
What Does That Mean?
Avoid being busy with things that are
seemingly urgent but are not important
….If not….
You will be very busy all the time - but
you will accomplish very little!!!
Managing Activities (Time)
• Lets focus on managing your
activities (time) as a student
• Key activities for success
–Studying/learning the subject
–Preparing for and taking tests
Making Up Your Weekly Schedule
• Block out all of your commitments
(family, classes, meetings, part-time work, time to get
to and from school, time for meals, exercise, etc.)
• Remainder of time is available for one of
two purposes – 1) study; or 2) recreation
• Schedule study time to avoid wasting
your time
Answer Four Questions
• In scheduling study time, ask
yourself these four questions:
-When should I study-now or later?
-Where should I study?
-What subject(s) should I study?
-Who should I study with?
-myself (alone)
-with others (important and beneficial)
Benefits of Scheduling
Your Study Time
• See if you are overextended
• More likely to keep up in your classes
• Gives feedback as to how much you are
studying (make it quality time!!!)
• You’ll learn what you can do and can’t do
• You’ll find that you have more time
• You’ll feel much less stressed-out over school
How Many Hours Should
You Study?
• Depends on
– How difficult is the course?
– How good a student are you?
– How well prepared are you for the
course and subject matter?
– What grade do you want to receive?
Preparing For Tests
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Schedule time for review
“Scope out” tests
Practice under time pressure
Avoid cramming - no all-nighters
Get a good night’s sleep
Make sure you have the right materials/tools
Arrive early and get settled
Look over the entire test before you start
Learning Modes
• Solitary – You learn by yourself
• Collaborative – You learn with others
“My anecdotal research indicates that about 90
percent of first-year engineering students do virtually
100 percent of their studying alone.”
~Ray Landis
Dean Emeritus of Engineering,
Computer Science, and Technology
CSU, Los Angeles
Why Do Students Study Alone?
• “I learn more studying by myself.”
• “I don’t have anyone to study with.”
• “It’s not right. You’re supposed to do
your own work.”
• “I can figure it out by myself.”
• “I’ve always done it this way.”
• …. other reasons?????
Benefits of Group Study
• You’ll be better prepared for the
engineering “work-world”
• You’ll learn more
• You’ll enjoy it more
• You’ll learn more by discussing
and working problems together
Strategies For Using Time
•Develop blocks of study time
–About 50 minutes?...more?...less?...
–How long does it take for you to
become restless?
•Take breaks
–Some learners need more frequent
breaks for a variety of reasons
–More difficult material may also
require more frequent breaks
Strategies For Using Time
•Schedule weekly reviews
–Individually
–With study groups (important)
•Always prioritize assignments
–When studying, get in the habit of
beginning with the most difficult
subject or task
Strategies For Using Time
•Develop alternative study places
–to maximize concentration
–free from distractions (quiet)
–Or maybe you need background noise
•Use your time wisely
–Think of times when you can study
"bits" as when walking, riding the bus,
etc., in addition to time blocks
Strategies For Using Time
• Review studies and readings
–before class
• Review lecture material
–immediately after class
(Forgetting is greatest within 24 hours
without review)
Strategies For Using Time
• Schedule time to prepare for
-critical course events–Papers
–Presentations
–Tests
–Quizzes (some are unannounced!!!)
–Lab reports
–etc.
Habits
Vince Lombardi
(great football and leadership coach)
"Winning is a habit.
Unfortunately so is losing."
Question
How do you create
winning habits?
Problem Is…
Most people don't plan to fail.
….they just fail to plan.
So What Do You Do?
• Develop a solid plan to manage your
activities (time)
• Be committed to your plan
• Be flexible in your plan
• Establish realistic outcome(s)
• Determine achievable goals for outcome(s)
• Obtain and use a planner
Now What?
So what’s your
game plan to succeed
in your
engineering studies?
…now is the time to get started on this….
Suggestions for You!
• Obtain a planner…and…start using it NOW
• Set outcomes and goals for yourself
-Short-term
-Long-term
• Establish your priorities
• Make a plan to budget your time
• Manage your activities
– Track your daily activities - adjust as necessary
– Learn how you are spending your time
• Commit to developing winning habits for success
Assignment 2
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List three outcomes for this semester
For each outcome provide at least three goals
Prioritize your listed outcomes/goals for the semester
Indicate at least a couple of ways how you could
track your daily/weekly activities to see if they need
adjustment
Turn in this information to me by next class (9/26) –
hard copy typed with your complete name.