Transcript Time Management for Furman University Students Barbara M Foltz, Ed.D. Director of Academic Assistance.

Time Management for
Furman University Students
Barbara M Foltz, Ed.D.
Director of Academic Assistance
WHAT DO THESE PEOPLE
SHARE IN COMMON?
• BARACK OBAMA
• MICHAEL PHELPS – WINNER OF 8
GOLD MEDALS, SWIMMING, 2008
OLYMPICS
• FURMAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
• ALL HAVE SAME NUMBER OF MINUTES
PER DAY (1440!)
• WE ARE GOING TO DISCUSS SOME
TIPS FOR FURMAN UNIVERSITY
STUDENTS TO BE SUPER
PRODUCTIVE WITH THE TIME THEY
HAVE
TWO MOST IMPORTANT TIME
MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES
• SETTING PRIORITIES—WHAT IS MOST
IMPORTANT TO YOU IN YOUR LIFE, IN
EVERY AREA OF LIFE: SCHOOL,
SPORT, FRIENDSHIPS, FAMILY,
SPIRITUAL, ETC.
• USING YOUR TIME WISELY TO
ACHIEVE YOUR HIGHEST PRIORITIES
ACTIVITY: WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH
BY THE END OF THIS SEMESTER?
•
•
•
•
•
GRADE POINT AVERAGE
HEALTH/PHYSICAL/ATHLETIC
FRIENDSHIPS
FAMILY
OTHER
SECOND PART OF ACTIVITY
• NOW—WHAT IS ONE SMALL STEP YOU
CAN TAKE THIS WEEK TO GET
CLOSER TO YOUR GOALS?
USING YOUR STUDENT DAILY
PLANNER
• START EACH SEMESTER WITH OVERALL
SEMESTER PLANNING. USING A MONTHLY
VIEW CALENDAR, CHART OUT YOUR
SEMESTER. PUT IN ALL IMPORTANT
ACADEMIC DATES FOR THE ENTIRE
SEMESTER—TEST DATES, PROJECT DUE
DATES, PAPER DUE DATES, ETC. ALSO PUT
IN IMPORTANT ATHLETIC AND PERSONAL
DATES—COMPETITIONS, TRIPS,
IMPORTANT FAMILY DATES
USING YOUR STUDENT DAILY
PLANNER, CONT.
• THEN EACH SUNDAY EVENING, USE THE WEEKLY
AND DAILY PLANNING SECTIONS OF YOUR
PLANNER TO MAKE YOUR “TO DO LIST”. FIRST SET
YOUR OVERALL WEEKLY GOALS
(PERSONAL/ACADEMIC/INTERPERSONAL). THEN
SET GOALS FOR EACH DAY SO THAT YOU
ACCOMPLISH YOUR GOALS FOR THE WEEK.
• AN EXCELLENT GOAL IS TO HAVE ALL OF YOUR
READING, ASSIGNMENTS, ETC. DONE A WEEK
BEFORE THE ACTUAL TEST DATE SO THAT THE
WEEK BEFORE A TEST IS REVIEW TIME
ABC METHOD OF PRIORITIZING
• PRIORITIZE THE WEEK’S ACTIVIES:
• A” LIST—VERY IMPORTANT—MUST DO
• “B” LIST—WOULD BE GOOD TO
ACCOMPLISH TODAY
• “C” LIST—DO IF YOU HAVE TIME
• REALIZE YOU PROBABLY AREN’T
GOING TO GET TO YOUR C’S—
UNLESS THEY BECOME A’S OR B’S
DON’T CONFUSE THE URGENT
WITH THE IMPORTANT
• RUNNING OUT OF GAS—AN URGENT
SITUATION—BUT NOT AN IMPORTANT
SITUATION
• USING YOUR PLANNER TO PLAN OUT
THE SEMESTER—AN IMPORTANT
TASK, EVEN IF IT DOESN’T FEEL
URGENT
MOST HELPFUL TIP I’VE GIVEN
STUDENTS…
• 8 HOUR DAY—TREAT YOUR ACADEMICS AS
A PROFESSIONAL JOB
• OUT OF THE RESIDENCE HALL EARLY—E.G.
8 A.M., DRESSED, FED & READY TO GO!
• DON’T RETURN TO RESIDENCE HALL
BETWEEN CLASSES—GO TO LIBRARY OR A
QUIET SPOT ON CAMPUS
• CAN TAKE A LUNCH HOUR, SHORT BREAKS,
ETC., BUT STAY ON THE JOB UNTIL LATE
AFTERNOON (4 PM FOR EXAMPLE)
8 HOUR DAY, CON’T
• THEN TAKE A BREAK, EXERCISE,
SOCIALIZE, EAT, ETC.
• THEN ONE OR TWO HOURS OVERTIME
IN THE EVENING
• THIS WILL PROVIDE A STEADY,
EFFICIENT SCHEDULE WHICH WON’T
INCLUDE ALL NIGHTERS AND LATENIGHT CRAMMING
80/20 RULE
• PEOPLE SPEND 80% OF THEIR TIME ON
ACTIVITIES THAT ONLY PRODUCE 20% OF
THE RESULTS, AND 20% OF THEIR TIME ON
ACTIVITIES WHICH PRODUCE 80% OF THE
RESULTS
• KEY IS TO IDENTIFY THE 20% WHICH ARE
HIGH YIELD ACTIVITIES: REWRITING
LECTURE NOTES, READING BEFORE
LECTURE, USING LIBRARY, ETC. (VARIES
AMONG INDIVIDUALS)
80/20, CON’T.
• KEY IS T0 IDENTIFY YOUR MOST
IMPORTANT PRIORITIES AND PRODUCTIVE
ACTIVITIES, AND MAKE THEM “A” ACTIVITIES
IN YOUR PLANNER
• OTHER 80/20’S:
– 80% OF CLOTHES YOU WEAR COME FROM 20%
OF YOUR WARDROBE
– 80% OF THE INTERRUPTIONS COME FROM 20%
OF THE PEOPLE
– 20% MORE EFFORT CAN RESULT IN AN 80%
BETTER PRODUCT
BULK DECISION MAKING FOR DECISIONS WE
MAKE EVERY DAY
• SAVE LOTS OF MINUTES EACH DAY
BY THINKING ONCE AND REAPING
BENEFITS FOR A WEEK OR LONGER!
• DECIDE WHAT TO WEAR FOR ENTIRE
WEEK
• WHEN YOU’LL REWRITE YOUR NOTES
• WHEN YOU’LL CALL YOUR PARENTS
• WHEN YOU’LL WORK OUT, ETC
OTHER TIPS FOR STUDENTS
• PICK THE RIGHT TIME OF DAY FOR YOUR HARDEST
CLASSES—WHEN YOU ARE MOST ALERT
• PLAN TO STUDY 2 HOURS FOR EVERY HOUR
SPENT IN CLASS
• PLAN AHEAD FOR TESTS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU
HAVE SEVERAL IN ONE WEEK
• SCHEDULE YOUR “DOWN TIME” FOR MUNDANE
TASKS OR EASY ENJOYABLE ACTIVITIES
• GO TO CLASS
• STAY OUT OF BED!
IN SUM…
• WE ALL HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF
TIME, AND WE CAN MAKE THE BEST
OUT OF IT BY…
• PRIORITIZING WHAT IS MOST
IMPORTANT TO US
• PLANNING AND GOAL SETTING BASED
ON OUR VALUES AND PRIORITIES
• USING OUR BEST TIMES WISELY