GET ORGANISED!

Time Management

Student Learning Development Student Counselling Service

E: student.learning@tcd.ie

W: http://student-learning.tcd.ie

Learning Objectives

• Become aware of importance of self-

management

• Learn about goal setting, time

management and overcoming

procrastination

• Controlling distractions

• Practice strategies

Self-Management

Effectively managing yourself

and your resources by:

• Planning

• Monitoring

• Evaluating

Self-Assessment

• What study goals did you make this week?

• If you didn’t achieve them why not?

• What do you hope to do the rest of the

week?

• What have you done to get organised? Environment

Routine

Notes

Mind

Goal Setting

• Goals help us focus, stay in control

• Goals are motivating

• Different types:

– Long term goals

– Medium term goals

– Short term goals

SMART Goal Setting

• S = Specific

• M = Measurable

• A = Action

• R = Realistic

• T = Time-based

EXERCISE

Discuss the various techniques or things

you do to help manage your time and

resources

• What works?

• What doesn’t work?

Time Management Strategies

• Prioritise your tasks

• How?

Setting Priorities

High Urgency Low Urgency

High Importance

1 Do it now

2 Plan to do it

Low Importance

3 Resist giving it high priority

4 Time Wasters Busy work

Time Management Strategies

• Prioritise

• Specificity

• Small bite-size pieces

• Use all available time

• Structure the environment

• Establish a routine

• Scheduling

Prioritise - task

• In small groups, look at the list of tasks

that need to be done and put them in order

of priority.

Scheduling – use a system

• Diary and/or Term Planner

• Time Tables

• To do lists – weekly or daily

• Don’t forget

• Relaxation time

• Monitor, evaluate, reward

Get a diary

• Everything

• Check daily

• Dates, meetings,

lectures, timetable

• Social / Relaxation

• Rewards

www.printfree.com

Plan Weekly – short term tasks

An example timetable

Before 9.00 9.00-11.00 11.00-13.00 14.00-15.00 15.00-17.00 After 19.00

Mon Lecture: Myth

10-11 PB 101

Work in library

11-12

Lecture: Rome

12-1 HUM44

Keep free Seminar: Myth

3-4 URS21

Independent

study

Tues Swim Independent

study

Independent

study

Lecture: Epic

4-5 PB105

Wed Seminar: Rome

9-10 HUM15

Independent

study 10-11

Independent

study

Badminton 2-3 Badminton 3-4 (Union night)

Thurs Swim Independent

study

Independent

study

Lecture: Myth

2-3 PB101

Work in library

3-4

Lecture: Rome

4-5 HUM44

Film soc

Fri Lecture: Epic

9-10 PB 105

Seminar: Epic

10-11 URS21

Independent

study

Independent

study

(Out with

friends)

Sat Paid work Paid work

Paid work

Paid work

(Out with

friends)

Sun Independent

study

Make to-do list

for next week

“The best thing I did was to make lists of

things that I needed to do and prioritize

them. It helped me to become more

organized and efficient.

It really helps me to keep on top of things

and also not to procrastinate.

Procrastination is the easiest thing to do

and the hardest thing to get away from.”

Joanna

Lists

To-do list

• Make a list of all tasks

• If it can be done in 2 mins

do it now

• If not, add it to your list

• Prioritise

Options:

www.rememberthemilk.com

www.wunderlist.com

Mobile Phone

Notepad

Diary

www.mindtools.com

Distractions • Emails

• Phone calls & texts

• Facebook/Twitter/Bebo

• Surfing the net

• Computer games

• Television

• Food & Drink

• Tidying/Housework

• Family commitments

Internet use – tools to help

selfcontrolapp.com – macs, free

macfreedom.com – windows, mac, android; $10

FocusBooster – app, free; 25 minute timer

FocusWriter – mac & pc; for writing

Anti-social – blocks social websites, like Freedom

LeechBlock – Firefox or StayFocusd – Chrome

rescuetime – lite is free; tracks time, set goals

persistenceapp.com – free, macs

PROCRASTINATION

Is to delay needlessly

something that we believe

would be to our benefit!

Patterns of Procrastination

• Perfectionist – Focused on excellence at the expense of getting tasks completed on time. (Focused on the future)

• Postponer – Focused on having fun and avoiding difficult tasks. (Focused on the immediate present)

• Politician – Focused on social commitments and others needs – can’t say no. (Focused on externals)

• Punisher – Focused on own perceived shortcomings and failures. (Focused on the past)

Patterns of Procrastination (Schubert Walker, 2004 in Counseling the

Procrastinator in Academic Settings)

Overcoming Procrastination

• Take Action

• Salami Technique

• Five Minutes

• Related Tasks

• Worst first

• Make Commitments

Organise your learning

• PURPOSE

• STRATEGY

• REVIEW

Making sense of the mess!

Setting up a filing system

• Make it simple – if it’s complicated, you won’t use it

• Aim to be able to file it quickly and find it quickly

• Use box files or magazine holders to store

documents, notes, small books etc – label clearly

• Use document folders to transport what you need

each day - empty and repack these regularly!

Organise your mind!

• Positive attitude

• Positive language

• Self-efficacy

• Goals and wants

Some work for you

Stop doing

Continue doing

Start doing

Signed ----------------------------------------------- Date:----------------------------------

Summary

• Plan, monitor and evaluate how you

manage yourself and your time

• Set and achieve SMART goals

• Use a time management system and

effective strategies

• Get things started and finished – beat

procrastination

• Maintain balance

Our details

• Blackboard module: ASSL-TCD-201415

• Website: http://student-learning.tcd.ie

• Email: student.learning@tcd.ie

• Facebook: facebook.com/studentlearning

• Twitter: twitter.com/StudentLearnin1

• Phone: 01-8961407