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TIMEMANAGEMENT

How To Graduate with...

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Hi, I’m Chevonnese,

I’ve always been a busy little bee and realise that the reason why I can accomplish so many things is because of my ability to organize my time. So I prepared this presentation to share what I do.

I hope they help.

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Your GoalsUltimately what do you want out of life? What are your personal goals? What are your professional goals? With a goal in mind, you’ll find that you will be more motivated to organize your time and be efficient.

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In The Before...Before the semester begins try to do as much reading as you can. This will give you more time in the semester to study and complete assignments.

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EquipmentThe state of the tools and equipment that you use can determine how fast you are able to do what you need to do. At least invest in a computer, anti-virus, a cell phone, Internet service and, if possible, a tablet.

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Systems CheckConduct regular maintenance on your equipment to ensure that they are at their peak level of performance at all times. Scan for viruses & worms and defragment & disk cleanup your machine.

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ToolsI recommend using cloud services, so no matter where you are, you have access to your information. My recommendations are: Google Keep, Google Calendar, Google Contacts, Google Hangouts, and Trello

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ContactsAs soon as you can, collect the contact details for your lecturers, tutors, admin staff, group members, and course members (if possible). Add them to a cloud service so that you can access them from any device.

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To DoGoogle Keep is a wonderful cloud service that allows you to prepare your To Do list. You can even use it to take your notes for classes. A To Do list will help you to organize ALL of what you need to get done.

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AssignmentsUse your To Do list to manage when your assignments are due. Try to get your assignment schedule for all your courses and make your schedule based on the level of complexity and priority.

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Check PleaseOnce you have a task to do, put it on your to do list. Check it off when it is complete. Assign realistic deadlines (date and time). Your to do list must be up-to-date to have any meaning for you.

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CalendarGoogle Calendar is another wonderful cloud service that allows you to fully plan your timetable. Consider the entire day when developing your timetable: Sun-Sat from 12a.m. to 11:59p.m.

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TimetableCollect the times for all your classes and tutorial sessions as soon as you can. Block out those times in your calendar.

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Study TimetableThink about the time of day that you are most productive and block out those times in your calendar. For example, I read in the morning and did problem solving in the nights.

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A Course A DayFor your study timetable, consider assigning specific days to cover specific courses. For example, on Mondays I’ll study Math, on Tuesdays English, on Wednesdays IT, etc.

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Errands DayConsider doing all your errands on one day, especially those errands that are off campus or away from your home. Group them based on the area to save on time and transportation costs.

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On The ErrandUse up the time when working out, travelling, sleeping, doing your hair and nails, etc. Consider creating a voice recording of your notes, place them on your cell phone or tablet, and play them during these activities.

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In The MorningA morning schedule is a good way to eliminate time wastage. It is particularly useful when you live with someone else. What do you do in the mornings to get ready? What time do you do them?

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School ActivitiesAs soon as you can, find out the dates and times for school activities: Sports Day, Parties, Banquets, special events, etc. Block out those times in your calendar.

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Public HolidaysPlace these dates in advance in your calendar. You can go online and find out the public holidays for your country. Since you know in advance when these days will be, you can plan additional study time.

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HomeworkWhat time of day is good for you to complete your assignments? Remember homework is a type of studying but not studying. So book the time that you believe is most optimal to do your assignments.

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Other TimetableWhat other activities do you do? Church? Work? Study Group? Group Project? Make note of those times and log them in your calendar. Don’t forget to log sleeptime and getting ready in the morning time.

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Personal TimeWork hard, play hard. If you’re studying all the time you’ll burn out. Schedule time in your calendar for you to party, veg out, watch tv etc. Just don’t be excessive with the time. Once a month you can do something longer

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The Other HalfOnce a month schedule dates with your other half. You can’t totally ignore them during your time at school, but you must make them understand that study time is study time and their time is their time.

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AppointmentsTry to schedule your routine appointments in advance. And set them for in the morning; before the rush and to avoid delays from other appointments that are running late.

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Cancelled ClassMaximize your time when a class has been cancelled. Do you have an assignment to complete? Material to read? Is there a topic that you are not clear on? Use the time to your advantage.

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All In OneJust so that we are clear, you will be preparing one calendar that records all your activities: class times, tutorials, study time, school activities, public holidays, homework, group studying, personal time etc.

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Useful DocsTemplate:https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B36G9ULpxtrwY2g3bFVHblViUTQ/view?usp=sharingSample:https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B36G9ULpxtrwaW0wRGh1OVZvV00/view?usp=sharing

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MultiplesIf you are like me and manage multiple calendars and multiple to do lists, simply get an app that can manage all of them from one platform.

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Stick To It!Try to stick to the timetable that you set for yourself. And even if you don’t, the timetable gives you an idea of what you are giving up when you are not doing what you are supposed to be doing.

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Project Mgmt.If you plan how you will tackle your projects, you will be able to move through them quicker. Eliminate excessive face-to-face group meetings with Trello, an online project management tool.

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GroupsWhen a group meeting is called, ensure that there is an agenda. There should be a set time to begin and a time to end the meeting. Try to assign a time limit on each item to be discussed.

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MeetingsEnsure to set up an agreement with your team members to inform each other at least 1 hour before the scheduled time for a meeting if they will be late or will not be able to make the meeting again.

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Class MembersTry to work with your classmates and handle any problems that may occur. You may need to meet as a class (it can be virtually) and help each other with problems or discuss the topics.

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CommunicationEach time you answer the phone, read an IM, check your email, and glance on FB, you are taking time away from what you ought to be doing. Set a certain time of day for those types of communication.

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VoicemailDuring non-communication time, encourage persons to send you an email in your voicemail message. When it is communication time, you can respond to their email eliminating long conversations.

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Voice Over IPSave yourself time by using Google Hangouts, Skype, ooVoo, etc. for group meetings. Instead of travelling for face-to-face meetings.

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IM is in...Consider having a shared space for your cohort, course, and/or study group: FB, BBM, Google+, or WhatsApp group. Use it to communicate any problems or questions you would like to ask your fellow members.

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More CloudConsider storing your lecture notes and personal notes in the cloud. This way you can access them from anywhere at anytime, eliminating the time used to shuffle to find what you need or carrying many things at once.

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ProcrastinationBattle procrastination by setting goals for yourself. For example: I want to get an A in this course; or I want to be the highest paid executive in my industry. Goals help to decrease the call of procrastination.

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Power NapsDon’t underestimate the power of The Power Nap. 5 to 10 minutes can go a long way. They can recharge your energy and motivate you to go for another hour (or so) of studying.

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Group StudyingThis is an excellent way to save on time. Do you have a textbook to read? Assign chapters to group members and then teach each other those sections. But be careful of who you allow to be a member of the group.

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Be SelectiveIf at all possible, try to use the same people to conduct group studying and do group projects. When it is the same people, you can eliminate time to move from meeting to meeting or getting to know new people.

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Manage OthersManage others so that they don’t waste your time. You don’t necessarily have to lead your teams, you just need to understand human emotions and act accordingly to get the responses you desire.

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NotesTaking notes, especially written notes, allows you to remember the material easier. This saves you time from re-reading the material. Create your own shorthand to write your notes faster.

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Supply RunsTo save yourself time from doing multiple supply runs per month, try to go bulk shopping instead. This covers everything you consume and use. It should include stationery as well. Plan stock replenishments.

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The ClosetOrganizing your closet will reduce the amount of time spent on Getting Ready time. Organize it by: school, work, church, party, etc. Try to use Sundays to pick out your clothes for the week.

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The ClothesGet in a weekly routine to wash and iron your clothes. Don’t let your load pile up. That leads to extended time for these activities. Find out the times where the laundromat is least used and do your laundry then.

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The RoutineThere should be some normalcy with your days (a routine). That way it becomes easier to remember what to do during a certain time slot.

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Tablet/eReader 1Tablets can be used to read your textbooks, make your notes, view your lecture notes, view your calendar, view your To Do list, access your project management tool, store your study recordings etc.

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Tablet/eReader 2Consider purchasing a cheap tablet or ereader. They can assist with your overall efficiency during your time at school. Get one with wifi and/or 3G. That way you can have your calendar & To Do list readily available.

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A RewardReward yourself when you have completed a big task or project. And deny yourself that reward until the task or project is complete. You can use it to motivate you to work faster and more efficiently.

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ImperfectionStrive for improvement not perfection. Perfectionism causes you to knit pick on every detail, eventually causing you to waste time. Spend as much time that is necessary for an activity, course, or project & no more.

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Course DropYou must be able to assess what is happening in your life and maybe drop a course if necessary. Spending time on a course that is not mandatory and is holding you back, is wasting your time. DROP IT!

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The Power of NOYou will have to say NO at times to ensure that you get YOUR work done. Do it nicely, but ensure you do it. You can’t always go out for a drink, or take a break, or go on vacation...you won’t get anything done.

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Closer To HomeHome should be as close to school as possible. Your commute time will be greatly reduced.

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SundaysSundays or whatever day you like, can be used to:● Cook for the week● Pick clothes for the week● Run virus scan on PC● Sort files● Laundry and Ironing

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File MgmtCreate folders for your courses. Organize files on your hard drive so that they can be easily found.

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In The End...At the end of the semester do some house cleaning: backup notes, ebooks etc. Remove unnecessary files from the computer and tablet. Store exam receipts & important documents.

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School & moreUse these time management techniques even after you have left school, and find that you will be able to accomplish a whole lot for the day like I do.

Good Luck!

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Keep In TouchMaintain contact with your lecturers and classmates even after you have left school. Keep their contact information in your Contacts Manager. When you need advice or help, it will be easy for you to make contact.

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That’s ItContact me @ChevonneseWhyte or on FB Chevonnese Chevers Whyte. Feel free to post your own tips at http://slideshare.net/ChevonneseWhyte for this presentation.

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Other TopicsHow To Graduate With...

GPSTRATEGICSTUDYING

GROUPPROJECTS

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STRATEGICSTUDYING

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Photo CreditsCreative Commonshttps://www.flickr.com/photos/deapeajay/2074990690/

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About MeChevonnese Chevers Whytehttp://chevonnesewhyte.com/

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ThanksThank you Daddy! Some of these tips were inspired by your own actions and what you taught me. Others I developed on my own or from observing others.