Take initiative; don’t wait for others to act first
Be responsible for what you do and don’t do
Take control over your semester, rather than it taking control of you!
HABIT 2: BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND
Think things through
Plan your work
Set realistic goals
o List the steps and time frame needed to achieve your goals
HABIT 3: PUT FIRST THINGS FIRST
Make sure to distinguish the goals that are truly important (e.g. completion of a research project)
from those that may seem urgent but are really not important (e.g. arranging the weekend's
softball game for your buddies).
Do not spend a large amount of time doing busywork--work that appears productive but only
keeps you occupied.
HABIT 4: LOOK AHEAD
Essential to being proactive, as opposed to reactive, is to project ahead
One way to effectively do this is to keep a calendar for each month of the semester
o From the syllabi for your courses and the General Information Catalogue, note the important
dates such as test dates, due dates of important assignments, times of mid-term and final
exams, holidays, registration periods, drop dates, and financial aid deadlines.
o In filling out your calendars, note the times of the semester that will be difficult for you and
begin to develop a plan to address the difficulties you anticipate.
Student Advising and Learning Center
Because there are numerous activities you will have to balance in a given week, keeping a weekly
schedule in which you determine the week's work is highly advised.
o First block in fixed activities, such as classes, labs, meetings, meals, chores, and sleep. Use this
as a master schedule template that you will use to make each week's schedule.
o Then, before each week, make a list of study and other tasks that need to be completed;
using this list, add study and recreation times to your schedule. Be specific and realistic.
o An effective tool for those students who occasionally have more to do than they can keep
track of in their minds is the daily “to do” list.
o If regularly composing daily "to do" lists is not your thing, consider using one when you find
yourself "in the weeds" for example, during mid-terms or the well-known end-of-semester
crunch. A well-crafted list can do wonders.
ONE LAST WORD...
If you have never managed your time before, it will take a little bit of time to learn how and to do
it.
Keep in mind, the more you do it the better and faster you will get.
Stick with it for approximately 30 days so that you can evaluate its effectiveness. You may
discover that you need to make some slight modifications.
You do not have to do everything outlined in this paper. Instead identify those suggestions
mentioned that will enhance your way of managing time.
Remember, in many cases, you will have to modify our advice to fit your learning style and
circumstance.
While you are scrutinizing your use of time, make sure to note any patterns to your wasting time.
Also note under what circumstances you use time effectively. No one knows you better than
yourself.
Things to Consider While Composing Your Schedule
1. Schedule fixed blocks of time first
Start with class and work time, for instance.
Then schedule essential daily activities like sleep and eating.
Once you've schedule fixed blocks of time, then you can see what time you have left and
schedule around them.
Also note that optimum efficiency is often reached by planning in blocks of 1hour- fifty minutes
to study and ten minutes for a break. Yes... take breaks when you study!
Schedule time for fun, but make sure to schedule study hours before fun activities.
2. Discover how long to study for each course.
Study approximately two hours for every hour in class. Start out by allowing two hours of
study for every hour in class. Adjust the hours accordingly.
The time required varies from student to student and from subject to subject.
3. Use daylight hours effectively.
Research shows that many students do not make effective use of daytime hours. These students
tend to save all of their work for the evening, when they are least likely to do it or when they are
most susceptible to procrastination.
4. Break large assignments into more workable tasks.
When one of your assignments is large and overwhelming, divide it into small, more manageable
units. Then schedule your time appropriately.
5. Allow larger blocks of time for learning new material.
Understanding new material often requires that you analyze difficult concepts, which requires a
lot of time.
6. Make use of small blocks of time, particularly for review.
Busy students often need to take advantage of small blocks of time.
Use short blocks of time to memorize lists of items.
Spend a few minutes after each class reviewing and editing your lecture notes
7. Avoid scheduling marathon study sessions.
Distributed study (distributing the work over a period of days) is far more effective than massed
study (cramming).
o The problem with cramming is that there is too little time to seek clarification about difficult
concepts and to prepare adequately for most test--all of which can increase anxiety and
lessen your ability to concentrate during a test.
o In a nine- or ten-hour study marathon, the percentage of time actually spent on task can be
depressingly small due to fatigue and burnout. Whereas three shorter sessions will likely yield
much more productive use of time.
8. Schedule study periods for difficult courses for times when you are most alert and can
concentrate best--that is, when you're "running on all cylinders."
9. Set clear starting and stopping times.
If you note only the deadline, there's a good chance that you'll wait until the last minute to get
started.
10. Schedule time for exercise and plan for adequate amount of sleep.
Regular exercise can alleviate stress and enhance concentration.
Too little sleep contributes to fatigue, a lack of mental alertness, and irritability.
The quality of your education often depends on sufficient sleep.
11. Allow flexibility into your schedule; don't schedule all of your time.
Leave a little room for unexpected events. If you pack your weekly schedule with too many
details, the chances of your following such a schedule are very slim.
Leave one of the weekend days free for errands, fun and relaxation. Not leaving time for errands
and relaxation can contribute to stress and lower productivity.
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