Time Management Tips
Useful advice to aid students stay on course in preparing their assignments
"Misspending a man's time is a kind of self-homicide."--George Savile
"Procrastination is the thief of time"--Edward Young
"Lost time is never found again."--Benjamin Franklin
"Time: That which man is always trying to kill, but which ends in killing him."--Herbert Spencer
PROCRASTINATION: CAUSES AND REMEDIES
Everyone at some time or another has been guilty of procrastination. Some people are worse
than others; in other words, their behavior is chronic. Others find that procrastination occurs
whenever they perceive a task as difficult, inconvenient, or overwhelming. The result is wasted
time, missed opportunities, poor performance, and increased stress. Procrastination allows less
important tasks to be performed first, so the most important and time-consuming tasks are
neglected. For example, Mario knows he needs to begin drafting his essay on the weekend, but
instead, he chooses to socialize with friends. The result: he is already behind schedule. If he
continues this behavior, he will be unable to submit his essay when it is due, thereby receiving a
penalty.
The following excuses are the common ones that people use to justify inaction:
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I'll wait until I'm in the mood to do it.
It's OK to celebrate ... besides, I'll start my assignment tomorrow.
There's plenty of time to get it done.
Why does the boss (teacher ...) give me so much to do? It's not fair.
It's too hard to talk about. I don't know where to begin.
I work better under pressure, so I don't need to do it right now.
I've got too many other things to do first.
Once these self-defeating statements are exposed, these excuses are not that convincing.
However, when we utter these excuses, they seem quite believable. People should not be
fooled; these remarks make us postpone other important tasks.
CAUSES
There are two general causes: (1) the devious thinking" theory that justifies our behavior and
(2) our behavioral patterns.
The devious thinking reveals three major delay tactics: perfectionism, inadequacy, and
discomfort. Worry over producing a "perfect" task prevents people from finishing on time.
Inadequacy also causes delays because it fosters incompetency, inadequacy, and fear
that students' skills will be tested.
Behavioral patterns cause people to label a task as "unpleasant" or "impossible." Procrastination
is like the concept of inertia in physics. "A mass at rest tends to stay at rest. Greater forces are
required to start change than to sustain change. " In other words, avoiding tasks reinforces
procrastination, which makes it harder to get started. People may also be "stuck" not because of
a lack of desire, but because they don't know what to do or how to proceed.
REMEDIES
1. Engage in rational self-talk. Realize that old excuses will not hold up to rational
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inspection. Here are two examples of excuses and realistic thought.: EXCUSE: I'm not
in the mood right now. REALISTIC THOUGHT: "Mood doesn't do my work, but actions
do. If I wait for the right mood, I will never get it done. " EXCUSE: "I'm just lazy.
REALISTIC THOUGHT: "Labeling myself only makes me feel worse. My work is
separate from my character. Getting started is the key to finishing."
Make Positive Self-Statements. Learn to include a list of self-motivating statements into
your thoughts. Consider the following:
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"There's no time like the present."
"The sooner I get it done, the sooner I can have fun."
"There's no such thing as perfection. It's an illusion that keeps me from doing what I
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need to do now."
"It's cheaper and less painful if I do it now rather than waiting until it gets worse."
3. Avoid the temptation to engage in catastrophic thinking. You must resist the
conclusion that failure is inevitable, or that you can never be good in performing a task.
If you cannot, you will create a wall of fear that will block your performance. You must
realize that negative predictions are not facts. Focus on the present and what positive
steps you can take toward reaching your goal.
4. Design Clear Goals. Think about your strategy and outcome. Be specific, and set
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reasonable, obtainable goals. Goals that are too vague or unspecific may scare you
away from starting.
Evaluate your habits. Why do you perform routine tasks in a certain way? Are these
routines the most efficient? Can you save time by changing your routine actions?
Use your prime working hours. Identify your time clock to discover if you are a
"morning"or a "night"person, and use those times wisely. Because of family
responsibilities and work, you may have to adjust your prime hours.
Set Priorities. Make a list of what needs to be done in order of its importance. You must
establish timelines with realistic goals at each step.
Lower your standards. Because of time constraints, everything you do will not be
perfect. Decide what tasks can be "A" quality and which ones "B" quality.
Learn to say "No." There is never enough time in a 24-hour day to accomplish
everything, so you must move toward accomplishing your goals. You must learn to say
"no" politely without feeling guilty.
If you try to please everyone, you won't be able to
do your work. One way to do this is to say, "I'd like to help you, but I really
can't. I have deadlines to meet."
10. Be flexible. Expect interruptions that most certainly will interfere with your progress. If
you prioritize, your sanity and your schedule will survive.
11. Partialize the Tasks. Break challenging tasks into smaller, more manageable parts.
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Most people can handle tasks they dislike as long as they are short-term and in small
increments.
Delegate or negotiate tasks. Ask yourself, "Can anyone help me?" or "What tasks can I
trade or share? Learn to ask for help.
Get organized. Have all your materials ready before beginning a task. Create a
schedule to list daily tasks and/or weekly tasks. Check off the tasks as you complete
them.
Commit to the Task. Make a "contract" with yourself and agree to spend the time
allotted on task. Better yet, tell a friend, spouse, partner, or supervisor about your
plans. They can serve as a "support system."
Schedule fixed blocks of time first. Schedule class and work time first and all other
activities around them. Donald Murray, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist states, "I write
fragments in slivers of time, always with interruptions, and yet, when I look back, I am
surprised that the writing caught on the fly has produced a lifetime of productivity. You
have to arrange a life in which part of your mind is writing all the time; that's when the
seeds of writing are sown and then cultivated. The writing is harvested in short periods of
time between the busy chores that crowd the day."
Use prompts. Write reminders to yourself and place them in conspicuous places, such
as on the TV, refrigerator, bathroom mirror, front door, and car dashboard. Post-it notes
in various colors serve the purpose well.
Reward Yourself. Self-reinforcement is powerful in developing a "can do" attitude.
Celebrate your success by doing domething enjoyable (watching a TV program, playing a
video game, eating, talking on the phone, visiting a friend or strolling in a mall.) Allow
yourself to enjoy even the slightest progress. Don't minimize your efforts.
Don't take on any additional work, if you can avoid it because it will interfere with
your productivity.
Source: Kent T. Yamauchi, Ph.D
Reproduced from Innovations in Clinical Practice