DSS Academic Skills Training
Programme
Time Management
Difficulties People Can Have
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Meeting assignment deadlines
Conflicting demands of various subjects
Using time in the most efficient ways
Balancing college and life outside of college:
– Family
– Work/employment
– Travel
– Leisure and Sports
• Getting started on study.
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Time Management Issues
• Only part of your week is formally
timetabled – what are you doing with
the rest of the time?
• What time management difficulties
have you experienced?
• Are you productive
or a procrastinator?
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How do you use your time?
Using All Available Time
Formal study sessions complemented
by informal learning and listening sessions
work best i.e. Sample day:
– Attend all lectures and tutorials
– Immediately after, read over and edit lecture notes
– Gather prescribed readings from library and from
Blackboard
– Listen to or read texts, notes and handouts while
travelling home
– Prepare for next day’s scheduled sessions.
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Problem
Solution
Not meeting deadlines?
Diaries & planners (online, mobile based or print)
Calendars (online, mobile based or print)
Reminders
Task analysis
Reflection
Priority setting
Make lists of ‘Things to Do’
Colour code and use symbols:
‘Most Important’
‘Things That Can Wait’
Procrastinating
Working backwards from deadlines
Insufficient or wasted time
Reflection on and analysis of use of time
Not relaxing?
Make time for free time as a ‘reward’
Earn and work towards these ‘rewards’
Studying V Completing
Assignments
Insert study oriented work into each week
Identify long and short term goals
Become familiar with past papers and timetables
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Diaries and Planners
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Paper diaries – page a day, week per view
Weekly & monthly planners –Word templates
Wall planners – Easons
Google calendar – part of UCC email account
Calendar on mobile phone:
Insert appointments,
deadlines and reminders
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First Things First
In order to study you need to know:
– What needs to be studied?
– How to access that information?
– When you study best?
– What time you have available to do it?
– What other commitments do you have?
– How the exams work?
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Set your Priorities
Have you:
• Made a list of everything you have to do?
• Colour coded tasks by those that are:
1. essential and those that
2. can wait?
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Identified the most urgent item?
Worked out the best order to do things in?
Figured out how long each task should take?
Marked your essential tasks on a diary, planner…?
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Task Analysis
1. What is my goal?
a. Do I have everything I need to achieve it?
b. What do I need to do before starting this?
2. What are the rules and guidelines associated with task?
a. What is the word count or exam duration?
b. When is it due/how long do I have?
3. What are the steps to achieving it?
a. What first? Second? Third?
4. How will I know when it is done?
a. What are the indicators of success?
5. What next?
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Reflection
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What tasks did I achieve?
In what timeframe?
How effective was I?
How positive or negative was the outcome
– improved or worse marks?
– lower or higher stress levels?
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What else did I manage to fit in?
What tasks work well together?
What would I change?
What would I do again?
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Column 2 (fill out after study)
Date:
Where:
Time I am starting:
Study conditions:
Were the conditions, time and place the
best possible?
Could I improve anything?
How long am I going to study for?
How long did I study for?
How many breaks will I take?
Time of breaks?
For how long?
When did I take breaks?
Did I stick to the break time? If not, what
do I need to do to get back to study?
Interruptions that occurred
1.
2.
3.
4.
Time finished:
Total time work:
How could I prevent these interruptions?
Actual time spent really studying?
Reflection Tool
Column 1 (fill out during study)
Thoughts and observations about study habits and time management
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Time Saving Tips
Organize files by dates:
• Incorporate date into file name
– This will help you determine which is the most recent
document in the folder, without having to open the
file and read through the content. For example, a file
named “Poverty 12Oct07" would indicate a version of
the Poverty file dated October 12, 2007.
• Version numbers
– Distinguish between documents that have been
reworked or changed. Examples would be “Poverty
v.1" and “Poverty v.2." This also makes it easier to pick
out the most current file.
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More Time Saving Tips
• Store related documents together,
– Store Word documents, presentations,
spreadsheets, and graphics related to a particular
project in a single folder – don’t group all
presentations in one and all spreadsheets in
another.
– Much quicker to find and attach documents for
particular project.
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Keys to Successful Studying
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Based on SMART goals
Well paced, efficient and consistent
Controlled environment
Utilises a range of memory techniques
Focused on repetition and methodological
activities i.e. PRR
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Rewards
• Become goal oriented:
– “When I have this finished I’ll…”
– “When I get my assignment in I can…”
– “After my exams, I will….”
• Goals should be:
– Daily, weekly and monthly
– Long and short term
– Well worth it!
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Common Pitfalls and Solutions
Difficulties
Solutions
Finding the Time to Study
Start early on assignments;
Study consistently
• During all reading weeks
• ‘Break’ times
Understanding what’s needed
Read Book of Modules
Review lecture notes
Email/speak to lecturers and tutors
Read past papers
Dealing with exam itself
Download your timetable
Read past papers
Find exam venue early and visit it
Strict in-exam time management
Stress Management
Study consistently
Breaks and rewards
Exercise, Sleep and Eat
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