Academic Survival
Mastering Self-Management
Presentation based on:
Downing, Skip. On Course: Strategies for Creating
Success in College and Life, 3rd Ed.
Self-Management
Successful Students
Struggling Students
Act on purpose,
choosing deeds that
move them on course
to their goals and
dreams.
Wait passively or
wander from one
unpurposeful activity
to another.
Self-Management
Successful Students
Struggling Students
Employ selfLive disorganized,
management tools,
unplanned lives,
regularly planning and
constantly responding
carrying out purposeful
to whims of the
actions.
moment.
Self-Management
Successful Students
Struggling Students
Develop self-discipline, Quit or change course
when their actions don’t
showing commitment,
lead to immediate success.
focus, and persistence in
pursuing their goals and
dreams.
Acting on Purpose
Urgent
Important
Not Important
Quadrant I Actions –
are important
activities done under
the pressure of
deadlines.
Quadrant III Actions –
are unimportant
activities done with a
sense of urgency.
Not Urgent
Quadrant II Actions –
are important
activities done without
the pressure of
looming deadlines.
Quadrant IV Actions –
are simply time
wasters.
Acting on Purpose
Urgent
Important
Quadrant I Actions –
Example: Staying up
all night cramming for
an 8:00 a.m. test.
Quadrant III Actions –
Example: Attending a
Not Important hastily called meeting
that has nothing to do
with your goals.
Not Urgent
Quadrant II Actions –
Example: Creating a
study group in the
first week of the
semester.
Quadrant IV Actions –
Example: Mindlessly
watching television
until 4:00 a.m.
Acting on Purpose
Urgent
Quadrant I
•Putting out brushfires
Important •Only moderate
success
•Stress filled life
Quadrant III
•Victims
Not Important •Activities that are
unimportant to our
own goals and
dreams.
Not Urgent
Quadrant II
•Creators
•Purposeful action
•Success
Quadrant IV
•Time wasters
Employing Self- Management Tools
There is no such thing as time management – only selfmanagement!
The secret of mastering effective self-management is
maximizing time spent in Quadrants I and II.
Self-Management Tools
1. Monthly calendars
2. Daily action list or “to do” lists
3. Tracking forms
Developing Self-Discipline
Three essential ingredients for self-discipline
• Commitment
• Focus
• Persistence
Commitment
Commitment is the outcome of staying focused and
being persistent!
Staying Focused
Focus is self-discipline in thought.
The Inner Defendant (sayings like – boring teachers,
schedule stinks, getting over the flu, better next semester,
etc.) and the Inner Critic (sayings like – too old, too dumb,
never could do math, etc.) are the two biggest enemies
of focus.
Remember to keep your Inner Guide (sayings like –
“What are my dreams and goals?) strong and regain
focus by revisualizing your life plan.
Persistence
Persistence is self-discipline in action.
Persistence can best be found by asking the question:
Do you LOVE YOURSELF enough to stay on task to
accomplishing your dreams?
Procrastination
Procrastination is the hole that sinks many ships!
If your dreams are important to you, what are you
waiting for?
Will you make a 32-day commitment?
Self-Management &
Self-Confidence
Genuine self-confidence results from a history of success,
and a history of success results from persistently taking
action.
Build your success identity by persisting in whatever
you struggle doing until it become a success for you.
Self-Management &
Self-Confidence
Celebrate your successes and talents
The praise we give ourselves is more important than the
praises of all others.
Find a way of recognizing and rewarding your successes.
Self-Management &
Self-Confidence
Visualize purposeful action
Visualize what you need to do to make your success, then
take purposeful action to do these things.
Adopt the I CAN attitude.