Time/Task Management
Presented by the Tomás Rivera Center
Arranged by Dionne S. Dávila
QUIZ
1. Do you estimate how many hours you will need
to study each week?
2. Do you meet assignment deadlines?
3. Do you begin working on semester long projects
early in the semester?
4. Do you write a daily “to do” list?
5. Do you prevent social activities from interfering
with your study time?
6. Do you have a job that requires fewer than 10
hours a week?
QUIZ continued…
7. Do you set specific goals for each study period?
8. Do you begin your study time with your most
difficult subject/assignment?
9. Do you complete most of your studying during
your most productive hours of each day?
10. Do you treat being a full-time student like a full
time job?
For every “Yes” you responded give yourself 1point.
Tally the total number of points you received.
Results
• If you scored 8-10 you are doing well managing
your time. Maybe you need to change one or two
things.
• If you scored 5-7 you are average and have some
good time management skills, but clearly need
some more help.
• If you scored 1-4 you should get a plan together
for how you want to address these issues. Good
thing for you the TRC can help you with that.
Please schedule an appointment with an academic
coach!
The goal of time management
is to find a balance among
all the things you need and
want to do.
What’s the 1st step in managing your
time?
Types of events worth noting in
your planner:





Classes
Professors office hours and contact info
Due dates for papers, projects, presentations, etc.
Test and quiz dates
Meetings:
 Advising or mentor meetings
 SI or Tutoring
The most important word in
our Time Management
vocabulary is…
“NO”
Before Setting Goals
 Have to determine what you value
(What is important to you?)
 Set priorities
 Decide what is most important
 What needs to be accomplished first
Set Goals
• Setting time/task goals will
help you define how you want
to live and what you want to
achieve.
• Define for yourself what will
be long term and short term
goals
Making Your Schedule Work
•
•
•
•
Identify your best time of the day.
Study difficult or boring subjects first.
Use the same place to study every time.
Use the library or a location with very little
distractions.
Avoid distractions
Use “waiting time” to study
Treat school as a full-time job
•
•
•
-www.ucc.vt.edu/lynch/TMTips.htm
Adjust Your Schedule Every Day
•
Write out a daily
schedule at the
beginning of each day.
•
As you write out your
daily schedule, assess
your priorities.
Evaluate Your Schedule
• Evaluate schedule in the morning
• Again at the end of the day
• Re-Assess:
a) Is what I’m doing working? If not what
do I need to change?
b) Divide larger tasks or projects into
smaller parts or steps.
• Avoidance of doing a task that needs to be
done
• Can lead to feelings of guilt, inadequacy,
depression and self-doubt
• Interferes with academic and personal
success
• Not a good indicator of what you are truly
capable of
• So…..don’t put things off…
It’s a misnomer that our talents
make us a success. They help,
but it’s not what we do well
that enables us to achieve in
the long run. It’s what we do
wrong and how we correct it
that ensures our long-lasting
success.
-Bernie Marcus Founder of
Home Depot