Time Management

Time management is as emotional as it is logical.

…We procrastinate because we do things that we WANT to do (i.e. things that make us feel good). We don’t need to get

better at prioritizing. Our brain is already programmed to prioritize extremely well.

Time management at a school like MICDS means conditioning yourself to do what you

need to do or should do over what you want to do. So how do you best get THESE

types of things done?

Efficiency is one-dimensional thinking.It’s important, but that’s not all there is to time management.

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urgent

Prioritizing (the Stephen Covey method) is two-dimensional thinking.

It’s important, but that is also not all there is to time management.

The problem is that we are still lacking that thing that makes us WANT to do the task, the thing that lets us know how much of a

priority the task truly is.

Identify the SIGNIFICANCE. Multiply your time by giving yourself the permission to spend time on things today

that will give you more time tomorrow.

Being clear on the SIGNIFICANCE of each task will also provide motivation.

What are the things I am working on right now that will build long-term skills

and/or save me time tonight or tomorrow?

I’m giving you these last ten

minutes of class to work

on _____ which is due

on Friday.

Socializing with friends IS IMPORTANT, but do I need to do this now? Will

there be time later to take a break?

Don’t work during break time, but do work during wait time.• At the doctor’s office• Waiting for a plane• In the car • Read written text if it

doesn’t bother you to read while the car is moving

• Or invest in a comfortable headset and listen to audio book version to and from school.

• When you are early to school or waiting to be picked up

Set Goals1. Specific2. Realistic3. Time-based4. Break larger

assignments into smaller chunks

Set GoalsWhen planning your time, it should be in 30 minute blocks. The working brain can not handle any more information longer that that time frame.

• 10 min – generate ideas and quotes• 10 min – write thesis statement• 10 min - outlineEnglish• 10 min - Math

Science

Spanish

History

Set GoalsTherefore, planning should be done with an active break in between blocks. Breaks should be planned and part of the time management.

• hwk subject

BREAK• hwk subject

BREAK• hwk subject

BREAK• hwk subject

BREAK• hwk subject

How to Take a Study Breaksource: http://www.fastweb.com/student-life/articles/energizing-study-break-ideas-what-to-avoid

What to Do:• Take a Walk – • Stretch – • Tidy Up – • Phone a Friend – • Take a Quick Shower – • Run a Quick Errand – • Cook a Healthy Meal – • Meditate – • Express Yourself through Creativity–

What not to Do:• Snacking on Junk Food – • Taking a Nap (for more than 10

minutes)• Watching TV, Surfing the Web,

Video Games & Other Media-Related Activities – • Excessive Caffeine – • Huge meals –

Quick Tricks to Avoid Procrastination• “Self Control”- app on your computer that can block websites for 24 hours• Phone: complicated password, hide it, track usage• Schedule: setting 20 minute goals• Secluded, clean Space: avoid messes & distractions• Music: avoid distracting music, possibly none• No multitasking!• Delegate Responsibility: have someone help you• Group work: divide time amongst members so that you do more work on days that you are not busy,

and they can help you out on days that are difficult)• Lists: Delineating obligations organizes them• Breaks: Every thirty minutes (don’t cheat your break by wasting it playing on your phone: be active!)• Incentives: give yourself additional motivation!

JUST START

Do not strive for perfection of work, instead focus on completing project steps.

When you are complete with all tasks, you will know how much time you have left and what

revisions need priority.

how an assignment is usually worked on:Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

assignment given

discover that one or two students

have already been working on the

project …feel kind of guilty

look at instructions

start and finish project

deadline for project

find out you forgot to include

something

brilliant epiphany about something

you could have added or revised

in the project

get assignment back from teacher – underwhelming

feedback and grade

JUST START

Getting started on a long-term assignment on the first day it’s assigned 1) gets the ball rolling (it is

neurologically harder to begin a project than it is to continue it) and 2) reveals the parts of the assignment

that you didn’t know existed or didn’t realize would take so much time.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

assignment given

work on it for 20 minutes that night

work for 10-15 minutes

work for 10-15 minutes

brilliant epiphany

about what to add

work for 10-15 minutes

brilliant epiphany

about what to revise

meet with teacher about questions that have come up

when you usually start a

project

finishing touches

deadline for project

Don’t forget, time management is as emotional as it is logical.

Practice getting clear on WHY you should do the things you do.

Additional Resource• https://

www.ted.com/talks/tony_robbins_asks_why_we_do_what_we_do?language=en#t-159389• Ted Talk by Tony Robbins• 1:20-7:20 especially important, although all of it is helpful

Works Cited• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2X7c9TUQJ8 • http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.1232469!/

img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/article_970/shutterstock-baby-crying.jpg • https://chunlu.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/turner_slave_ship_1840.jpg • http://www.huckmagazine.com/art-and-culture/film-2/charlie-chaplin/• http://i.ytimg.com/vi/W6sXxVwBMYI/maxresdefault.jpg • http://

i.lv3.hbo.com/assets/images/series/six-feet-under/episodes/5/60/ecotone-04-1920-1024.jpg • http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1397594/thumbs/o-FRAME-WITH-HANDS-facebook.jpg • https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Alishan_Forest_Stump_Moss.JPG• http://media.columbian.com/img/croppedphotos/2012/10/10/Sign_Language_Classes.JPEG-.

jpg