Most likely you answered yes to one or more of these questions and feel like you are not really where you want to be in life. Maybe work is not going how you would like. Or you could be feeling guilty because you are not spending enough time at home with your family.
However, don't worry just yet. There is a solution to this problem and it is far easier than you might think. It only takes a few small adjustments in the way you use your time to change your life forever. This is not only about managing your time effectively, it can change your life fundamentally and for the better.
Managing Your Time for Success
You can learn to manage your time skillfully. By following a few simple rules and acquiring good time management habits, you can:
• Get things done on time.
• Avoid last minute rush jobs.
• Feel prepared and confident.
• Have time left over for yourself.
• Get the most out of each day.
How Do You Spend Your Time?
Do an inventory of yesterday’s activities. Write down everything you did and show the amount of
time you spent doing it. Now go back and look at how much time you truly utilized and how much time you squandered. Label activities with an “I” (important), “S” (semi-important), or a
“U” (unimportant). If possible, do an inventory like this for every day for a week. Look for patterns. For example, what parts of the day do you tend to waste time? Use this information to devise strategies for eliminating time-wasters.
To manage your time well, you have to figure out
what you want to accomplish. In other words, what
are your goals? The trick is to set deliberate goals
in areas that count, like:
• the grade you will work for in each subject or
class
• the number of books you will read during the
year
• your specific role in various school groups or
teams (speech, science, sports, music, drama,
etc.)
To complete the picture, you may also need to set
goals in areas unrelated to school, such as leisure
activities. Things like piano lessons and martial arts
classes are important—and they can take a lot of
time.
Some goals are short-term. These can be accomplished
in a few hours or days. Examples are passing
a test, writing a report or reading a particular
book.
Make a list of your goals.
Long-range—
Short-term—
Non-school goals:
Long-range—
Short-term—
Now go back and prioritize your goals. Write an A, B,
or C next to each one to show its relative importance.
Plan and Prioritize
Now that you have your goals, list the specific steps
or activities required to reach them. Since you can’t
do everything at once, number the steps or activities
in their order of importance or sequence. Do at
least one activity each day from your lists. Concentrate
on the most important goals first. Check off
the activities when you have completed them.
A planning calendar is the most effective time management
tool you can use. Carry one with you and
use it to record all the things you must do—class
schedule, homework assignments and due dates,
special school events, field trips and meetings.
Record personal things, too, such as birthdays,
appointments, lessons, work schedules and chores.
Write every assignment in the calendar as soon as
you know about it. At least once a month check your
calendar against your family’s schedule to make
sure there are no conflicts.
Each day (or the night before) make a to-do list.
Copy any appointments, meetings and due dates
from your calendar, and add anything else that
needs to be done that day. Prioritize your list so
that the most important things get done first. Refer
to your list several times a a day. It’s a lot easier
than trying to remember everything.
Use Assignment Sheets
It’s a good idea to keep a master list of school
assignments. Record homework assignments, reports
and special projects on an assignment sheet
as soon as you get them—even before putting the
dates in your planning calendar. Keep one in the
front of your notebook.
• Record your assignments before you leave
class. If you don’t understand an assignment,
ask.
• When you get home from school, check your
planning calendar or to-do list. Do whatever it
tells you to do. Don’t let yourself get sidetracked
by phone calls, TV, computer games,
etc.
• If you have a cell phone, turn it off while
studying.
• Do the toughest part of an assignment first.
Get through the most difficult parts while your
energy is high.
• Don’t procrastinate. Try this:
* Break down tasks into smaller parts.
Keep breaking down the parts until you
see the first step.
* Break down difficult tasks into “minijobs”
that you can complete in 10 minutes
or less.
• Get everything ready for school the night
before. Put your things in the same place
every night.
• Get up early and review for tests before going
to school
