During the course of the semester, you may find yourself feeling overwhelmed by all of the work that you have to do. Personal time management is a set of skills that can help you avoid that feeling and allow you to function effectively even under intense pressure. The elements of time management include activity logs, action plans, and prioritized to-do lists. An activity log can help you understand how you are really spending your time. It can help you determine whether you simply do not have enough hours in the day or whether you are spending too much time in unproductive activities. The self-awareness gained from an activity log can help you identify changes you can make to become more productive.
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time! Some tasks may seem large, complex, and overwhelming. The way to successfully complete a complex task is to develop an action plan. An action plan is a simple list of all of the tasks that you need to carry out in order to complete a larger task. An action plan simply breaks down a large task into smaller, simpler steps. Breaking the job down into smaller, simpler steps makes it easier to complete the larger goal.
Your prioritized to-do list contains all of the assignments and projects that you have to do, in the order of their importance. A to-do list guarantees that you have a record of all of the tasks you have to complete in one place and reduces the chances of forgetting to do something important. You can create this list by first writing down all of the assignments (tasks and smaller subtasks) that you have to do. Then, in a column next to each task write down its relative importance. Do this by assigning each task a number from 1 (most important) to 10 (least important). Importance is a judgment call. For example, if assignment A is due in two days and is worth 5 percent of the grade and assignment B is due in four weeks and is worth 15 percent of the grade, which is more important? If you have plenty of time to complete assignment B, then assignment A may be more important in terms of your time management, even though it is worth a smaller percentage of the grade.
Effective time management will help you stay focused and productive. If you would like to learn more about these skills please contact the Student Counseling Center in the Owens-Franklin Health Center by telephone, 936-857-1400 or in person by just stopping by.