Time Management

This could be the most important information you will receive in your life. When asked what trait is most desired in the workplace, a majority of employers will say "Time Management." This skill is not only an excellent one to have in school or work but also in your personal life. When making a semester schedule, try to keep a good balance between your academic and social activities. This may take some periods of trial and error, but if you take control of your planning, you're on your way to mastering a tool for life!

The following tips are good to keep in mind when planning a schedule:

1. Use a grid of some sort to separate the hours
2. Label the hours that you have commitments to meet
3. Color-code the hours you blocked off: (i.e., red for classes, blue for work, orange for meals....)
4. Make sure that you block off EVERY hour that you are going to be busy.

The following are some commonly missed activities:

• Sport activities and practices
• Meal times
• Clubs, meetings, other academically related projects
• Your favorite TV shows
• Church, phone calls to mom, meditation.....
• Your night out with the "gang", travel time to work and back, and that special date.

These are the times that even if you did schedule to study, you probably would not. Be honest with yourself, and know your limitations and weaknesses. Do not over-schedule, or be frustrated with yourself if your schedule gets messed up every now and then. Be patient, and do not be afraid to make adjustments.

Once you have all these times colored in, then it will be easier to see how much time in a week you actually have to dedicate to studying. The best thing you can do is to schedule times to study, to go to the library, or to get started on that composition paper. Remember to schedule one and a half hours of study weekly for every hour of credits you are currently taking, and do your best to stick to your schedule.

This is a list of hints to follow when setting goals for yourself:

• Have both long and short term goals prepared.
• Write out your goals so you can 'see' them.
• Reward yourself for keeping with a schedule or goal.
• Keep a "deadlines" notebook or sheet, and plan accordingly.
• Make the task an enjoyable one; find a way to feel good about what you are doing.
• Get phone numbers of classmates so you can study in a group the week before the test. You can make some awesome friends this way.
• Start with long term goals, then set midterm goals that have to be met in order to reach the long term goals. Then set short term goals to meet the midterm goals.
• Don't procrastinate!
• Make sure you keep these goals where you can see them. Circle the goals once you've met them, this will make the list seem shorter, and brings you one step closer to the long term goal of graduation!

You do not have to follow each and every one of these tips, but try to incorporate as many as possible into your study habits. Remember, that one of the keys to a successful career is excellent time management. Try it for one semester, it cannot hurt.