AEP Time Management and Study Skills

thank you for participating in the second workshop of the academic
enhancement program
today's topic is time management and study skills
i know these two areas are not always that simple to discuss and there are tons of books
written about these two topics
so how do we covered this information in thirty minutes or less
today I will present a few ideas that may help you get more organized which
typically translates into better study skills
let's get started with the best tip that i've ever heard when it comes to time
management
we don't plan to fail
we simply
fail to plan
it is important to know what it is that you need to accomplish
and the deadline you have to accomplish each activity
planning is an integral part and staying organized and less stressed
we can't change the number of hours in the day
so how do we balance out the many roles that we play in life
this example defines three
to learn a role
the worker
and the friend or social time role
other wills do we play that can take up our time
they could possibly include family
church
community member
substitutes ride horses in training animals
and others are simply addicted to running or bicycling
i'm sure you can think of some activities our roles
that you play that may be a better fit for you
once they defy all the roles we need to play
will want to define the activities or demands each role plays places on us
we will also want to take into consideration that each day we have
fixed time
which items that generally don't change or occur on a regular basis
and we have blacks time
which are events that you have control over such as eating
visiting
cleaning
fun relaxation
exercise etcetera
let's talk a little bit of time talking about the fixed time in our lives
during your fix times it's a good idea not to schedule any activity during
these times
so make your list of fix times
such as class schedule
work schedule
etcetera
do you consider your study time
fixed time
or flex time
think about that for a moment
do you plan your study time
it is important to incorporate your study time into your fixed time
the more regimented you can't
the more productive he will be with that time
you may notice if you're using a weekly or daily calendar
that classes generally have five to fifteen minutes between each class
period
how much of that time do you waste visiting with classmates or just twirling your pen and
waiting on the professor get started
use this flex time to your advantage
what are some study activities that you could do during that time
have you thought of any
maybe you could review your notes from the previous class
survey the next chapter for a class
or read the summary or conclusion of the chapter
taking advantage of the small increments time well also aid in your studies
the more often you review your notes
the more it will help aid you in your long-term memory
that way the night before tests you can spend the time reviewing information
rather than relearning the information
how many times have you sat down the night before an exam
and looked over notes that you didn't even remember writing
seem to find yourself having to relearn the information
rather than simply reviewing the information
once you were able to define your flex times in your fix times
another helpful hint when it comes to studying is to make realistic goals
these four will help you stay organized and not getting overwhelmed
with the information you need to cover during your study time
plan ahead
simply writing down the exam dates doesn't allow you to build a study plan
think constantly about murphy's law
that way if something happens you have the time to allow for unscheduled
emergencies
this method will require you to give up some of your freedom and flex time
don't overcommit
recognize your limitations
if you need to work over thirty hours a week
should you be a full-time student?
remember to find that balance between the number of roles that you have
committed to
schedule every activity
know exactly what you plan to accomplish everyday
we'll follow up in just a second about reinforcing the activity of writing
things down
allow for rest
it is important to refill your cup daily
in order to have the energy to meet all of your goals
build a rest time into your schedule
not only include your sleeping hours
also the middle breaks you need to recover from the day
I like calling them mini mental vacations
let's revisit writing things down for a moment
how many of you received a planner during your orientation class
the college believe so much in the value of managing time that we provide each
new student with a planner
if you have not received one then please visit the dean's office
many students now use their phone but most still prefer actually writing
things down in a planner and touching it which helps place the item in long-term
memory
whichever version you use i strongly encourage you to have some form of a
calendar
remember to be realistic with your to do list
it never hurts to include the details in your planner
obviously you'll want to include your long-term goals
such as an exam or term paper
you will also want to list the short term goals
how do you define them
let's stop and think what are some activities or priorities that you would want to
take care of during your study time
here's the formula that you will want to keep in mind
think about how many chapters will the next test cover
how many days of study periods do you have before that exam day
okay so you'll need to break the three chapters in a manageable assignments
it may require you to read a chapter per week or even per day depending on your
schedule
sometimes you may find that you'll have to adjust your fixed study time because of the
demand of your classes
so that is why your flex time is important
can you fit thirty minutes to study time
in some of your flex time or social time
just remember to update your planner often so that you can keep up with your
goals
another simple trick is to use colors to define your activities
this technique will help you glance at your schedule
and their quickly the type of activity you have or the clash he need to prepare
for
the example on the slide uses a different color for each class or
subject
I use microsoft outlook for my calendar
I use blue for meetings
red for college students appointments
yellow for non college student appointments
green if i'm going to be off campus
and other colors as necessary
i can glance quickly and i know
if i need to be in class or if i had a meeting with a student
here's other good suggestions to keep in mind as you prepare to be a better
manager of your time
the first one obviously attend class
schedule regular study periods
be realistic with your goals
study when you're wide awake
set a specific goal for each subject you study
remember a breaking it down into measurable component
start assignments as soon as they are given
it never helps to procrastinate
it's simply adds to stress in your life
study the most difficult subjects first
review regularly
you may also want to vary your work so that you don't get bored
and then finally reward yourself
if you did well on your test
or you accomplished were paper by the deadline then it's time to give yourself
a break and do something fun
once you've created this perfect schedule
and how do you focus to achieve the goal sheet established for that study period
here are some additional habits that will help you drive through the
disturbances you find when you're trying to study
first clear your mind
if things jump in your head
free your mind by just dealing with them
if it doesn't take very long go ahead and do it
such as a load of laundry
get it in the washer and then go back to studying
if it will take a while
jot the issue down
and plan time for it later
by writing it down you can let go of it and refocus on your studies
speaking of
focus
mental discipline works
tell yourself i'm going to study hard for this exam and
and when i'm finished I can daydream all day or i can go to the party with my
friends or just simply take a day off
don't worry about it
try putting your personal problems aside while you are studying
it is hard to do that you could learn to compartmentalize your thoughts
you can't control them while you're studying so set it aside emotionally
it takes practice but you can become quite effective at it
if things continue to distract you
then you may want to visit with a teacher or counselor to help resolve
some of them
switched subjects frequently
if you were easily bored
switching subjects
will give you a variety that will help ward off some of the boredom
do not disturb
turn your phone to silent not vibrate
the vibration will also distract you
how many times have you sat in class and felt your phone vibrate
you begin to focus and worry more about who called or texted
versus what information the professor is sharing
and of course get your zzz
lack of sleep destroys your ability to concentrate
most people need seven to nine hours of sleep a night
your body best functions on the schedule
constant changes in your sleep habits are very disruptive
it is beneficial for you to stay on the same schedule even on the weekends
yes even on the weekends
your body will function more effectively especially if you were able to do
the same or similar activities on a daily basis
here are three additional points to keep in mind while your adapting to improving
your concentration
they include developing a new habit takes almost one full month
not giving out the first few times because it seems a little more difficult
practice certainly will improve your habits and eventually it will become
more routine
these habits will certainly improve your mental capacity and make you much more
effective with the time you've set studying
if you think these habits are too much trouble
here's a good advice to consider from two students
one student stated
time management is such a crucial aspect that every students needs to know
Be it to managed time while studying, day-to-day activities
and mostly during exams
time is a key player in any student's life
another student mentioned using your time wisely will help you achieve more
success in your life
the real key is that once you establish these skills as a student they will
transition easily into your career
skills that most employers find very attractive
along with the advice from other students you'll find these skills will
help you be more content in your life
you're new time management habits can change how you look a life
and if these skills are done correctly you'll actually end up having more
personal and free time
it sure worked for this guy
finding this balance will help you with all the roles you play in your life
not just a student
but as i mentioned before employers will appreciate the soft skills
and you will be rewarded for them
remember the best advice for time management is this key phrase we don't
plan to fail
we simply
fail to plan
if you would like to recieve further assistance on these two topics
feel free to contact me
good luck with the rest of the semester