Time Management

Time Management

Time mangament plays a huge role in student success. It is important for students to be able to estimate how long an assignment, project or task will take. Students need to manage the time required for all their activites not just the academic ones. If you have soccer practice, band rehersal and a project to finish the student needs to be able to prioritize and manage their time to make sure everything is completed.

There is a three step process to time management that is very helpful.

Step one: Estimate Time

Step Two: Schedule Time

Step Three: Monitor Schedule

Step 1:

Students can learn to estimate time by following the steps below:

1. Estimate how long it will take to complete a given task.

When doing this first step its a good idea to think of a larger task/assignment in smaller chunks. To do this, when presented with a large task that seems overwhelming break it up into more manageable parts, this will help with organization of the project as well.

2. Perform the task and then determine how long it actually took.

3. Discuss the results with the teacher/class.

4. Highlight disparities between the estimates and actual time.

Step 2:

If you know how to estimate how much time it takes to compelte a task, the next step is to learn how to schedule your time. Use the time estiments to create a timeline. There is one of two ways to complete this.

1:Add up all the time estimates to get a total estimated time. Doing this gives a rough idea of how long an assignment or project will take.

Example:

Source: https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/ss2/perspectives-and-resources/q1/p07/link-schedule-time/#content

2: Another way to schedule time is to use a calendar or planner and work backwards (this is good for scheduling larger chunks of time, like a month of two). Start at the due date and work backwards on the calendar filling in tasks. Over estimating time is always better than under estimating, because if will give the assignment a little extra time to be completed or in case something unforseem occurs. When creating a schedule inthis way it is also benefical to include other events, like sports games and practices or a job.

You can also do a weekly schedule which could be more detailed with times, than the monthly schedule. And example of this is below.

Step 3:

Without monitoring a schedule is just words on a page. Students need to actively use their schedules for them to be effective. A good way to do this is to create a daily check list which requires you to check items off as they are completed.

By following a schedule with a check list, you can determine if the assignment or work being done needs more time, or less and make adjustments accordingly. Adjustments could look like adding more schedule time for an assignment, or if to much time was scheduled many adding another activity.

Resrouces:

Study Skills Strategies (Part 2): Strategies that Improve Students' Academic Performance. (n.d.). Retrieved June 13, 2017, from https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/ss2/challenge/#content