Managing Your Time at University There is no mystery about the importance of managing our time! We all have 168 hours each week to eat, sleep, study, exercise, and, socialize. A combination of improved time management skills and effective study and learning strategies will result in you feeling more in control of your life and more likely to achieve your academic goals. The magic in getting things done with minimal stress rests in planning, self-discipline and recognition of a job well done. Self Reflection Questions: Why should I use time management skills in a) my life and b) in my academic setting? Am I having trouble organizing & managing my time? If so, do I want to improve my time management skills? If the answer to this last question is YES, read on! The common challenges faced by university students are feeling overwhelmed by the volume of work required, and not knowing how to tackle those tasks efficiently. The amount of homework time you’ll need to allocate at a basic minimum is 1:1 1 hour homework : 1 hour lecture The ratio may shift for any individual course up to 3:1 depending on: * your goals for the course (e.g. what mark you want) * completion of lab reports or problems * research requirements * volume and speed of reading * knowledge of vocabulary and course specific jargon So, school is a full time job! Most strategies are simple and take a short time to implement, help you organize your schoolwork, and also help you achieve a healthy balance in your personal life. The strategies, described here, are grouped around central themes: * your values * awareness of your current habits * goal setting and prioritizing * organization * procrastination. We have also included reflective questions in each section to help you learn about your own style and practical tools to guide you along. Knowing Your Values Self-Reflection Questions What are my values? Do my current actions reflect those values? Values are those core ideas you have about the worth of something, and the judgments you make about what is important in life. The values we form help determine how we use our time, e.g. if there are 30 spare minutes, someone who values orderliness and needs a tidy space to think clearly may spend that time organizing their work and home space, while someone who places a higher importance on fitness may go for a run. Our attitudes or opinions stems from our values which, in turn, result in our actions. When our actions (e.g. chronically handing in papers late) and our values (e.g. being a responsible student) don’t match, we tend to feel conflict. Students generally place a high priority on successfully completing their university degree (a value), think they are capable of doing this (an attitude), and are willing to persist and do whatever it takes to get there (actions). Motivation is one of the keys to success, and internal motivation happens when things are in line with our values. There are strategies that can help you understand the link between your values and your time management habits. Becoming Aware Self-Reflection Questions What is my current approach to managing my time? e.g. * a structured approach vs. flexible approach? * find deadlines helpful/ not helpful? * can work independently vs. accustomed to being directed? * need pressure to perform vs. can’t work well at last minute? Why do I use this style and why do I keep using it? When is this style helpful and when is it not effective? When do I need to be more self-aware and change my style to suit the situation? Issues We all have developed personal habits that may help or hinder our efforts at using time effectively. These patterns may reflect our personal values, or may result in distress or internal conflict. The self-reflection questions will help you understand where you are coming from, and where you might want to go. Strategies An Awareness Approach 1. Monitor --> 2. Analyze --> 3. Revise Monitoring: How is my time used? What are my time usage patterns? Analyzing: When am I the most productive? Is this style working for me? Should I change or modify what I am doing now? Revising: Given what I now know, what do I need to change? Tools ?“Time Monitoring” chart “Weekly Time Use” chart Setting Goals & Prioritizing Self-Reflection Questions What are my goals: * short term? * long term? * academic goals? * life goals? Why have I set these goals for myself? How do these goals relate to my values? How are these goals helping me achieve what I want in university and in my life? Issues Setting goals helps us determine a direction, assess whether or not we are on track, and provides an opportunity for us to celebrate our achievements. Goals can reflect different time frames (immediate, mid or long-range) but are most useful when they are specific, measurable, and involve an action or concrete outcome. For example, a useful mid-range goal might be “ to complete the History 344 paper one day before the due date and edit it before handing it in”. A less useful goal would be “to feel good about the History 344 paper”. Some goals are realistic (and achievable) and others are idealistic, and keep us reaching for a high standard or level of thinking. It’s helpful to know the difference in relation to each of your goals. Students are generally tired, busy and distracted by many competing demands. This makes the task of setting priorities for your goals all the more important. Sometimes priorities are set based on immediate need (e.g. test is today), the relative value of the task (e.g. paper worth 60%), how quickly a task can get done (e.g. satisfaction of finishing something), your motivation (e.g. I love this course!), or consequences of NOT doing something. Strategies for Goal-Setting Identifying and Recording Goals The process of goal setting can be viewed in a shape of a coffee filter: you start by thinking about what you value in your life and how these values translate into BIG picture, long term goals. Once you have done this, you will find that you have greater clarity to make good decisions in the short and medium term. Thinking at the macro level first will help guide your daily decision-making and ensure that the immediate goals you set are couched in your value system. Therefore, it is important to spend time considering what part your values play in your academic choices. A Suggested Time frame for Setting and Revising Academic Goals A Suggested Time frame for Setting and Revising Academic Goals Academic Program: At the beginning of each year of your program, set aside an hour or more to jot down your needs and desires for your program. Compare this list to the one you made last year. Are the goals the same? different? Are you satisfied with where you are now? If not, what changes do you need to consider? Term Goals: Term goals should be set at the beginning of each term and then at regular intervals, perhaps each month, throughout the term. Continuous assessment of term goals will help you stay on track with your weekly and daily goals. Term goals can include tracking test and assignment due dates and grades, as well as improving skills such as public speaking or use of lab equipment. Weekly: Review your upcoming week. What tasks need to be accomplished and when? Set aside 30 minutes each Sunday night to prepare a list of goals for the week. Daily: At the end of each day, set aside 5-10 minutes to prepare a ‘To Do’ list for the upcoming day. While doing this, have your weekly goals at hand so you can compare and contrast bigger picture items with here-and-now tasks. If you find that the weekly and daily tasks collide, it is time to rethink and revise. Strategies for Prioritizing There are a number of strategies and tools you can use to help prioritize your goals. Always refer to your course outline (especially learning objectives and evaluation sections) to see what the professor considers important. We have provided an array of techniques in the hopes that you will find one (or more!) that really works for you. 4D’s No matter what the stuff in your "inbox" is, you only have 4 choices: * Do it: If the task can be completed in 2 minutes or less, do it now. * Delegate it: Give the task to someone else to do. This might be troublesome if you hate waiting for something to be done by someone else. * Defer/Delay it: But make a plan as to exactly when you will deal with it. * Dump it: Your choice here! Source: David Allen  “Getting Things Done”   www.davidco.com A-B-C Categorize your goals into: A: immediate/ must do B: might do now but don’t have to/ could do if time C: nice but not likely to happen/ can be delayed Mark each goal with an A, B, or C. Do the A goals now! Other Tools for Goal-Setting & Prioritizing Steven Covey’s “Time Management Matrix” “Course Planner” chart “Task Analysis” chart Getting Organized Self-Reflection Questions What is my preference? What is my organizational style? Why do I use this style? How is it working/ not working for me? How can I improve my organizational skills? Issues Being organized involves having an understanding of the task to be done, the estimated time to complete the task and time available, and the tools needed. While there may be a connection between neatness and organization, it is not always the case. People have different styles and tolerances, and some people are “selectively organized” in areas that reflect their personal values. In broad terms, individuals may adopt a style that is “left brain” (logical, detailed, sequential, linear) while others favour a “right brain” (holistic, relational, creative, gestalt) approach or a mix of the two styles. Depending on your personal cognitive style, different strategies will be helpful around “task, time and tools”. Two Different Approaches to Organizing Left-brain/ Sequential Learners * Love an orderly approach? Overwhelmed by chaos? * Do you find it hard to do your best work at the last minute? * Do you like to finish a task before starting another one? * Do you like to know where you are heading (i.e. the learning goal or desired end- product) before you get into details? * Do you like step-by- step increments in acquiring new information? If you answered “yes” to most of these questions, you may have a preference for a left-brain, or sequential style. These people may find it easiest to learn through auditory presentations and abstract reasoning. Their strategies for organization will favour reasonably detailed and schedule-based techniques. Right-brain/ Simultaneous Learners * Do you love to brainstorm ideas? * Are you good at starting projects but then find your attention wanes and you need the stimulation of a new project or topic? * Are you someone who just can’t see the point of organizing or scheduling every detail of your life? * Are you oblivious to time? * Do you find you get sidetracked or engrossed in a reading which is not what you intended to read? * Is your desk a bit cluttered? * If you answered ‘yes’ to some of the above, you might be a right-brain/simultaneous thinker! See handout “Learning Strategies for Right-Brain Thinkers” to read about specific learning strategies and tools. Strategies Individually Scheduling: * Use scheduling tools: term calendars, weekly and daily planners, study plans. * Use “found-time”: these are small amounts of time between classes or appointments which can add up to many hours over the week! Administering: Organize your study space/ desk area; your notes in binders with tabs, file folders or note pads and colour-code by course, download notes from the Web before each class, find old exams early in the term. Analyzing assignment worth: At the beginning of the term review your course outline or syllabus to note the value or weighting of each assignment. Write the assignment AND its weighting on your term calendar. In a Group 1. Form a study group * work with 2-4 classmates or friends * set a regular meeting time and place * keep all members informed of meetings and agenda * define objectives of the group: discuss homework questions, "teach" other members how to solve a problem, design potential exam questions and share answers * rotate leadership * come prepared * if members are  behind on readings, consider assigning 1 reading per member, and then each  shares his/her summary of the reading * socialize for the first 10 minutes and perhaps last 10-15 minutes as part of the structure of the group, to avoid distractions  during the work session 2. Find peer support—use a friend to help you stay on track. Find someone who is very organized as your role model. Find someone you can go to the library with every day. 3. Make a contract to get organized. List what you will do in the presence of a family member, friend, peer mentor, or learning strategist. Have him/her witness it. Review it regularly. 4. Use technology: MSN check-ins with friends, software scheduling programs. Charts: “Course Planner”; “Task Analysis” “Term Calendar”; “Weekly Schedule” “Whole Braining Learning: Mind-mapping” “How to Use Homework Time” “The ‘5 Day’ Study Plan” Overcoming Procrastination Issues Procrastination is the most common motivational problem affecting all of us to some extent but severely affecting about 15-20% of the general population. And, its prevalence is growing. However, the percentage is higher amongst post-secondary students: 50 to 70% of students procrastinate to such an extent that they feel their marks are affected. Procrastination is not simply putting things off. According to procrastination expert, Professor Piers Steel, at the University of Calgary, procrastination occurs when a person believes it would be better to start working on a task immediately, but can’t get started. Working-Hard-To-Get-Out-of-Work Syndrome We work very hard to find anything else to do which allows us to avoid the inevitable. For example, most of us wouldn’t jump up and down to do housecleaning. However, faced with an even more repugnant task, e.g. read your physics textbook, cleaning your toilet seems like a lot more fun! Why do I procrastinate? Procrastination can occur for many reasons; however, here are some of the most typical reasons for procrastinating. Typical Reasons for Procrastinating 1. Feeling overwhelming. 2. Insufficient prioritizing of the task’s importance. 3. Fear of being evaluated. 4. Feeling like there’s plenty of time. 5. Not sure how to do the task. 6. Burn-out. P.S. Perfectionism is Not the Culprit! Perfectionism is not a predictor of procrastination, according to Professor Steel. He argues that “perfectionists actually procrastinate less, but they worry about it more”.1 He also points out that there may be a genetic component to procrastination. So, maybe you can blame your great-great grandparents. How do I procrastinate? Do I use: * avoidance * external distractions: e.g. noise, other people * internal distractions: mood, thoughts, feelings * negative thinking: e.g. don’t have enough time/ not good enough * Time Bandits: computer, friends Strategies for Overcoming Procrastination The MOTIVATION MYTH: Don’t wait for motivation to magically appear when you sit down to work. Motivation usually follows after you’ve done the work. 1. The Pleasure/Pain Principal: Procrastination causes both pleasure and pain. Ask yourself if one outweighs the other. See Tools section. 2. Use the Time Management Matrix. Focus on Quadrant II. 3. Set Realistic Goals: Be realistic about what you can accomplish in the available time. Try not to overshoot and become overwhelmed. Estimate about 25% MORE time to each task. 4. Plan & Schedule: Use the Weekly Schedule and a day timer to identify time available for school work and then commit to treating that time like a job. 5. Set False Deadlines: Set a false deadline about a week before the actual due date. Set up legitimate and meaningful check-ins with an outside party to ensure you meet your goal. 6. Remove Distractions: Don’t try to fight temptation. Simply remove those distracting things so that you set yourself up for success. 7. Reward Yourself: Reward yourself for working hard with short and simple things that you enjoy. When you’ve earned it, feel proud of yourself. Conversely, do NOT reward yourself before you’re completed your task. 8. Record Distracting Thoughts: Give your brain permission to forget distracting thoughts by writing them down and knowing you can return to them later. 9. Break the Habit: Do it NOW! See the TOOLS sectionThe “Now” Habit Trouble Shooting FAQs Some common concerns experienced by students include the following: Question - Do I feel overwhelmed, under constant pressure, easily derailed, down on myself, or incompetent? Then try- * Encouraging myself * Altering my expectations * Examining the “fit” of my program * Reviewing my past results….any bright spots? * Working with and get support from a friend * Scheduling satisfying work breaks * Building balance into my life (rest, meals, exercise, relaxation) Question - Do I spend too much time on MSN, Facebook, gaming, socializing with friends? How much time is too much time for me? Then try- * Considering school my job * Doing my work before my pleasure * Practising saying NO * Making a contract with a friend * Rewarding myself with one of those distracting/fun activities Question - Does it take me a long time to read or process information? Do I get buried in detail or have trouble figuring out what is most important? Then try- * Allowing more time for readings, assignments * Breaking tasks into smaller sections * Using visual aids, mind maps to find the patterns or structure of readings * Finding out about specialized software * Comparing notes with a friend or Peer Mentor * Attending a Learning Strategies Development workshop at the Learning Commons in Stauffer * Talking with a learning strategist in the Learning Commons or at the LaSalle Building Tools BECOMING AWARE Time Monitoring Form Start Time End Time Time Used Description of Activity How well did I use my time? 1= poor 5= great Analysis: Why did I rate the task in this way? e.g. time was well spent/ wasted; I accomplish/didn’t accomplish my goal See instructions on back Instructions for Time Monitoring: A. General Time Monitoring You may also wish to use this form to get an overview of everything you are doing over a period of several days. 1. MONITOR Over the course of two days (one busy class day and one less structured weekend day), keep a record of all your activities from the time you get up till you go to bed.  For example, 8 - 8:30:  getting ready (includes waking, washing, dressing, breakfast), 8:30 - 9:00:  walking to campus; 9:00 - 10:00:  library prep - reading chapter 1, Psych 100; 10:00 - 10:30:  talking on MSN to friend, 10:30 to 12:00 (noon) attending Psych class, etc.  2. ANALYZE At the end of the day, review your use of time and rate yourself (from 1 = poor, to 5 = great) according to how well you used the time.  Was the amount of time spent necessary to the task?  Did you accomplish what you wanted to in the time allowed?  Was the time wasted? Could you have used the time better?  The analysis column is for comments like: "good use of time", "waste of time", "felt too tired to concentrate", "felt focussed".  Notice your patterns of effective vs. ineffective time use. 3. REVISE Notice your most effective and least effective times of the day for doing school work. Plan to schedule difficult subjects during the most effective times of day.  Plan your healthy breaks during times when you feel less energetic, cannot concentrate, etc. Make a list of break activities that re-energize you (e.g. physical activities you enjoy, meeting friends for coffee, playing or listening to music, power-napping.) Implement your new plan for two weeks, then monitor yourself again.  B. Monitoring Your Academic Accomplishments Goals: * Know real time spent on academic work * Track and increase productivity * Increase motivation * Decrease procrastination * Assist in re-prioritizing goals and task. Over the course of several days or a week, keep a record of all the academic activities (studying, homework, assignments, etc.) you accomplish. Under the description column you may include: “Product” tasks, i.e. tasks you have completed including small steps; and “Process” tasks, i.e. tasks which are helping you progress toward a product or outcome, e.g., analyzing a topic or problem, brainstorming ideas, planning how an essay or assignment will be organized. The total “Time Used” now reflects the real time you have spent doing academic tasks, not just the final outcomes. BECOMING AWARE Weekly Time Use Total Time Available = 168 hrs/wk Activity Number of Hours/ Day Number of Hours/Week Sleep Meals: cooking and eating Personal Hygiene Travel (to/from campus; going ‘home’ on weekends) Going to classes Study time Personal Communication: MSN, Email, Phone Socializing with friends Job Volunteer work Extra curricular activities Watching TV, movies Exercise Errands e.g. laundry, groceries Other: TOTAL TIME USED Instructions: 1. Monitor: Estimate how much time you spend on all your weekly activities out of a maximum of 168 hours/ week. 2. Analyze: Are you satisfied with the amount of time spent on each activity both daily and weekly? On which are you spending too much or too little time? 3. Revising: What do I want to change? Continue doing? Not sure yet? SETTING GOALS & PRIORITIZING TIME MANAGEMENT MATRIX Adapted from: The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Steven Covey, 1990 URGENT NOT URGENT IMPORTANT A. Crises Pressing Problems Deadline-driven Projects B. Prevention, Personal Enhancement activities Relationship Building Recognizing new opportunities Planning, recreation NOT IMPORTANT C. Interruptions, some calls Some e-mail, MSN Some meetings Pressing matters Popular activities D. Trivia, busy work Some e-mail, MSN Some phone calls Time wasters Pleasant activities Consequences of spending time in each quadrant URGENT NOT URGENT IMPORTANT A. Stress Burnout Crisis management Always putting out fires B. Vision, perspective Balance Discipline Control Few Crises NOT IMPORTANT C. Short term focused Crisis management See goals and plans as worthless Controlled by other people’s priorities Feel victimized, out of control D. Total irresponsibility Fired from jobs Dependent on others for basics SETTING GOALS & PRIORITIZING Interpretation of the Time Management Matrix Which activities would you like to spend most of your time doing? A,B,C or D? TYPE A “Fire Fighter” Trap I must do now or the house will burn down! Examples: cramming for tests, last minute essay writing - deadline tomorrow, friend in crisis needs to talk, need to arrange for accommodations on exam, bill needs to be paid,etc. TYPE B “This is what it’s all about” * Many activities in life are TYPE B. * TYPE B activities require planning and initiative. They also require time to reflect. * TYPE B activities are easily put on hold due to lack of urgency. TYPE C “I can’t say NO” Trap I don’t consider this important or satisfying but I have a hard time getting away from it and it prevents me from accomplishing the important stuff. TYPE D “Procrastinator” Trap I’ll just do this because it is easy, mindless and helps me avoid the hard stuff activities. Instructions Covey breaks activities in four groups or quadrants: A. important-urgent B. important-not urgent C. not important-urgent D. not important-not urgent. Look at your goals in relation to each quadrant and assess where each fits. Although you might have Type A goals from time to time, the ultimate aim is to spend most of your time working in the Type B quadrant. In other words, do IMPORTANT BUT NOT URGENT TASKS FIRST. If you are finding yourself more often in the Type A quadrant, you are in crisis mode. Perhaps you are procrastinating, stressing too much or do not yet have strong time management skills. Covey found that highly effective people spend some of their time in the B quadrant, i.e. they are not crisis managers but time managers. Try not to let B’s become A’s. SETTING GOALS & PRIORITIZING Task Analysis Course: ___________________ Assignment: ____________________________ e.g. Writing a research paper Step/Task Completion Date Estimated Time Needed Actual Time Taken 1st e.g. analyze topic 2nd e.g. develop research questions 3rd e.g. read for general understanding 4th e.g. develop thesis 5th e.g. find research to support thesis/read & take notes 6th e.g. develop an outline 7th e.g. write first draft 8th e.g write second draft-reorganize, add more references 9th e.g. add conclusion 10th e.g. copy edit final draft for typos, etc. See instructions on next page SETTING GOALS & PRIORITIZING Instructions for Task Analysis 1. For major assignments (e.g. research papers, projects, theses) requiring several steps, break down into small, manageable steps. See examples on form. 2. Estimate time required for each step. If you’re not sure about timing, OVERESTIMATE. We recommend adding about 25% e.g. If you think the task will take 1 hour, allocate 1.15 hours. It’s better to have more time than less. If you get finished in 1 hour, you have an additional 15 minutes to do something else. 3. Back plan from the final deadline. Instead of starting with the first step, determine what date you would like to FINISH the assignment and then work backwards from there. Back planning can help to ensure you don’t run out of time and/or assignments can be handed in when YOU want them to be 4. Keep track of actual time required to complete each step. 5. Reward yourself for completing a step. 6. Use this record when planning future assignments. SETTING GOALS & PRIORITIZING Whole Braining Learning: Mind-mapping Why use a mind-map? Mind maps use your WHOLE brain, both left and right brain functions. * Left brain: contains lists and sequences and show relationships * Right brain: shows a picture of a subject. Visual patterns provide a framework for recall * They are both verbal (words) and non-verbal (pictures, symbols, colours). Other benefits: * Show relationships between ideas quickly, vividly, and accurately * Using key words, condenses a large subject into a small area * Moves thinking from the general to the specific: start by choosing a main topic and focusing on the big picture and then zero in on the subordinate ideas * Can review quickly by looking at key words * Improves long-term memory: the picture enters your memory quickly and when How to use a use mind-map? * Brainstorming a topic * Planning and organizing ideas * Linking main ideas to smaller details * Summarizing * Taking notes from text and lectures SETTING GOALS & PRIORITIZING COURSE PLANNER Course: ______________________ Assignment (List everything: labs, essays, exams/ tests, seminars, projects) Value Due Date Grade Midterm Exam Final Exam Participation See Instructions on back SETTING GOALS & PRIORITIZING Instructions for Course Planner 1. Make one copy for each course and place in the front of each binder. 2. Review the syllabus for the course and record all assignments, exams, projects, etc on your planner. 3. Record the value of each item and the due date. 4. Transfer due dates to monthly wall calendar. 5. As tasks are completed during the term, enter the grade received. 6. Prior to the final exam, calculate grade achieved thus far. 7. Assess what your grade will need to be to maintain or improve your grade. GETTING ORGANIZED Learning Strategies for Right-Brain Thinkers 1. FOCUS: Follow One Course Until Successful 2. Get organized! Use term calendars, weekly calendars, and daily ‘to do’ lists. Find useful tools in Getting Organized section. If you need some flexibility, try not to pack your weekly calendar with too many activities. If you find that using calendars and to-do lists make you feel even more stressed, try looking at your life as a whole. Ask yourself: What are my values? What are my goals for the future? List your goals and then prioritize them. This might help you focus on what to do today and in the future. 3. Don’t overbook. Schedule “downtime” every day where you are not accountable to anyone or anything. 4. Use a mind-map: To see the whole picture first, draw a mind-map. Mind-maps are powerful visual tools for seeing the connections between a big concept and its associated detail. In other words, it allows you to see both the forest AND its trees! A bonus of mind-maps is that details can be easily added, deleted and moved around. See “Whole Braining Learning: Mind-mapping” . 5. Breaking down big projects i. Start by brainstorming, which you love to do! ii. Break the project down into steps, focusing on one step of a project at a time. Imagine putting on blinders like a racehorse so you can help yourself focus. You can do this by: reorganizing and redrawing your mind-map; writing the steps on sticky notes and rearrange until you have the right order; or using a task analysis form. See “Task Analysis” form in TOOLS. iii. Break steps into activities. You could then make a new map for each step. iv. Schedule activities: Use an agenda. Put sticky notes in an agenda and only take off the ones that are to be completed for that day. v. Complete project. 6. Just Do It. ( Sometimes just getting started on a task can help you feel better and will jump-start your motivation. GETTING ORGANIZED How to Use Homework Time….. Work smarter, not longer It is helpful to make a distinction between learning and studying. Learning is focussed on increasing your understanding of facts, concepts, processes and relationships, i.e., your understanding of the material. Studying is designed to increase your recall of subject matter, through repetition of previously learned material. The following ideas explain how to use homework time for effective learning, which will also result in less pressured studying. Homework Activities 1. Preview the Lecture: * Before class, preview the lecture outline, web notes, lab objectives, or assigned problem set to begin to form a picture of what the class will be about. * Skim or read the assigned text. Read to get the BIG PICTURE, by reading the chapter introduction, summary, glossary and review questions. Then, return to the chapter beginning and read for more detail, or skim by reading the subtitles, first and last sentence of each paragraph. Be aware of material that is totally new and complex, and listen for that in the lecture. 2. Review Your Notes after the lecture: * Before sleeping that night, read over your notes from each class that day; this facilitates establishing a strong memory trace – which is very helpful when it comes time to studying! This might take 10-15 minutes for a single lecture. * Fill in gaps in your notes, add titles, and identify what you do not understand. * Summarize each lecture (don’t just copy it over verbatim) to use as study notes. 3. Complete Assignments: * Keep up to date with assignments, aiming to finish 1 day ahead of due date to allow for human or technical malfunction! * Read in detail if you need further clarification, or if the course is based on the text, your prof. expects you to, or you have time and enjoy the topic. 4. Do Weekly Review: * Schedule a block of time for regular review of your summarized lectures or readings notes, concepts in key problems or labs, made over the past week. This might take 20-30 minutes per course. * Pay attention to what you do not know, and set a goal of figuring it out over the next week. How Much is “Enough” Homework time? Did you know 168 hours = 1 week? 1. Time estimates vary according to course content, your learning style, your academic goals, your other responsibilities and commitments, but… * A minimum would be 1 hour of homework for every hour of undergraduate Arts lecture. 15 lecture hours + 15 homework hours = 30 hours * Often, 2 hours of homework for every hour of lecture is needed for preview, review, and either keeping up with labs and assignments, or reading in the humanities or social sciences. * 15 hours of class + 30 hours homework = 1 full-time job. * Lab and applied science courses are harder to predict, so track your own patterns and estimate based on that. Remember to include preview and review. 2. Consider School Your Full-Time Job * Most full-time jobs range from 37.5 to 45 hours per week. * Celebrate the flexibility of your working hours!! GETTING ORGANIZED The “Five Day” Study Plan Why Should I Start Studying Early? Did you know that the human brain learns academic material faster and better if done in brief blocks of time spread over longer periods, rather than in a few lengthy sessions? For example, you will perform better on an exam if you spend one hour studying each day for 20 days than if you spend 10 hours studying for two days before an exam. Which means that CRAMMING is BAD NEWS! What If I Have to Cram? Ok, so sometimes life gets crazy and we end up having to cram, right? If you have to cram, try to focus on remembering the information you know already rather than trying to learn new information. And here’s the kicker: you will typically NOT remember what you tried to learn the night before the exam, so it’s best to make sure you really know some of the information well. If you do have a few days, try to spread the studying out so you are not doing it all in one day. How Should I Plan My Exam Preparation? The “5 Day Study Plan” If you plan ahead, many students have found the “5 Day Study Plan” gets good results. However, five days is really the minimal and we recommend a much longer study plan, if possible. For example, if you have not read any of your BIOL 101 textbook and a multiple choice quiz of over 100 test questions is looming, 5 days will probably not suffice. Components of the 5 Day Plan: Space out your learning over a minimum of 5 days. Divide your material into workable ‘chunks’, e.g. a chapter or section in a textbook, a set of lecture notes. During each day, prepare a new chunk. Preparing might be reading and note-taking, amalgamating lecture and textbook information, reorganizing lecture notes. Review previous material. Use active learning strategies to study such as questioning, reciting, using cue cards, study groups, etc. Use self-testing techniques to monitor your learning. How much time should I set aside to study? You might need a minimum of 8-10 hours of studying to get a good mark on an exam. However, the time you need to spend really depends on many things such as: * the difficulty of the course * to what extent you have kept up with the materials during the term * how important this exam is to you GETTING ORGANIZED How to Make a “5 Day Study Plan” 1. Break your material into sections or chunks. If it can be divided by chapter, article, theme or topic, then use that. If not, divide the material in a way that is manageable to you. For example, if a chapter in a textbook is very long and/or complex, break the chapter into sections. 2. Plan to spend 2.5 -3 hours studying on each of the five (or more) days. 3. Each day start by reviewing the previous days work, focussing on what you did not know on the self-test, and then preparing a new section. End with a self-test. Example Time Frame: Day 1 Prepare Self-Test 1st section/ chunk (e.g. a chapter) 2 hours* 20 minutes Day 2 Review Prepare Self-Test 1st section 2nd section 20 minutes 2 hours 20 mins Day 3 Review Review Prepare Self-Test 1st section 2nd section 3rd section 10 mins 20 mins 2 hours 20 mins Day 4 Review Review Review Prepare Self-test 1st section 2nd section 3rd section 4th section 5 mins 10 mins 20 mins 2 hours 20 mins Day 5 Review Review Review Review Self-Test 1st section 2nd section 3rd section 4th section 5 mins 5mins 10 mins 20 mins 2 hour You may need to extend the preparation time depending on the information and to match your own learning pace. However, studying for more than 3-4 hours at one session is not as helpful as several shorter ones. Also, don’t forget to take short breaks throughout! OVERCOMING PROCRASTINATION The Pleasure-Pain Principle Procrastination can cause pleasure in the short term and pain in the long term. It’s up to you to decide which of these is more important. TASK: Study for Chemistry midterm that is one week from today, including readings, labs, and lecture information. Pleasure I will have from putting off my studying until later: Pain I will have from putting off my studying until later: Fun spending time with friends Catch up on emailing, Facebook, etc. Won’t have to think hard right now when I’m not in the mood I’ll be more motivated later when I feel ‘the crunch’. I’ll feel guilty that I’m not doing the work In the back of my mind I’ll still worry about the studying I have to do Pulling an all-nighter to study the day before Grade might be lower, and will affect my final mark in the course Ask yourself: Does one outweigh the other? OVERCOMING PROCRASTINATION The “NOW” Habit Neil Fiore’s “The NOW Habit” distinguishes two types of people: Procrastinators and Producers. Procrastinators: * get overwhelmed * feel pressured * fear failure or success * try harder * work longer * feel resentful * lose motivation * focus on what they “should” be doing * feel like they have little or no control of their circumstances and then… PROCRASTINATE! Producers: Employ the “NOW Habit” The NOW Habit is: * putting aside fears: failure, success, feeling overwhelmed, low self-esteem * enjoying guilt-free play and… * Feeling in control of your life; you are the producer of your own narrative Focusing on what they can start NOW. 5 Self-Statement that Distinguish Procrastinators from Producers Negative self-talk contributes to procrastination. 1st Procrastinators say: I have to… Producers say: I choose to… 2nd Procrastinators say: I must finish… Producers say: When can I start? 3rd Procrastinators say: This project is so big and important. Producers say: I can take one small step. 4th Procrastinators say: I must be perfect. Producers say: I can be perfectly human. 5th Procrastinators say: I don’t have time to play. Producers say: I must take time to play. Source: Fiore, N. (2007). The NOW habit: A strategic program for overcoming procrastination and enjoying guilt-free play. 2nd edition. Toronto: Penguin Group. 1 Toronto Star, January 10 2007, “Sorry this is late; we meant to send it out sooner”. Available www.ucalgary.ca/news/january2007/procrastination-release. --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ 2 Learning Strategies Development, Queen’s University © 2008 www.queensu.ca/learningstrategies