Week 2 Aol 3051 Discussion

Chapter 4

From the Author In graduate school, I was taking 14 credits a semester, working 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. as a front desk clerk at a downtown hotel, trying to spend time with friends and family, studying, reading, taking tests and writing papers, cleaning my apartment, and all else responsible adults do. Naturally, there were times I felt overwhelmed to the point of sheer exhaustion. How was I ever to graduate, given my circumstances? Two ways—organize and plan time to its miniscule moment, and stay motivated. I bought a huge calendar, wrote everything down and stuck to it. And I desperately wanted my college degree.

Non-Realistic and Realistic Concepts of Time Management Making a connection between time and responsibilities is a matter of planning, organizing, and scheduling. Perhaps you’re familiar with structuring your time—perhaps you’re not. In any case, time management really begins with realistic perceptions of time and its relation- ship to all you need to accomplish. When it comes to your academic career, work, and family, consider what your perceptions time are. Whether you’re an online or onsite student, time considerations and perceptions are the same: Are they realistic? Are they reasonable? Are they misconceptions? Are they accurate? CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS • Non-Realistic and Realistic Concepts of Time Management • Organize, Plan, and Schedule Work, Family, and School Responsibilities • Stay Motivated

• Life’s Little Challenges and Interferences

• Strategies for Efficient Time Management • Non Realistic: I have so much other stuff to do. I can do my homework when I have time. • Realistic: To accomplish all your responsibilities, planning, organizing, and adhering to a schedule is the only way to get everything done. • Non Realistic: I can do all my studying when I’m not working, on the weekends. • Realistic: To meet course requirements (tests, papers), you have to study every day. Cramming all school work into two days, especially when you have other family obligations, isn’t really possible and doesn’t help you learn. • Non Realistic: When my friends call, I just have to go out. I need a break. I need to have fun. • Realistic: To complete required homework and study for tests, sometimes, you have to say “No.” You can say, “No thanks, but I have to study, and I’ll call you as soon as I have the time.” Saying no is not cruel but instead is smart; you want to achieve your degree, so you have to take the time to study. • Non Realistic: I’m no good at writing. I don’t want to write papers, and I don’t have the time anyway. I can always go on the Internet to find papers and hand them in. • Realistic: Teachers know when a student submits a plagiarized paper. Turnitin.com is a resource teachers use to discover whether the paper was written by the student or another; the student’s style, vocabulary, and mechanics are easy to recognize and differ between the student’s original work and plagiarized work. • Non Realistic: I can complete a research paper the night before it’s due—no problem. • Realistic: No, you can’t! • Non Realistic: It will take me a few minutes to clean the house, then pick the kids up, then study. • Realistic: No, it won’t! • Non-Realistic: I’ll get everything done—don’t sweat it! • Realistic: Not without organizing and planning your time efficiently you won’t! • Non-Realistic: I’m a procrastinator anyway and probably won’t get any of my homework done, so why should I even bother? • Realistic: Labeling yourself as anything, especially something negative, is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Just because you perceive yourself in one way does not mean you have to live up to that label! You can change any kind of behavior if you choose to.

• Non-Realistic: I don’t have the time to make anything at home. I’ll grab something to eat after school on my way to work—no problem. • Realistic: Fast food doesn’t give you the energy and stamina you need to complete schoolwork. Making time to prepare nutritious foods keeps you healthy and supplies the energy you need. • Non Realistic: Join a study group? I barely have the time to study by myself, much less take the time to meet with others. • Realistic: You’d be surprised just how helpful and efficient joining a study group can be. You would probably spend the same amount of study time with others as you would alone. Besides, discussing the information with people helps you to learn the material and prepare for a test much more efficiently. Additionally, study groups help you learn to work with others as a team, just the quality employers are looking for. Organize, Plan, and Schedule Work, Family, and School Responsibilities Organizational Skills Organization is a conscious choice to arrange and systematize activities within a given timeframe. Generally recognized ways to order activities include: 1. Prioritization: A way to arrange and order information according to its level of importance; the most important is first, then next important, then next, and so on. For example, prioritizing your current activities might include (1) being with family, (2) attending classes, and (3) full or part-time work; or your priorities might be (1) attending classes, (2) full or part-time work, and (3) being with family. You decide what is most important to you to accomplish first, then second, and so on. 2. Categorization: A way to arrange and order information according to activity likenesses and similarities. For example, household chores might be one category, including cleaning, vacuuming, dusting, disinfecting, etc. Another category might be school, including studying, preparing for tests, and writing papers. You organize similar activities then complete each category according to available time. 3. Chronological: A way to put activities in order of time, a step-by-step process where one activity follows another, then another, and so on. For example, a chronology of studying means preparing to study (see Chapter 8); you follow a procedure. Like assembling a toy, you follow a step-by-step system. 4. Placement: A way to order activities by location. Tasks can be ordered according to locale. For example, placement organization for your current activities might include those around the house (repair and cleaning) or all those at the mall (buying the kids’ clothes for the new school year and a birthday present for your spouse). As a way to save gas and time, you can accomplish what you need to by going to one location first and then the next.

To choose an organizational system, make a conscious choice based on logic and reason. For example, if all activities are in the same general location, you would choose the placement way to organize: car parts store, supermarket, paint store. In arranging and ordering information, you are organizing it to accomplish it. In writing a paper for school, for example, you can choose a chronological (step-by-step process) organization: choose a topic, then research it, then develop an outline, then write a rough draft, then revise the rough draft, then write a final paper (see Chapter 10). In completing household chores, you could use the placement system of organization: clean one room first, then another, then another. To study productively, you prioritize: What subjects do you need to study first? Is there a test the next day in that subject? Is a paper due at the beginning of the next week? And so on. In consciously choosing an organizational system, you promote opportunities for achieving your immediate to long-range goals. Being organized is the key to successful completion and the realization of your goals.

Short- and Long-Range Goals Long-range goals are future ones—and they take time to achieve, such as getting your degree. Short-range goals are those steps you take to accomplish the long-range ones. Breaking down large goals (to be hired in medical technology is a long-range goal) into smaller ones (completing classes each semester) is not only practical but more likely to be accomplished. For exam- ple, from the short range goals to the larger goal might be attend classes> listen to the teacher and take effective notes> read and review notes>do my homework> write papers and pass tests>pass my classes>get my degree. Each small goal is a step toward the bigger one. And successfully completing short-range goals lead to successfully completing long range ones.

Create a Master Blueprint After choosing a system to organize activities, next combine all the information into one place for easy and quick accessibility. Buy a calendar—a big one! Calendars are a visual record of your day-to-day, month-to-month, and annual scheduled activities. On the calendar: • In ink, write your daily, monthly, and yearly fixed responsibilities, including the time for each one on each day: • Work (e.g., Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

• School (e.g., Monday, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Tuesday, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Thursday, 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.) Include 1. Test dates 2. Papers due 3. Beginning and end of terms • Appointments (e.g., Tuesday, May 12, 5:30 p.m., doctor; Saturday, July 4, 7:30 p.m., dinner with Maggie and Sam; Friday, June 3, 5:30 p.m., meeting with Jacob’s teacher). • In pencil, schedule available time for yourself. “Me Time” is just as valuable and important as family time. When do you participate in a sport or when are important games (Super Bowl, basketball and baseball playoffs) you want to watch on TV? • In pencil, schedule time to be with family and friends. Perhaps Sunday nights could be a time to be together. Your time is limited, so quality time, not quantity time, is all you have available.

Stay Motivated Motivation is the internal (desires and intentions) and external incentives (increased salary and advancement) that propel you to act. Because of strong intrinsic and extrinsic factors, adult learners are usually very motivated to achieve their goals. Staying motivated to complete your degree depends on your intentions, your commitment, your tenacity, and your reasons you enrolled in college in the first place. Motivation is the single-most significant part of achieving your degree. Ways to Stay Motivated 1. Reaffirm your intentions daily: What do you want? What are your goals? What do you hope to achieve? Daily, reiterate the reasons you came to college:

• I want to improve my chances of securing a better job.

• I want to be a role model for my children and my friends.

• I want to gain respect by having a college degree.

• I want to improve my chances of increasing my salary by obtaining a better job.

• I want to meet new people.

• I want to learn new things.

• I want to challenge myself.

• I want to complete something I set out to do.

• I want to finish what I started. • I want to expand my horizons.

Visualize yourself completing your degree and securing a good job: See yourself as a success in your future. See yourself walking across the stage and being handed your degree by the president of the school. Self-visualization can lead to self-actualization. Focus on your future rather than your past: Replace “old tapes” and unrealized goals with unsuccessful perceptions of low self-esteem and fear. Don’t allow previous negative experiences to interfere with your dreams of accomplishment and success. You are more than capable of completing and achieving your goals. Write daily affirmations: Affirmations are short and personal; they are positive statements and phrases to affirm your intentions. Proclaiming your capabilities (“I can complete my college degree because I am tenacious and committed to complete my education”) helps to remind you of your life successes and how they can influence your desired goals. Learn and practice self-discipline: Desire and commitment to a goal are conscientious choices to accomplish your intentions. It takes monumental effort to see your intentions through to their conclusions. Practicing self-discipline encourages you to complete tasks, activities, responsibilities, and obligations. Self-discipline is not self-deprivation or denial; it is self-control you choose to practice to achieve your goals. By controlling yourself through managing your activities, you empower yourself. Adhere to your organizational plan: Choose to live by the organizational plans you scheduled on your calendar. Make beneficial health choices: Choose to eat healthy foods and exercise to function at peak performance. Say “No” more frequently, even to yourself: Choose to say no as a way to take control of your life to prove to yourself that you can get a good grade on a test and that you can accomplish what you set out to do. (Tip: In practicing saying “no,” try deep breathing as a way to think before you speak.) Recognize the benefits of self-discipline: Choose to study rather than go to a party; study rather than watch TV. See self-discipline as purchasing stock in your career; your stocks will grow and yield big rewards. 10. Learn and practice consistency: Consistency creates stability. Adhering to a regular routine creates the possibility of completing activities. Routine isn’t boring but a way to accomplish tasks. Barring the unexpected, you can consistently • Shop at the same time and place each week; to avoid crowds, try to avoid the rush hours of Friday night or Saturday morning. • Do laundry at the same time each week; do laundry no more than once a week to save time. • Clean house (or specific rooms) at the same time each week.

• Schedule regular, specific “quality” time to be with friends and family on a weekly basis—perhaps Sundays.

• Study at the same time in the same place (see Chapter 8) each day or night.

• Schedule specific time for yourself on a weekly basis.

• Fill the gas tank at the same time at the same station each week. There may be times when you feel uninspired and too tired to do your homework. Being motivated is about your intention to complete your goal. Never lose sight of why you need to drag your tired body to class or log in to a seminar when you would rather be sleeping or spending time watching TV rather than sitting down in front of the computer writing a paper for class. Just when you think you can’t go to another class or do another assignment is exactly when you should make an effort to reach your goals. Stay motivated, and you will achieve your goal to graduate and get your degree.

Life’s Little Challenges and Interferences It would be wonderful if we could adhere to what we’ve written on the calendar. It would be wonderful if each day, all would go smoothly and we could complete each task. However, life presents us with challenges to keep us on our toes! Ways to deal with these little snags are to consider the following: • Expect the unexpected: Emergencies arise, and we have to deal with them. You may have to work overtime or help a relative or get sick—all of which interfere with your schedule. However, planning in advance for life’s little emergencies will ease the anxiety of the unexpected. If you’re flexible and can adapt, you and your family and friends can meet the unexpected, deal with it, and move on. Don’t let surprises halt your progress. You can “plan” for the unplanned by:

• Arranging in advance for an alternate sitter when your regular sitter is unable to be with your children. the overall learning experience.

• Arranging in advance for a ride to school should your car break down—ask a college peer who lives in your neighborhood if you could get a ride in an emergency (and you could also offer to be his or her backup). • Asking a friend or family member in advance if you can call on him or her should you need help in an emergency. • Preparing a current list of all necessary personal and professional contact information so you don’t have to search for phone numbers when you need to. • Having a computer backup plan in case yours doesn’t work because of a network outage or printer problem. Know where to go on campus to use computers and printers, and know the hours of operation. • Resist overextending yourself: Overextending yourself interferes with completing your goals. When you take on more than you realistically can, you may become overwhelmed and then not be able to complete anything. Mental and physical overextension sap you of your strength and deplete your reserves. To avoid overextending yourself, practice self-discipline (saying “no” when you need to) and adhere to the activities on your calendar. Make reasonable and realistic choices about what you can and can’t do. • Avoid procrastination: Procrastination is the antithesis of self- discipline and interferes with goals and even prevents achieving them. Unfortunately, procrastination can become a habit—a difficult but not an impossible one to break. Reasons for procrastination include: • Not taking risks; sometimes, we choose to remain within comfort zones where we feel safe. • Lack of time • Lack of organizational skills • Being sidetracked by activities such as television, radio, and the Internet and social networking sites • Fear of success/failure • Lack of focus • Low commitment levels to follow through from conception to completion • Lack of confidence

• Lack of self-esteem • Tomorrow is another day Students can think about and use hundreds of reasons to not do the work—all of which impede progress and hinder success. One thing is certain: Procrastination is not beneficial. Procrastination won’t help you

achieve your goals, get you your college degree, or help you succeed in school or in life. To overcome procrastination: • Break down tasks into small parts so they’re not so overwhelming: Instead of “I have to clean the whole house today,” you might clean two frequently used rooms one day and two the next. You’re much more likely to complete smaller jobs than larger ones. • Set start and end times for tasks and activities: Instead of saying “I’ll study until I’m tired or bored,” study for a reasonable, specific amount of time (as little as 5 minutes but no more than 20) and then stop. (Refer to Chapter 8 for the advantages of short study periods.) If you feel like continuing, then continue. If you need to, use an alarm clock. But limiting time for tasks allows you to finish what you set out to do. • Reward yourself when you complete an activity or task: A reward can be anything—from making a telephone call to a friend to watching a half hour of television. Rewards encourage you to complete what you begin. • Say “no” to temptation: Friends who ask you to join them when they know you need to study are not supporting your efforts to succeed. Watching endless hours of television instead of completing your home- work doesn’t help you to achieve your goals. Instead of “vegging out” on the couch, choose to watch a limited amount of television (for example, your favorite show only). It’s so easy to be tempted by the diversionary nature of television or the pleadings of your friends, so don’t allow yourself to become distracted from your goal. • Adhere to your “master plan”: Your calendar is your guide; realizing it is a blueprint to success will keep you motivated, on track, and less likely to procrastinate. • Release self-judgment: So what if your communication skills are weak? College is the opportunity to improve them. So what if you got bad grades in high school? That was then; this is now. Use and apply your strong life skills in college to help you overcome procrastination. • Focus on what you want: a college degree: Rather than giving up, remember your goals: your family’s security, financial gain, and increased self-esteem.

Companion Strategies for Effective Time Management 1. Ask your family (and get a firm commitment) for their cooperation and respect in helping you adhere to your planned timetable. After all, your success is theirs too! 2. Make conscious choices to organize and schedule your time. You can’t complete all you need to without careful and conscientious planning. 3. Put your Master Blueprint (calendar) and affirmations in a visible place so you and your family can see them every day. 4. Be flexible and adaptable. Emergencies are a fact of life. Inflexibility does not allow you to move forward; it inhibits your chances of success. Complaining about what happens to interrupt your schedule doesn’t help you but hinders you. Go with the flow! 5. Use time wisely and efficiently. Wasting available time doesn’t work to your advantage to achieve your goals. 6. Try something new. If you’re accustomed to “getting around to” com- pleting what you want to anytime you want to, try something different. Learning new skills can only work to your advantage, and who knows— maybe something new will be better than what you’ve been doing! 7. Spend some time by and for yourself. Yes, you have much to do, but you also need time for yourself. Do what you enjoy to help you gather the stamina to regroup. You need to have some fun, right? 8. Eat wisely and exercise. Again, time management is partially about feeling well enough, physically and mentally energized enough to meet your obligations and responsibilities. 9. Organize and schedule activities. The only realistic way to complete all you need to is to plan ahead. Planning looks forward toward achieving a goal. 10. Just say no. Saying “no” may be unfamiliar, but say it as a way to do what you have to. Your friends and family may or may not understand, but procrastinating as a way to please others won’t help you to study for tests or write papers. 11. Don’t procrastinate. Begin working on a paper or studying for a test when they’re assigned—don’t wait until the night before they’re due. Cramming doesn’t use your time efficiently. Studying little bits at a time is easier than whole chunks at once. 12. Remember all the reasons you came to college; when you’re tired, overwhelmed, and don’t think you have the time to complete assign- ments, motivate yourself by looking forward to your own successful future and all the opportunities that await you.