MATH TIME MANAGEMENT

Introduction and Current Time Management Strategies

Time management is one of the most important aspects of being successful in college, especially for students who participate in online and hybrid classes. Let’s begin with information from the website MindQuest Academy. As you read through the material be sure to take the time and complete the “For Thought” questions in your journal.

Excerpt from the website “MindQuest Academy”

What is time?

“Time” is a common but complex concept. You can’t touch it or hear it or see it. It seems changeable—sometimes fast, sometimes exceedingly slow. Arnold Bennet wrote a book during the 1930’s called How to Live on 24 Hours a Day (Doubleday, New York, 1934). In this book, he characterizes time as a miracle. Why? He writes that when time is concerned, you can never be in debt-–no one can lend you their time, and you can’t borrow time from the future. You can never waste tomorrow, because someone is keeping tomorrow’s time safe for you. Nobody can ever tell you you don’t deserve the time you have and take it away from you, no matter how you spend it. And time is a most democratic of concepts—because everybody has exactly the same amount every day.

But even though we all have the same amount of time in each day, some of us seem to have more than others. Why is that?

Read the following anecdote about how time is like a jar of rocks:

Stephen Covey (1996) tells a great story about the real things that we should devote our time to:

One day an expert in time management was speaking to a group of business students. As he stood in front of the group of high-powered overachievers he said, “Okay, time for a quiz.” He then pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouthed Mason jar and set it on the table. He produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them one at a time into the jar. When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, “Is this jar full?” Everyone in the class said, “Yes.” Then he said, “Really?”

He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing it to work down into the space between the big rocks. Then he asked the group once more, “Is the jar full?” By this time the class was on to him. “Probably not,” one of them answered. “Good!” he replied.

He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand and started dumping the sand in the jar until it filled the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, “Is this jar full?” “No!” the class shouted. Once again he said, “Good.”

Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked at the class and asked, “What is the point of this illustration?”

One eager beaver raised his hand and said, “The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit some more things in it!” “No,” the speaker replied, “that's not the point.”

“The truth this illustration teaches us is that if you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all. What are the 'big rocks' in your life? Your children, your loved ones, your education, your dreams, a worthy cause, teaching others, doing things that you love, your health; your mate. Remember to put these BIG ROCKS in first or you'll never get them in at all. If you sweat about the little stuff then you'll fill your life with little things and you'll never have the real quality time you need to spend on the big, important stuff.”

So, tonight, or in the morning, when you are reflecting on this short story, ask yourself this question: What are the 'big rocks' in my life? Then, put those in your jar first.

Reflecting on what you already know How do you manage your time now? In your mind, answer each of the questions in this short self-assessment "True" or "False."

_____ When I have a lot to do, I make a list of each day’s tasks and check them off one by one as I finish them.

_____ I usually find ways to get the most important things accomplished.

_____ I keep a calendar to keep track of appointments and scheduled events.

_____ I usually know about how long a particular task will take and can allocate enough time to get it accomplished.

_____ I know how to determine how much time I will need to set aside to study for my college courses.

If you answered all of these questions “True,” very likely you already manage your time efficiently. If you answered “False” to any of them, you can probably help yourself by learning some time management techniques.

“For Thought” from MindQuestAcademy.org

1. What do you think are the qualities of someone who manages his or her time well?

2. Which of these qualities do you already have?

3. Which do you think you need to acquire?

4. What time management habits should a successful student have?

5. Which habits do you already have?

6. Which might you need to acquire?