Week 5 GU

Week 5 Lecture Time Management

Do you feel you have control of your schedule or do you feel that your life has a tendency to spin out of control? Many graduate students go through a time in their education where they feel as if they have lost control. However, it is important to remember that time management does not happen overnight and it is important to remember that it is a trial and error concept. What works this week may not work next week. What works for you may not work for your classmate. However, it is important that you understand the importance of time management and utilize the tools available to you in order to manage your time. As a student at Grantham University, you have accessibility to Google tools. One of the most important tools you will use as a graduate student aside from your internet and email accounts is your calendar. Google offers a calendar built right into your Gmail account. This calendar offers tools such as SMS, email, and pop-up reminders as well as color coded calendar events. The calendar is accessible via your smartphone and any computer with internet accessibility. Taking the time to utilize a calendar will significantly improve your time management. In addition to utilizing a calendar to help organize your daily tasks, it is important that you do not overload yourself with too many commitments. As a graduate student, you will have a significant amount of reading and research to do. Having the tools available to ensure that you are able to conduct this reading and research will be important. Take the time to set aside time on a daily basis to ensure that you stay on track of your studies. You want to avoid waiting until the last 24-48 hours of the course week to get started on your assignments. Be proactive. Read ahead in your classes to see what you will be working on. Review the syllabus and plan out your term. You will be happy you did. Learn what tools are available to you. Many people like Evernote ( https://evernote.com/ ) and Things ( http://culturedcode.com/ ). Both of these tools are useful in helping to improve productivity. There are many more that are out on the web that are free to use. There are others that are pay-for apps for your computer or smartphone. Regardless of what you choose, be sure that the tool is beneficial to you. Every student has a different need for tools, so take the time to research the one you feel is best suited for you. As mentioned many times before, a lot is going to be asked of you as a graduate student. You will want to find a spot that is comfortable and quiet as you conduct your studies. If you are working in public, it is often helpful to have your earphones in your ears even if you are not actually listening to anything through them. The reason for this is that earphones can function as earplugs that will filter out noise and promote concentration. If you do not have earphones, invest in earplugs. Having earphones in your ears in public will also prevent others from interrupting you as they will assume you are listening to something and in concentration mode.  Now that you have a plan in place, a schedule to follow, and tools for organizing, it is time to schedule some downtime. This is one of the most difficult tasks as a graduate student, especially if you are working and have other obligations to attend to. However, this is also a very important task to work into your routine. Graduate students are notorious for being exhausted and overextended. Do not let this be you! Instead, be sure to allow yourself enough downtime in your schedule as it will cultivate creativity and will also increase your productivity. To do this, be sure that you get enough sleep. Do not spend time pulling all-nighters in order to get your assignments completed. Instead, be sure to schedule your sleep into your plan. You should aim for a minimum of seven hours per night. Anything less will cripple your creativity, memory retention, and productivity. Make time throughout your day to move around. Exercise is important in keeping a healthy body and a healthy mind. Get up and move around once every hour. Eat healthy and limit sugar in your diet. Though you may want to overindulge in sweets and caffeine, you may want to eliminate this habit and look to healthy snacks and drinks that will promote energy.  Remember to reward yourself. You have learned this term about setting goals, making a plan, and working towards your success. As a part of this, remember to reward yourself. Taking the time to still do the things you love will help you stay motivated throughout your graduate studies.