After School Discovery's Top Time Management Skills, October 2014

1. A Student Athlete’s Approach to Time Management
Time! Time! Time! There never seems to be enough of it, and the spare time you do have
is often overburdened by the “What’s Next Factor”.
Recently an AACS staff member had a conversation with a student athlete about the
pressures of managing relationships, school, sport schedules, and social lives while trying
to maintain a positive self-image.
“Sometimes it feels I can never get myself organized. Life is so chaotic. Some days I am
strong and confident, other days I am a mess!” the athlete said.
Managing the various buckets of life is a challenge crossing all our daily paths. Everyday
5,000 messages fly by our desk or zoom through our rear window. Not to mention, the
3,200 alerts that explode our phone as we navigate through daily memos, meetings, and
afterschool practices. No wonder we might have trouble prioritizing tasks!
The athlete learned time management skills sky rocket our confidence, and can turn chaos
into achievement in academics, athletics, and relationships. She also learned time
management creates even a few extra moments to stop, breathe, and mediate in the
whispering winds of the crisp fall air.
ASD talked with the student athlete about some ways to manage her time and stay in
control of her athletic and academic goals. When thinking about effective time
management, most importantly acknowledge and accept that you can’t do it all and some
things just won’t get done! To-do list, calendars, and schedules will never give you the
same heartfelt memories as reading with your kids and enjoying a family meal.
Top Time Management
and Productivity Tips
Eliminate the Unnecessary
Identify three things you waste time on,
and how you can eliminate them. Can
you group similar tasks together? Every
time we move from task to task we
waste ______ minutes.
Identify Big Rocks
Every month, every day, every week
identify your “Big Rocks”. These are
your top projects and priorities that
MUST get done in the month, week, or
day. Allow your other “pebbles” to
filter in throughout the day, but don’t
lose sight of those big rocks until they
are complete!
Implement the 80/20 Principle
The 80/20 Principle says that you tend
to generate 80% of your results from
just 20% of your efforts. Use this theory
as a guideline to help you reprioritize
your daily activities and focus on the
essential components that will give you
the MOST results.
Get Support
Support is a necessary component of
time management. Surround yourself
with people who understand your goals
and the importance of staying focused.
The best way for people to help is to
provide you the space and time to be
productive. However, don’t forget at
the end of the day it is your self-discipline
that determines your ability
to stick to a schedule and accomplish
goals. Stay tuned to ASD for more
ideas on how to get support!
LHS student athletes manage a lot throughout the day! ASD helps
them prioritize by providing focused space to complete homework
before their feet hit the court!