Strategies for Time Management and Stress

1. UNIV1101
STRATEGIES FOR TIME MANAGEMENT
AND STRESS

2.  Adult learners tend to have
multiple commitments and
responsibilities.
 Time management and
making priorities are critical
skills to learn.
THE TIME CRUNCH

3.  Defined as: the development of processes and
tools that aid a person to more productivity and
efficiency in achieving personal and professional
goals.
 Time Management skills include
 Setting clear goals
 Planning processes and resources to achieve goals
 Decisions to prioritizing goals
 Scheduling activities and Identifying resources
 Identify potential obstacles and problems
 Keep track of your TIME
TIME MANAGEMENT

4. Yesterday is history
Tomorrow is a mystery
But today is a gift from
God
That is why it is called the
PRESENT
THE PRESENT

5.  Nine Time Management Skills to Develop
TIME MANAGEMENT

6.  Specific
 When a goal is to vague, you may never know how to reach it or even when you
have reached it. Make sure that you know exactly what you hope to achieve
 Measurable
 When you have a goal that is measureable, you will know how far you have to go
to reach the goal, and when you get there
 Achievable
 When you identify goals that are most important to you, you begin to figure out
ways you can make them come true.
 Realistic
 A goal must represent an objective toward which you are both willing and able to
work towards
 Time-Bound
 A goal should be grounded within a time frame. With no time frame tied to it
there's no sense of urgency.
TMS #1: SET GOALS (SMART)

7.  Do
 Determine from the list of things you think are most important
to accomplish, and are things you should do yourself
 Delegate
 Recognize that some things are better handled by others.
Delegating not only frees up your time for other things, it
ensures that resources are used wisely
 Delay
 Some things can wait. The best policy here is to consider
WHEN things are due, HOW LONG it will take to accomplish
them, and WHAT your current workload will allow
 Delete
 If you have set goals using the guidelines mentioned earlier,
you may recognize that some of them are not achievable or
realistic, or that they are just not important. Know when to
concentrate on the important and eliminate the rest
TMS #2: PRIORITIZE

8.  Allocate time to plan and schedule activities
and tasks
 Build in “Safe Time”
 Use a daily, weekly, and monthly “To-do List”
 Identify and schedule resources
 BUT be flexible in scheduling
 Maintain a journal of time lost
TMS #3: ORGANIZE WITH PLANS & SCHEDULES

9.  As you prioritize tasks and set deadlines, you will want
to organize your plans and actions.
 Some people may like using forms that use paper and
pencil such as planners and/or calendars. Many
planners contain not only calendar space, but also
room for daily activities, contact information, and “to
do” lists
 Some people may like using a computer. Today’s
computers often come equipped with software
programs that include calendars, task list, reminders,
and contact information. There are also places online
that will do similar functions such as Google Calendar
 Other options include personal digital assistant (PDA)
or smart phone
PLANS & SCHEDULES

10.  Stay focused on your goals
 You may have many commitments and many concerns,
but you will accomplish more when you keep focused on
the one task you are performing at the moment
 Tune out interruptions
 You will find your concentration is at its highest level when
you can set aside times during the day when you will not
answer the phone or schedule visitors. You can’t isolate
yourself all of the time, but by avoiding interruptions for a
specific period of time, you may find you can accomplish
tasks successfully in far less time that you anticipated.
 Find a “Safe Place”
 This is your place that is set aside for specific tasks. This is
all that you do in this location to help reduce the chance of
be distracted by other duties.
TMS #4: CONCENTRATE ON THE TASK AT HAND

11.  Acknowledge that you cannot do everything
 Do not undertake activities or tasks you
cannot complete
 Remain focused and consistent to your goals
TMS #5: LEARN WHEN TO SAY “NO”

12.  Develop DISCIPLINE to do what is RIGHT
 Understand desired outcome for a task or
activity
 However, avoid being a PERFECTIONIST
 TIME is lost when we do things incorrectly,
which adds to our STRESS
TMS #6: DO THE RIGHT THINGS RIGHT

13.  Develop Discipline
 Focus on GOALS
 Use your Plan and Schedule
 If you DO NOT KNOW, then ASK for help
TMS #7: CONQUER PROCRASTINATION

14.  When are you at your mental peak?
 Very early morning?
 Morning?
 Noon?
 Evening?
 Late at night?
TMS #8: CONSIDER YOUR PERSONAL PRIME
TIME

15.  Most research shows that tasks that take the
most mental concentration are most effectively
accomplished early in the day, but even these
studies acknowledge that this is not always true,
and that everyone has a “personal prime time.”
 When you plan your tasks think about your
“prime time.” If you do your best work early, plan
to do the routine tasks later in the day and
concentrate on the more challenging tasks
when you are at your best. If you don’t really get
going until later, handle the routines in the
morning and save the more difficult tasks for
later.
PERSONAL PRIME TIME

16.  Have you ever thought about how much time
you spend doing nothing during an average
day?
 Usually this is not a situation where you
planned to do nothing, it just happened.
 Think about all of the things you could
accomplish if you could make use of this
time.
TMS #9: USE YOUR WAITING TIME

17.  On public transportation
 At the doctor’s office
 When you are “on hold” on the telephone
 Waiting in line
 When you are early
WAITING TIME

18.  There are two ways to look at these periods
of time.
 “wastes of time”
 “gifts of time”
 If you choose to think of them as gifts of time,
you can us them as opportunities to
accomplish routine tasks that are necessary,
but don’t require large periods of time.
WAITING TIME

19.  Celebrate your success!
 Celebrate the achievement of your goals to
maintain a healthy balance in life between
work and play. Reward yourself when you
complete a task or finish a project.
REWARD YOUR GOAL SUCCESS

20. WHY TIME MANAGEMENT IS IMPORTANT

21. BAD TIME MANAGEMENT = STRESS

22.  What stresses you to the point that you
become your own worst person?
 What current interventions(s), if any, do you
use to reduce stress?
 Are those interventions successful, or does
the stress find itself back in your life?
 What part of your stress is external to your
life, and what part of your stress is internal to
yourself?
QUESTIONS TO ASK

23.  Defined as: Stress is the mind and body’s response
to a “change” or “demand” that requires a physical,
mental, or emotional adjustment or response.
 Stress emerges from any situation or thought that makes
a person respond with frustration, anger, nervousness,
and/or anxiety
 Stressors occur when a person perceives that demands
exceed a person’s abilities
 There are two types of stressors:
 Eustress – good stress that promotes growth
 Distress – bad, negative or destructive stress
STRESS

24.  Positive stress promotes growth:
 Physical
 Mental
 Emotional
 Spiritual
 The individual, demands (time), and abilities
 College is designed to “stress” you, but in a
way that causes growth
STRESS IS NECESSARY FOR GROWTH

25.  Manage your time
 Acknowledge ALL your demands in your:
 Work
 Family
 School
 Personal Life
 Use “Strategic Abandonment” as a means to
reduce outdated or unnecessary demands
MEANS TO MANAGE DISTRESS

26.  Schedule your life activities
 Do not forget to add physical exercise to your
activities
 Exercise reduces mental stress
 Look ahead and plan ahead
 Adjust plans when “unavoidable” life events
occur
 Inform your family of your plans – because they
may have plans too
 Stay close and trust in God-pray for guidance
BALANCE YOUR LIFE ACTIVITIES

27.  Read the course syllabus
 Purchase course text books early and READ
required materials
 If a research paper is required, contact your
professor for advance guidance
 If there are weekly homework assignments,
begin assignments early in the week
 UNDERSTAND how family and work obligations
affect your course work schedule
 You DO NOT DO your best work in the “last
TIME MANAGEMENT SUGGESTIONS
TO REDUCE SCHOOL WORK STRESS