This document provides information and tips about time management and goal setting for students. It discusses creating schedules at different time intervals (long term, monthly, weekly, daily) to plan tasks. It also recommends keeping a to-do list, prioritizing tasks, using a personal time survey to identify time wasters, making goals specific, measurable, action-oriented, realistic and timely (S.M.A.R.T.), and finding motivation through thinking about outcomes and taking time for yourself. The overall message is that planning and scheduling tasks can help students manage their time effectively.

1. Time Management
and Goal Setting
UGST 1000
FALL 2012

2. Personal Time Survey
Figure out how you spend your time
Can help to identify time wasters
Did you run out of hours in the week?
 Where do you need to cut back in order to not be burnt out?
Do you have some free time?
 Where can you use that time best?
Keep track of how you spend your time for a week for a
more accurate estimate

3. Pie “П” Chart
Any way you slice it, they help you display your point

4. Taking Control of Time
Make an academic calendar
Keep a schedule for one week
Learn to say “no”
Use waiting or “wasted” time
Wear a watch

5. Time Management When Studying
Make goals for studying
Break assignments up into more manageable portions
Take study breaks
Be aware of your best time of day
Study difficult or boring subjects first
Avoid marathon study sessions

6. Long Term Schedule
This is your monthly schedule!
 Write down fixed dates and obligations including
 Class schedule
 Homework, test dates, paper deadlines
 Work schedule
 Extra-curricular activities
 Special occasions
 Holidays
 Meetings
 Appointments
 Anything important to you!

7. Monthly Calendar
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30 31

8. Intermediate Schedule
This is your weekly schedule!
 Write down the major events and amount of work that you have to
accomplish each week. For example:
 Monday: begin paper
 Tuesday night: baseball game
 Wednesday: history quiz
 Thursday: complete math problems in section 2.3
 Read 50 pages in biology by Friday

9. Weekly Calendar
Sun, June 28 Mon, June 29 Tue, June 30 Wed, July 1 Thu, July 2 Fri, July 3 Sat, July 4
8:00
:30
9:00
:30
10:00
:30
11:00
:30
12:00
:30
1:00
:30
2:00
:30
3:00
:30
4:00
:30
5:00
:30
6:00
:30
7:00
:30

10. Short-Term Schedule
This is your daily schedule!
 One a small note card each evening, write out a specific list of
everything you have to accomplish the next day. You can schedule
times, like so…
 9:00-9:15 Review history before class
 12:00-12:30 Review math for quiz during lunch
 4:30-6:00 Read ch. 5 & 6 in history textbook
 7:00-8:30 Complete math problems
 9:00 Movie to de-stress!

11. To Do List

12. ABC List
Write down the day’s tasks and place A, B or C according
to priority
 “A” means most urgent
 “B” mildly urgent
 “C” not urgent
 Your ABC list may look like this:
 Read three chapters in English book for discussion tomorrow (A)
 Begin working on psychology paper due in three weeks (C)
 Call best friend before she goes to bed (B)
 Vacuum room (B)
 Complete math problems for class tomorrow (A)

13. Setting Goals
Setting goals can help with time management
Manage time better by figuring out what your goals are
S.M.A.R.T Goals
 SPECIFIC
 MEASUREABLE
 ACTION-ORIENTED
 REALISTIC
 TIMELY

14. S.M.A.R.T. Goals
SPECIFIC
 Specifics help us to focus our efforts and clearly define what we are
going to do.
 Specific is the What, Why, and How of the SMART model.
 WHAT are you going to do? Use action words such as direct, organize,
coordinate, develop, plan, build etc. WHY is this important to do at this
time? HOW are you going to do it?
 Ensure that the goals you set are very specific, clear, and reachable.
MEASURABLE
 If you can't measure it, you can't manage it.
 Choose a goal with measurable progress so you can see the change
occur.
 Establish concrete criteria for measuring progress toward the
attainment of each goal you set.

15. S.M.A.R.T. Goals
 ACTION ORIENTED
 What will you do action wise to ensure your success?
 Once you’ve put a plan in action, following through with it is the most
important and sometimes hardest part.
REALISTIC
 A goal needs to stretch you slightly so you feel you can do it and it will
need a real commitment from you.
 Set goals that are too difficult and you set the stage for failure, but
setting too low sends yourself the message that you aren't very capable.
 Set the bar high enough for a satisfying achievement!
TIMELY
 Set a timeframe for the goal.
 Without a time limit, there's no urgency to start taking action now.

16. Motivation Tips
Think about the end result
Set S.M.A.R.T. goals and write them down
Be active
Set aside time for you