Time Management

FITTING IT ALL IN WITH TIME TO SPARE

Otherwise known as TIME MANAGEMENT

IF YOU HAD A BANK
If you had a bank that credited your account each morning with $86,400, that carried over no balance from
day to day, and allowed you to keep no cash in your account, and every evening cancelled whatever part of
the amount you had failed to use during the day, what would you do? Draw out every cent, of course!
Well, you have such a bank and its name is "time." Every morning it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Each
night it rules off, as lost, whatever of this you have failed to invest to a good purpose. It carries over no
balances. It allows no overdrafts. Each day it opens a new account with you. Each night it burns the records
of the day. If you fail to use the day's deposits the loss is yours. There is no drawing against the "tomorrow."
You must live in the present - on today's deposit. Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health,
happiness and success!

How many times have we said, "Where has the time gone?" Or "I don't have enough time!" Or "Time is just flying by!" Each of us has probably made comments like these at least once in our lives. Sometimes it seems that we never have enough time to get the things done that we really want. Yes, I will give lots of specific ideas on how to "manage your time" more effectively. But I want to begin by giving you some more general ideas about time and people and life in general.

There have been two specific articles on "time" from which I have gained tremendous insight both personally and professionally. I want to highlight some key points from these articles for you because I believe that by opening your mind to some "new" concepts about time, you will be better able to live your life in the time that has been given to you.

In one section of the first article, (this is an older article, of which I cannot locate the author or title!) the author describes a classroom scene in which an instructor is standing at the front of his classroom holding a large, empty pitcher. As the instructor drops large rocks into the pitcher, he asks his students to let him know when they feel the pitcher is full. As the rocks reach the top of the pitcher, several students call out that yes, the pitcher is now full. Next, the instructor brings out a bag of pebbles. As he begins to drop the pebbles into the pitcher, he again asks the students to identify when they feel the pitcher is full. At this point, most of the students are smiling, having an understanding of what the instructor is doing. When the pitcher appears full of the big rocks and smaller pebbles, he then pulls out a container of sand. As he pours the sand into the pitcher, again, he asks the students to identify when the pitcher is full. By this time, all the students get the "big picture" of what the instructor is doing. Finally, the instructor pulls out a jar of water. As he pours the water in and it reaches the top of the pitcher, the students realize that now the pitcher is full.

This simple story is actually quite significant. First of all, what are the "big rocks" in your life? These are the top priorities or larger goals that hopefully guide your life. Do you know what your "big rocks" are? Do you spend significant time each day/week/month pursuing your "big rock" priorities? For some, they know what their "big rock" priorities are, but spend very little time day to day pursuing these priorities. Instead, they fill up their time doing "water and sand" tasks that are less meaningful, less satisfying and take up so much time, that there is no time left each day to pursue "big rocks." For others, they really have no idea what the "big rocks" are for their lives. They realize that they are not very satisfied with life, that they have no direction, but don't really know why. How much time do you spend with "water" and "sand" activities? Do you fill up your time-pitcher with water and sand, leaving little or no room for your rocks and pebbles? I will come back to these concepts later in this article.

The second article, which also provides great insight, is entitled "Time Shifting" by R. Todd Erkel ( Family Therapy Networker, January/February, 1995). In his article, the author tries to help us take a new look at the concept of time. For those of us who seem to be going 100 miles an hour all the time, he encourages each of us to slow down, just for a moment, and fully experience what is happening around us. How often do we spend time really paying attention to what we are doing in the present moment? For most of us, even if we are engrossed in a particular activity, at the same time, we are thinking of all the other things we need to do that day, the calls we need to make, the errands we have to run. Erkel reminds us that by slowing down and being fully present in the here and now, we can be more efficient and feel less frazzled. "You eventually realize, for example, that the only memories you own are those moments when you were present. If you think about it, if you were not present, you were absent. That part of your life is gone." Another way to think about the significance of being "fully present" is to notice how often you are doing things without paying much attention, or even having total awareness of what you're doing. These activities may be minor ones (like taking a shower) or major ones (like spending time with your child). In both instances, if you are not fully present, that activity will be gone from your awareness in a very short time. We might not care about remembering our shower, but it's quite upsetting to think that the other activities (like spending time with your child) might be lost forever in our memory simply because we were not fully present.

Erkel suggests the following to help us shift to a more present-oriented way of living: "One tried-and-true way to enter the present moment is to follow the lead of children who haven't yet learned the impulse to judge their actions as a 'waste of time.' Mundane things - folding laundry, navigating the supermarket aisles, washing dishes - hold a powerful antidote for people who are quick to buy into the myth of their self-importance. 'We are so afraid to admit that we enjoy these things�In our rush to join the rich and famous, our culture forgets that the bulk of life is wonderfully mundane.'" As in my first favorite article, the author emphasizes the importance of "(spending) more time doing what you love-something that routinely allows you to shift from mental to emotional time - whether it's carpentry, cooking, gardening, ceramics or walking the dog." How often do we allow ourselves the "luxury" of participating in activities that we really love? And when we do participate, how many of us actually slow down enough to fully enjoy the present moment of a cherished activity?

I think David Ellis, author of "Becoming a Master Student" summed it up beautifully when he stated, "do what you're doing when you're doing it. Be where you are when you're there." Just some ideas to think about!

IF YOU HAVEN'T GOT THE TIME TO DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME, WHEN WILL
YOU FIND TIME TO DO IT OVER?

With the general information given above, perhaps you are now giving more thought to: "Okay, what are my top priorities in my life?" "How much time do I spend each day actively pursuing my top priorities?" "How often do I involve myself in activities which are less important, but seem to take up so much time?" "Do I understand the concept of slowing down and paying attention to the present moment?" "Does the way in which I choose to spend my time contribute to the stress I feel?" "I cannot really manage time, but I can manage how I choose to spend the time I've been given. Do I fully understand that concept?"

This last question is significant because "Time Management" is really a misnomer. We cannot manage time! We can only manage ourselves and what we choose to do in the time we have. There are some very good traditional, time management tools out there to help people make changes and feel more satisfied with how they spend their time. Please remember: These tools are designed to help people manage themselves, not to help people manage time!!! So what are some of these tools?

TOOLS

THE TIME LOG

First, of course, you must have an idea of what you are trying to accomplish in your life in general�as mentioned above, what are your "big rocks?" When you know what your top priorities are, the next step is to determine exactly how much time you spend daily/weekly/monthly pursuing activities which are directly related to your top priorities. I recommend spending two to three weeks doing something called a Time Log. On your log, jot down every activity you participated in and how long that activity took. At the end of the two or three weeks, analyze what you have written. Begin by circling those activities that were directly related to your top priorities. How many circles do you have? Are there enough circles to satisfy you? Just looking at the number of circles can give you an incredible sense of awareness of exactly how much time you spend doing "big rocks and pebbles." Next, underline all of the activities that you would consider "water and sand." Again, just look at the number of underlines compared to the number of circles. Satisfied with the balance? Remember, we all have to do a lot of "water and sand" activities, but are they in proportion to the number of circles? Only you can truly determine what the "right" proportion is for your life.

Of course, the next logical step is to take your Time Log, with all the circles and underlines and figure out what changes you would like to make�if any. If you are dissatisfied with how you are spending your time, what changes would you like to make? Start out gently by making only a few adjustments in your life schedule at first. You are more likely to retain your sensitivity to making changes if you don't try and change everything all at once. Repeat the Time Log periodically to continuously reevaluate what you are doing in your life.

THE WEEKLY SCHEDULE

Another tool to managing yourself more effectively, is to use a weekly schedule or planner. This tool is especially helpful for college students. I recommend using a schedule that places all the days of the week and the hours in each day on one page. I have several different styles in my office if you would like to see one! Begin by entering into your schedule all of your "fixed" activities. These might include the times that you sleep, eat, attend class, work, bathe, etc. Next, enter those activities in which you must participate but are more flexible in terms of when you do them. These might include household chores, study time, recreation, exercise, and family time. Finally, be sure to build into your schedule blocks of "open" time, or times that you have nothing scheduled. This can allow you some flexibility for emergencies or other unplanned events. Believe it or not, blocks of free time can also be used for�FREE TIME! Everyone needs periods where nothing is scheduled to regroup and recharge.

SOME HINTS ABOUT DEVELOPING A SCHEDULE

Be realistic. The schedule that you create must reflect the way you'll REALLY spend your time, or you won't use it! If you know in your heart that there is NO WAY you are going to spend 40 hours studying each week, then don't write schedule 40 hours on your weekly schedule.
Let your schedule evolve naturally. A great way to start such a schedule, is to do the Time Log for two or three weeks. At the very least, observe your activity for at least two weeks to see how you actually spend your time. The schedule that you make should grow out of the way you naturally spend your time.
Try to change only a little at a time. Change one or two things in a schedule and get them under control before moving to change everything all at once. Sometimes just making one or two small adjustments in how you spend your time can make significant difference.
Avoid over scheduling yourself. Always give yourself some slack on a day-to-day basis!

THE LONG TERM CALENDAR

A long-term calendar is extremely helpful for the college student, who must plan many activities in semester intervals. It is a superb visual aid to help a student plan for exams, term projects, one-of-a-kind assignments, conferences, meetings and social functions.

I recommend keeping the long-term calendar with you all the time. I have a calendar called, "Semester On A Page" which a student can very easily keep in his/her notebook, purse or wallet. (If you'd like a copy of this for the current semester, please contact me!) By keeping a copy of the calendar with you all the time, you can record events as soon as they arise. This may help avoid the 'end-of-semester' crunch (when everything seems to be due all on the same day) by allowing you to plan ahead. It is also an effective tool to jot down "check points" that you can build in to help prepare for long-term projects. In other words, if you know you have a 15 page research paper due on December 15, you might plug into your schedule short-term tasks which you can accomplish along the way to the December 15th deadline.

TO DO LISTS

Some people find "To Do" lists very helpful in reminding them what items they would like to accomplish on a particular day or during a particular week. By writing down your top priorities, you can gain great satisfaction in checking off those items that are completed. Some like to code their entries. Rather than just writing a bunch of unrelated tasks down on the list, I work with some students who assign priority numbers to the tasks. This way they can pay closer attention to some of the more important tasks (the MUST tasks) and let slide those that can be delayed for another day (the SHOULD and COULD tasks). It's just a matter of preference on how you might like to use a "To Do" list.

MAKING THE MOST OF STUDY TIME

Here are some ideas to make more efficient use of time you schedule for studying.

STUDY DIFFICULT (or boring) SUBJECTS FIRST. If you save these subjects until the end of your study periods, you are more likely to be too drowsy to really concentrate.
BE AWARE OF YOUR BEST TIME OF THE DAY TO STUDY. When you assign your daily study times, be sure you're scheduling them during the time of day you feel most refreshed.
USE WAITING OR SPARE TIME. We may spend a lot of time waiting in lines. Use this time! If you know you're going to be waiting in a doctor's office for a long time or in line at the post office, bring along a text book you're trying to read or flash cards with terms you're trying to memorize.
USE A REGULAR STUDY AREA WHENEVER POSSIBLE. USE THE LIBRARY! The library not only has tremendous resources, but it is quiet and lends itself nicely to deep, focused study. Where else could you go to avoid noise distractions?
COMMUNICATE WITH THE PEOPLE YOU LIVE WITH ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR STUDY TIME. Do they really know how much time you need to study? Have you made an agreement with each of them about your need for study time? Do they really understand what you're trying to accomplish by going to school?
KEEP PHONE CALLS SHORT IF YOU MUST ANSWER THE PHONE AT ALL. If you've scheduled a study period and you must stay at home, either decide not to answer the phone if it rings OR have a script that you use to keep the phone calls short. "It's so good to hear from you! I'd really like to spend some time visiting. Could I call you back in _____ hour(s) so I can visit longer? Thanks!"
LEARN TO SAY NO! GET READY THE NIGHT BEFORE. People get so frazzled in the morning when they're trying to get the kids ready for school or daycare, get themselves ready, and get to school or work on time. Anything that you can do to get ready the night before, DO IT! This might mean lying clothes out, making lunches, getting all your books and papers together before you go to bed. A day that starts out calmly and focused tends to carry over into the rest of the day's activities.
BE AWARE OF TIME BANDITS. This is where making a time log can be very revealing! There are many activities that we participate in that take up lots and lots of time, many of which seem to "steal" away time we've allocated for more important activities. When people say, "Where has all the time gone?" on a regular basis, there's a good chance that time bandits were the cause! What are your time bandits" both at home and work? Some examples might be the telephone, the TV, friends or co-workers dropping by, eating, naps and "busy work" that could wait until later to be accomplished.
PLAN SHORTER STUDY SESSIONS. Three-hour, marathon study sessions are not very effective. We get tired, lose our concentration, get bored and ultimately, do not use time very efficiently. Instead, plan half-hour study periods, with small breaks in between each half-hour. Of course, be careful not to let the mini-break turn into a major-break! A short, ten-minute break during study sessions are all that most students need to grab a snack (healthy of course!), stretch, walk around and then come back to their study material refreshed and able to concentrate. Here are some questions to ask on a regular basis to keep yourself focused and on task:
                    1. WHAT IS ONE TASK I CAN ACCOMPLISH TOWARD MY GOAL?
                    2. AM I BEING TOO HARD ON MYSELF?
                    3. CAN I DO JUST ONE MORE THING?
                    4. AM I MAKING TIME FOR THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO ME BUT NOT URGENT?

This is a lot of information on "Time Management." If you are dissatisfied with how you spend your time, I suggest trying just a couple strategies listed above. Make at least one small change. If it doesn't help, then try another! Please also know that you can contact Counseling & Advising staff at 447-6974 or visit us in the Information Commons West, room 219.

Article written by Joyce R. Thomas, Director, Counseling &Advising

Ozarks Technical Community College

Last updated 07/23/07

CONTACT INFORMATION:
417-447-6974 or email counseling@otc.edu