- ACDV B70A -

Time Management Strategies

for Academic Success

Bakersfield College

Fall 2016

Table of Contents Day 1: Principles of Time Management .......................................................................................... 1

Warm Up: Day 1 .......................................................................................................................... 2

Time Management Evaluation ................................................................................................ 2

In-Class Activities: Day 1 ............................................................................................................. 3

True or False? Common Myths about Time Management ..................................................... 3

Time Management—Personality & Lifestyle Traits ................................................................ 4

Ways We Waste Time ............................................................................................................. 5

Homework: Day 1 ....................................................................................................................... 6

Time Management Survey ...................................................................................................... 6

Day 2: Scheduling ............................................................................................................................ 7

Warm Up: Day 2 .......................................................................................................................... 8

What is “Too Busy”? ............................................................................................................... 8

In Class Activities: Day 2 .............................................................................................................. 9

Discovering Your Peaks and Slumps ....................................................................................... 9

Tips for Creating a Weekly Calendar ..................................................................................... 10

Schedule Analysis: How do you use your 168? ..................................................................... 12

Homework: Day 2 ..................................................................................................................... 13

Effective Scheduling .............................................................................................................. 13

Day 3: Setting Goals ...................................................................................................................... 16

Warm Up: Day 3 ........................................................................................................................ 17

Your Goals ............................................................................................................................. 17

In-Class Activities: Day 3 ........................................................................................................... 18

Indecision .............................................................................................................................. 18

Criteria of a Goal ................................................................................................................... 19

Are They S.M.A.R.T.? ............................................................................................................. 20

Your Goals Revisited ............................................................................................................. 21

Homework: Day 3 ..................................................................................................................... 22

Goal Planning and Organization ........................................................................................... 22

Day 4: Procrastination & Perfectionism ....................................................................................... 23

Warm Up: Day 4 ........................................................................................................................ 24

I Got an A Every Semester.... In Procrastination! ................................................................. 24

In-Class Activities: Day 4 ........................................................................................................... 26

Procrastination or Perfectionism? ........................................................................................ 26

Self-Esteem, Self-Efficacy, and Locus of Control .................................................................. 27

Long Term Project Plan ......................................................................................................... 28

Homework: Day 4 ..................................................................................................................... 29

Online Quizzes: Procrastination & Locus of Control ............................................................. 29

Day 5: Prioritization ...................................................................................................................... 30

Warm Up: Day 5 ........................................................................................................................ 31

Making “To Do” Lists ............................................................................................................. 31

In-Class Activities: Day 5 ........................................................................................................... 32

Crisis Prioritization: Shipwrecked! ........................................................................................ 32

The Urgency and Importance Matrix .................................................................................... 33

Time Management Scenarios--Practice ................................................................................ 34

Homework: Day 5 ..................................................................................................................... 36

Negotiable vs. Non-Negotiable ............................................................................................. 36

Final Project .................................................................................................................................. 37

FINAL—At-home Portion ...................................................................................................... 37

FINAL—In-Class Portion ........................................................................................................ 38

Interesting & Instructional Resources .......................................................................................... 40

1

Day 1: Principles of

Time Management

2

Warm Up: Day 1

Time Management Evaluation

Answer the following questions to help you better understand how you use your time and

prioritize your activities. Answer honestly and completely. Do not leave any lines blank.

What activities do you really enjoy doing?

What activities do you really hate doing?

What do you think are your most important tasks and responsibilities?

What activities contribute the most to your success as a student?

What activities can you eliminate, simplify, or delegate?

What time of day do you work most efficiently and why? What distracts you, and what helps

you concentrate?

What personal signs tell you that your schedule and projects are getting out of control?

Reflection: Discuss your feelings about your ability to effectively manage your time. What are

your weak points and strong points? Pair and share with another student.

3

In-Class Activities: Day 1

True or False? Common Myths about Time Management

Answer the following by circling True or False; provide an explanation for your answer.

1. T / F It is possible to manage time.

Explain: ______

2. T / F Sticking to a task or project until it’s completed is the best way to tackle my

schoolwork.

Explain: ______

3. T / F I have limitations to what I can accomplish as a student, employee, friend, or

family member.

Explain: _____

4. T / F To-do lists will solve issues with my ability to manage time.

Explain: ______

5. T / F My ability to manage time is controlled by the obligations, events, and deadlines

that I must meet.

Explain: ______

6. T/F If there were more hours in the day, I would get more done.

Explain: _____

7. T/F Looking closely at how I utilize my time is the best way to become a more

productive student.

Explain:

4

Time Management—Personality & Lifestyle Traits

Effective time management has everything to do with our personal characteristics, the way we

organize our life, and the lifestyle we lead. Think of someone you know who leads a full and

busy life and has also reached a high level of success (academically or professionally).

What personality traits do you see that have assisted them in reaching their great success? Are

these natural qualities or are they learned behaviors? (Your answer may contain both!). List

some of the qualities that you see below.(Note: Don’t just say “they are organized” … be

specific about the way they are organized!)

Good lifestyle habits will have a big impact on academic success. When assessing how effectively

you use your time, consider the choices you make on a daily basis that might affect your ability

to stay organized and on task. Place a checkmark next to statements that are true for you

personally.

I do something really fun on a regular basis. I rarely drink too much.

I try to avoid junk/fast foods. I eat at least one well-balanced meal daily.

I exercise regularly. I have family and friends that support me.

I sleep an average of 8 hours on school nights I do not use illegal drugs.

I gain strength from my religious beliefs. I don’t smoke

I limit the amount of caffeine I drink I try to maintain a positive attitude.

Count the numbers of statements you checked. Score yourself using the following guidelines.

10 or more: Reflects a positive lifestyle that will enhance your ability to succeed in college. 7 to

10: Reflects a moderate lifestyle that will be relatively helpful in creating academic success. 6 or

Less: Reflects a vulnerable lifestyle; you may find your lifestyle may jeopardize your academic

success.

5

Ways We Waste Time

In college, students face the challenge of a busy workload with the freedom of a more

flexible schedule. Compare: an average high school student spends five days per week and

between 5-7 hours in-class learning...that is a minimum of 25 hours in-class, possibly more! A

college student carrying a full load, on the other hand, may only spend 15 hours in class and

labs, possibly less. In theory, the college student has more time at their disposal. However, this

also means college and university students have more time to waste.

Time wasting is a major obstacle to maximum productivity in the life of a student. There

are a fixed number of hours in a day, and how you use them will directly relate to your success

as a student.

Take a moment and think about all of the ways we waste time. Brainstorm a list below:

Find two different students who share at least one common distraction (choose a different

“time waster” for each column). Discuss possible solutions to your “time waster” and write

down 3 ways you will combat this distraction in the future.

"Time Waster" 1. 2.

Solution 1

Solution 2

Solution 3

6

Homework: Day 1

Time Management Survey

Go to the following website from Illinois State, University College to learn about your personal

time management skills:

http://universitycollege.illinoisstate.edu/downloads/Time%20Mgmt%20Survey.pdf

As you answer the questions, tally your scores in the chart below.

Add up the number of “agree” answers for each group of questions and record below.

For questions 1-8: _________

Did you agree with more than 4? You might have a problem with setting long term goals.

For questions 9-20: _________

Did you agree with more than 6? You might struggle with prioritizing and short-term goals.

For questions 21-31: _________

Did you agree with more than 6? You may have issues with controlling your environment.

On a separate piece of paper or the back of this page, discuss the area that you struggle with

the most. What does it mean to you? How has it impacted your studies?

Agree Disagree Unsure

Questions 1-8

Questions 9-20

Questions 21-31

7

Day 2:

Scheduling

8

Warm Up: Day 2

What is “Too Busy”?

When was the last time you were “too busy” to do something? What was the thing you were

“too busy” to do? Was it an evening out with friends? A presentation for school? A task that

your boss asked you to complete?

Students often use “too busy” as an excuse to avoid something they don’t want to do.

Some like saying they are “too busy” because it makes them feel important.

Yet others, if they are truly “too busy,” are probably not managing their time/tasks effectively.

Sure, we all have commitments, probably more than we feel we can handle. Take a moment to

THINK and WRITE about the last time you were “too busy” to do something you WANTED or

NEEDED to do. What were you “too busy” to do; why did you feel “too busy” in that moment;

could you have been suffering from one of the reasons above? Now that you know the reasons

we might feel “too busy,” would you have handled the situation differently?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Now, share with a partner and compare your feelings on why we are “too busy” in life today.

9

In Class Activities: Day 2

Discovering Your Peaks and Slumps

The chart on the right shows typical blocks of the day. The list on the left shows typical daily

activities. Decide when during the day you prefer to do each activity. Write the activity number

on the chart in the correct time slot. You may place an activity in more than one time slot.

1. Concentrate on memorizing. 5:00—7:00 A.M. #

2. Work on difficult math problems. 7:00—9:00 A.M. #

3. Sit and relax. 9:00—10:00 A.M. #

4. Take a nap. 10:00—12:00 noon #

5. Do creative writing. 12:00 noon—1:00 P.M. #

6. Do household chores. 1:00 P.M.—3:00 P.M. #

7. Sit and talk to friend. 3:00—5:00 P.M. #

8. Plan a class presentation or a speech. 5:00—7:00 P.M. #

9. Exercise or work out. 7:00—9:00 P.M. #

10. Complete easy review. 9:00—11:00 P.M. #

11. Do problem-solving type of hwk. 11:00—1:00 A.M. #

12. Type/review notes. Looking for patterns…. Follow the directions

below. Place a symbol on each number in the

chart that you completed

*From Bakersfield College STVB6D

13. Move around.

14. Eat.

15. Organize school materials

Place a around 1, 2, 5, 8, 11. These activities require peak alertness & concentration.

Place a around 10, 12, 15. These activities require a lower level of concentration.

Place a around 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 13, 14. These activities can be done without much

concentration. These are your “slump” hours; avoid scheduling study/schoolwork at this time.

Reflection: What times of day you have placed the most stars? The most squares? These are

your peak and slump times of day. Can you maximize the medium and high focus times for

study this semester?

10

Tips for Creating a Weekly Calendar

Directions: Take notes on the presentation and use them to fill in the blanks below.

1. Studying in the __________________ will minimize distraction and maximize efficiency.

2. _______________________ includes activities such as social media, watching television,

spending time with friends.

3. You should always start your weekly calendar with ________________________.

4. Being able to say __________ is important to effective time management.

5. Students must learn to balance ________________ , _______________ , and

______________ .

6. You need to ____________________ your schedule at the beginning and at the end of

the day.

7. Students who lack control of their schedule may end up with feelings of

__________________ .

8. Avoid ___________________ to make your schedule run smoothly.

9. Having a schedule will relieve ________________ and allow you to accomplish more in

your day.

10. School should be treated like a ___________________ .

Do you utilize some type of schedule to help you organize your time? If so, what type of

scheduling and does it help?_______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

On the next page, complete the weekly calendar.

Fill in everything you have done since Sunday and everything you know you will do

between now and Saturday.

Begin with fixed obligations (classes, work hours), then add appointments and other

commitments

Make sure you account for every hour of the day, and be as realistic as possible.

Reflect on how you will use “free” time. When you have free time, schedule

study/homework assignments.

11

Week of _ 8/21/2016_

Sun Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat

6:00 am :30 7:00 am :30 8:00 am :30 9:00 am :30 10:00 am :30 11:00 am :30 12:00 pm :30 1:00 pm :30 2:00 pm :30 3:00 pm :30 4:00 pm :30 5:00 pm :30 6:00 pm :30 7:00 pm :30 8:00 pm :30 9:00 pm :30 10:00 pm :30 11:00 pm-

6:00 am

12

Schedule Analysis: How do you use your 168?

Every person is given the same 168 hours per week, but how an individual uses these hours

will vary greatly. Look back at your weekly calendar that you just created. Add up the

number of hours that you will spend in each of these categories. If you have any blank spaces

on our calendar, mark as “other.” Keep in mind that some of this is hypothetical, but try to be

as honest and accurate as possible.

Educational Activities ________ ÷ 168 = ______ % of your time

Working Related Activities ________ ÷ 168 = ______ % of your time

Eating and Drinking ________ ÷ 168 = ______ % of your time

Commuting/travel ________ ÷ 168 = ______ % of your time

Personal Hygiene ________ ÷ 168 = ______ % of your time

Leisure and sports ________ ÷ 168 = ______ % of your time

Sleeping ________ ÷ 168 = ______ % of your time

Other ________ ÷ 168 = ______ % of your time

Compare your use of time to the average time use of full-time college and university students:

Bureau of Labor Statistics, http://www.bls.gov/tus/charts/students.htm

Reflection: How is your time use similar to the Labor Bureau statistics? How is it different?

13

Homework: Day 2

Effective Scheduling

Part 1--Semester Planning

Pull out all course syllabi and course calendars for your classes this semester.

Use the semester length calendar on p. 14 to fill in the due dates for all major assignments. This

will consist of tests, quizzes, essays, presentations, midterm and final exams, and

portfolios/journals. This does NOT include homework assignments or test-prep/study time.

Include only major due dates.

Consult the BC Website for Important Dates, Fall 2016; this will include important add/drop

dates as well as school holidays. https://www.bakersfieldcollege.edu/important-dates

Add in any events/plans that you know you must attend. This may include things like plans to

go out of town, major functions such as all-day work seminars or family weddings. These events

may impact the amount of available time you have, and you should therefore take them into

account when planning how you will use your time on those particular weeks.

Part 2--Weekly Planning

Fill in the weekly calendar on page 16 with fixed obligations for this semester, things that will

NOT change such as classes, tutoring sessions, fixed work schedules, any weekly obligations

that will happen every week on the same day or time.

1. Make/print a copy of your fixed schedule and label it "Week of 8/28/2016"**

2. Next, consult your semester calendar and add in any major due dates or events you

know in advance to be scheduled this week.

3. Then, add any appointments or plans you have for this week specifically.

4. Lastly, locate open time blocks and start filling in scheduled study or homework time for

each course you are taking. Remember the general rule, 2 hours outside of class is

needed for every hour spent in class.

5. Don’t forget to add time to eat and sleep!

**Keep your original, fixed schedule; you may make additional copies to complete weekly

schedules for the remaining weeks of the semester.

Go to this website to create a fully customizable monthly calendar

http://www.pdfcalendar.com/12-weeks/

Fall 2016 Semester Calendar

14

Week

of

Sun Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat

8/21 Aug 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

8/28 28 29 30 31 Sep1 2 3

9/4 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

9/11 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

9/18 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

9/25 25 26 27 28 29 30 Oct 1

10/2 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

10/9 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

10/16 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

10/23 23 24 25 26 27 28 29

10/30 30 31 Nov 1 2 3 4 5

11/6 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

11/13 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

11/20 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

11/27 27 28 29 30 Dec 1 2 3

12/4 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

15

Week of ____________

Sun Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat

6:00 am :30 7:00 am :30 8:00 am :30 9:00 am :30 10:00 am :30 11:00 am :30 12:00 pm :30 1:00 pm :30 2:00 pm :30 3:00 pm :30 4:00 pm :30 5:00 pm :30 6:00 pm :30 7:00 pm :30 8:00 pm :30 9:00 pm :30 10:00 pm :30 11:00 pm-

6:00 am

16

Day 3: Setting

Goals

17

Warm Up: Day 3

Your Goals

Setting goals is an imperative aspect of collegiate success. Why are you here at Bakersfield College? What is your desired result? What motivates you? Where do you see yourself in 1 year, 5 years, 10 years?

Think about these questions for a moment, and then come up with a goal you wish to

achieve in the next 5 years in your academic life, your professional life, and your personal life. Record your goals and answer the questions below. Educational Goal________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Professional Goal________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Personal Goal___________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Reflection: Have you thought about your goals before today? How are your goals now different than your goals 1 year ago, 5 years? 10 years? Record your thoughts here. ______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

18

In-Class Activities: Day 3

Indecision

Many students have a difficult time making a decision, especially when it comes to major life

decisions like choice of major or career path. Some worry that they are not making the right

choice. Others feel pressure from outside sources that conflict with their own desires, making it

difficult to move forward. Still others just don’t know what they want yet.

While nerves may be understandable (these are major life choices!) not being able to decide is

a real obstacle to setting and achieving meaningful goals.

Read and Respond to the statements below:

I feel fearful that the choice I make will be wrong.

I place a great amount of importance on small decisions, like what to have for dinner or what

clothes to put on I n the morning.

When given two similar opportunities, I agonize over which will be the right choice.

I am constantly concerned about how my decision will affect others.

I have a difficult time choosing which task to tackle first, even though I have a long list of things

to accomplish.

Restaurant menus frighten me.

In a group, I often defer to others when a choice needs to be made.

Reflection: Did you agree with any or all of the statements above?

What are some ways to overcome indecisiveness? Think about and write your response below.

Share with a partner; be prepared to discuss with the class.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

19

Criteria of a Goal

Takes notes on the presentation and then complete the chart below; list and describe the

criteria of a S.M.A.R.T. goal

S.

M.

A.

R.

T.

20

Are They S.M.A.R.T.?

With a partner, read and discuss the following goals set by college students like yourselves.

Decide if the student has crafted an effective S.M.A.R.T. goal? Explain your answer and, if the

answer is no, revise the goal in the lines below

1. Samantha wants to be a Dietician. She sets a goal to graduate from with an Associate’s

Degree in Nutrition so that she can transfer to a 4-year university.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

2. Enrique wants to succeed his freshman year of college. He sets a goal to earn 100% on

every exam he takes between the first week of the semester and finals week.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

3. Henry loves to travel. He sets a goal to save money so that he can take a trip to Thailand

because he’s always wanted to visit.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

4. Olivia has decided to lose weight. She sets a goal to exercise more and eat less fast food

and possibly run a half marathon in February.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

5. Julie knows she is struggling in her Anatomy class. She sets a goal to study more and to

see the teacher in office hours to get help.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

21

Your Goals Revisited

Return to the 3 goals that you set at the beginning of the class (page 17). Are they specific,

measurable, attainable/action-oriented, realistic, and timely (S.M.A.R.T.)? On the lines below,

write your original goal, and then revise it to reflect the criteria that you learned about in class.

Educational Goal

Original:_______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Revised:_______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Professional Goal

Original:_______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Revised:_______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Personal Goal

Original:_______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Revised:_______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Reflection: With a partner, compare your “original” and “revised” goals; what changes did you

make to ensure your goals are S.M.A.R.T.? Can you improve upon them further?

22

Homework: Day 3

Goal Planning and Organization

Use your revised long-term goals from page 24 to fill in the chart below.

Take each of your long term S.M.A.R.T. goals and assess the necessary short term goals to

accomplish them. Be as specific as possible. Ex.: If your goal is to earn a Teaching Credential in

the next 5 years, consider the courses you will need to take, program application deadlines,

required tests or board exams.

On a separate piece of paper or the back of this page, note the resources/support you will need

to achieve this goal and possible obstacles. Don’t forget to set a reward for success!

Remember, by breaking goals into manageable tasks, you are more likely to achieve success!

• 1.________________________________

• 2.________________________________

• 3.________________________________

• 4.________________________________

Long-Term Education Goal

______________________________

• 1.________________________________

• 2.________________________________

• 3.________________________________

• 4.________________________________

Long Term Professional Goal

______________________________

• 1.________________________________

• 2.________________________________

• 3.________________________________

• 4.________________________________

Long Term Personal Goal

______________________________

23

Day 4:

Procrastination &

Perfectionism

24

Warm Up: Day 4

I Got an A Every Semester.... In Procrastination!

Read the following text then respond on the lines below.

College. A serious time for the pursuit of higher degrees, complex thought and

discussion, and enlightenment of ideas. Meaningful friendship and exciting social experiences

are a bonus, Right? Studies first, everything else second. This is a great strategy but difficult to

follow through if you are a master at procrastination. Consider the following example:

Thursday morning English class is in session. The teacher reminds you that you have a

research paper due on Tuesday. Great! The whole weekend to finish and ace this paper. You

leave class feeling confident and ready to begin.

On the way to the library (to continue the research you started last week) you run into

your roommate. “What are you doing now, want to grab some lunch?” Huh, you think, sure.

You can always go to the library after lunch; your classes are done for the day, and you will

concentrate better if your stomach isn’t growling. “Why not,” you say. At lunch you see a group

of friends heading to play basketball. They ask you to join, and again, you say “why not;” you

still have four days to complete your paper. You finally make it to the library around 5:30 pm.

Right as you are sitting down to work, your phone lights up. “Movie tonight?” Yes! You’re dying

to see that new movie and tonight is the opening show. You say yes, work for an hour, then

head out. At least you got some of it done!

Friday morning, you are feeling groggy because the movie turned into a late night of

hanging out with your friends. You make it to your morning classes, but by afternoon you are

exhausted. You head home to work on your paper, but you are so tired that you take a nap

instead. When you wake up at 4, you have a ton of new messages…. It’s Friday night! Everyone

is going out, and you probably won’t be able to concentrate very well, so you might as well go

with and start fresh in the morning.

The next day, you wake up and say, “I’m ready to get this done!” You have a function

with your fraternity at 7pm, so you have ALL DAY to work on this paper. You sit down at the

computer and start researching. You get a text message. An hour later, you find yourself

scrolling through year-old pictures on Facebook. You get back to work and do a little more

searching for sources with few results. The topic is intimidating, and you are not really sure

what you know or what you can write that will impress your professor. You decide, a break will

help you reset and refocus. You walk around the block. You get back home and remember that

your closet is disastrous and you’ve been meaning to clean it out. You start going through

items, and you are feeling productive. “I’m getting this important thing done” you say;

meanwhile your computer goes into sleep mode. A few hours later, you realize you skipped

25

lunch and are starving. You make some food and “relax” for a minute. You have been working

so hard!

At that moment, you look at the clock and realize it’s getting late. You have to get ready

for your event at 7:00. “Maybe I’ll work on my paper when I get home,” you think, however

unlikely that will be.

You wake up Sunday morning. Darn! You completely forgot that you agreed to spend

the day with your parents. You Great Aunt Sally is visiting, and your mom insisted weeks ago

that you visit while she is in town. You leave your apartment with anxiety about your paper.

“I’m sure I will have time when I get home” you tell yourself. Plus, I still have all day tomorrow!

You get home that night at 6pm and are set on getting your paper going. But your kitchen sink

is full of dirty dishes, and you really can’t concentrate knowing that. You do the dishes and then

head to your room to work on your paper. You sit for a while and stare at your computer screen

blankly. The ideas are just not coming! This is really difficult. Your roommate comes home and

flops on the couch to watch TV. You might as well watch TV while you are trying to figure out

what to write in your paper. Just a few minutes won’t hurt. You turn go to the living room and

catch up with your roommate for a bit. There’s a marathon of your favorite reality show; you

get sucked in, and watch back-to-back episodes for hours until you fall asleep.

Now here you are on Monday, with research, a rough draft, revisions, and a final draft

to complete. All in one day! Your anxiety levels are high because you know it’s too much to

finish in the time you have left. You think about giving up but decide that even a bad paper is

better than no paper! You write the best you can, throw in a few sources that seem to make

sense (but are not that well thought out), and, after pulling an all-nighter, you turn in an

unrevised paper to your professor Tuesday morning. Your anxiety about finishing the paper

goes away, the weight lifted and simultaneously replaced by the worry, “I’m sure I got an F on

my paper.”

Do you sympathize with this student? Describe a time when you chose to put off a major school

assignment. How and why did you procrastinate?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

26

In-Class Activities: Day 4

Procrastination or Perfectionism?

Take notes on the presentation and use them to complete the following page:

Select the appropriate term for each of the statements below. Write the letter in the space

provided. It is possible to answer both A & B!!

A. Procrastination

B. Perfectionism

1. __________ Puts off a task that can be done today for another time.

2. __________ May be caused by a fear of failure.

3. __________ Encourages an unrealistic illusion of flawless work.

4. __________ Has extreme sensitivity to criticism.

5. __________ Delays completing work/tasks because they aren’t 100% perfect.

6. __________ Can be overcome by setting achievable, realistic goals.

7. __________ Requires self-reflection and awareness to address the problem

8. __________ Includes “all-or-nothing” thinking.

9. __________ Is improved when mixing active with passive work.

10. __________ Involves feelings of anxiety.

11. __________ Often occurs when students can’t say no to others.

12. __________ Will affect all parts of a student’s life, not just academic.

13. __________ Can be overcome by minimizing harsh, self-critical thoughts.

14. __________ Sometimes occurs because of lack of interest in subject/activity.

15. __________ Often occurs when students underestimate the time a task will take.

16. __________ Is mistakenly seen as desirable for good study behavior.

17. __________ Will have a negative impact on academic success.

18. __________ Obsessively checks assignments without making any progress.

19. __________ Places priority on tasks that don’t contribute to an important goal.

20. __________ Values your achievements or approval of others over a healthy self-image.

21.

Reflection: Do you think you are a procrastinator, a perfectionist, both, or neither? Think about your answer then share with a partner.

27

Self-Esteem, Self-Efficacy, and Locus of Control

Watch the video, “Self-Esteem, Self-Efficacy, and Locus of Control” and take notes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcLKlPTG97k. Then, respond to the following questions.

Define Self-Esteem______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Define Self-Efficacy______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

What is the difference between “strong self-efficacy” and “weak self-efficacy?”_____________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Name and describe the sources one’s sense of self-efficacy______________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Is it possible to have a low self-esteem and high self-efficacy? What is this called and give an

example.______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

What is locus of control? Describe the two types. _____________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

28

Long Term Project Plan

To reduce procrastination, consider how you might break down a larger assignment into smaller, more

manageable tasks (similar to breaking down long-term goals!) Think of two major projects that you must

complete this semester. List the project name, the tools or materials needed to complete the

assignment, and a list of “tasks” that will help you finish.

Project___________________________________________________________

Requirements:_____________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Due Date________________

Tasks Time Needed Due Date

Project___________________________________________________________

Requirements:_____________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Due Date________________

Tasks Time Needed Due Date

A PDF version of this can be found at http://www2.bakersfieldcollege.edu/student_success/Files/ProjectPlan.pdf

29

Homework: Day 4

Online Quizzes: Procrastination & Locus of Control

Procrastination Quiz: Go to the following website: http://userpages.umbc.edu/~koconne1/605TheAdultLearner/pquiz1.htm

Take the “Procrastination Quiz.” Read your results and assessment, record your score, and answer the questions on a separate piece of paper.

Procrastination Style Score Crisis-Maker Procrastinator

Dreamer Procrastinator

Defier Procrastinator

Overdoer Procrastinator

Perfectionist Procrastinator

Worrier Procrastinator

1. What is your dominant procrastination style? Do you agree with this assessment? Why

or Why not?

2. Can you think of an example of how this type of procrastination has affected your school

performance in the past?

3. Does this type of procrastination affect your personal or professional life? How?

4. What are some strategies to combat this type of procrastination?

Locus of Control Quiz: Go to the following website:

http://www.psych.uncc.edu/pagoolka/LC.html

Take the quiz and record your score here: ____________ / 13

A high score indicates an “external” locus of control—students who feel their fate/success is in

the hands of others. A low score indicates an “internal” locus of control—students who believe

they have control over everything that happens to them.

5. How might your locus of control affect your ability to be a successful student?

30

Day 5: Prioritization

31

Warm Up: Day 5

Making “To Do” Lists

The average college student has a mile-long list of “to-do” items, ranging from the school, work, and personal areas of their lives. Think for a moment of the things you would like to accomplish today, this week, and possibly this month. Write a list of at least 12 things you would like to accomplish in the next week or month and record them here. Remember the lecture on procrastination? As you write you tasks, consider if the task could be broken down into smaller pieces (i.e. don’t write “write English paper” rather consider tasks like “finish research for English paper” or “complete Final Draft for B1A paper.”)

1. ________________________________________________________________________

2. ________________________________________________________________________

3. ________________________________________________________________________

4. ________________________________________________________________________

5. ________________________________________________________________________

6. ________________________________________________________________________

7. ________________________________________________________________________

8. ________________________________________________________________________

9. ________________________________________________________________________

10. ________________________________________________________________________

11. ________________________________________________________________________

12. ________________________________________________________________________

13. ________________________________________________________________________

14. _______________________________________________________________________

32

In-Class Activities: Day 5

Crisis Prioritization: Shipwrecked!

You are shipwrecked on an island. Look at the list of provisions below; With a partner, order the

items from 1-15, 1 being most important to have, 15 being least important. Provide a brief

explanation.

Priority Rank Item Reason

First aid kit

Water—5 gallons

Hammock

Knife

Fishing net

Signal flares

Nylon rope

A positive attitude

Bug spray

Box of matches

Sturdy shoes

Magnetic compass

A good book

Camera

Sunscreen

33

The Urgency and Importance Matrix

Your “to-do” list from page 31 may list all of the items that you need to accomplish in the next

few days. However, it does not give you any guidance, such as where to begin or when each of

these tasks might fit into your schedule. Determining priority as well as time to complete

becomes crucial in maximizing your efficiency.

Look back at your list of tasks and record each one of the items in the matrix below.

Once you have added each item to the chart, number your tasks in order of importance,

1 being most important and 12 being least. Write a new list on the back of this page in

order of priority with the estimated time it will take to complete each task.

Reflection: Explain your choice for the most important task as well as the lease important activity? How might you find this method of prioritization useful with your school activities?

Urgent and Important Not Urgent and

Important

Urgent and Not ImportantNot Urgent and Not

Important

Imp

ort

ant

Urgent

34

Time Management Scenarios--Practice

Read each of the following scenarios. Identify the problem that the student is having then

brainstorm 3 possible solutions that we have covered in B70A Strategies for Time Manaement

that might help these students manage their time better.

Scenario A

Miles has a very hectic and busy life. He attends college, works a full-time job, and

has a family. Miles feels overwhelmed every day. He just cannot seem to get

everything done. Miles realizes that midterms are coming up in a week. What can

Miles do to utilize his time for studying?

Explain how these strategies will help Miles overcome his time management issues.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Problem

Solution 2

Solution 3Solution 1

35

Scenario B

Anthony is a perfectionist. He is having a hard time adjusting to college life due to

his fear of failure. In his mind, it is safer to do nothing than to take a risk and fail.

Anthony has decided to not confront his college workload; he feels he has too

much to do and not enough time to do it perfectly. What should Anthony do to

ease his anxiety and diminish his tendency to procrastinate?

Explain how these strategies will help Miles overcome his time management issues.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Problem

Solution 2

Solution 3Solution 1

36

Homework: Day 5

Negotiable vs. Non-Negotiable

Watch the following short video (9 minutes) and take notes describing what happens.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmMUy2t0ZvQ

Write 1-2 paragraphs addressing the following:

Explain what the video illustrates. Is the speaker successful in making his point?

Give some examples of the “non-negotiable” parts of your life. Give some examples of “negotiable” parts of your life.

Do you spend more time and energy, on the “negotiable” or “non-negotiable”?

How can you change your approach to the “negotiable” and “non-negotiable” aspects of your life?

Don’t forget to complete your Activity Journal (p. 36) for our final class meeting!!!

37

Final Project FINAL—At-home Portion

Activity Journal (August 24-September )

Each student must keep a journal for 3 weeks describing your daily activities and time on task.

Rate the activity on a scale of 1-4. Record a MINIMUM of 3 activities per day (totaling no less

than 48 entries).

Activity Scale:

4: Recreational (Just hanging out)

3: WANTED to do the activity (personal or family obligations)

2: Not a TOP priority, but NEEDED to do the activity soon

1: PRIORITY, VERY IMPORTAN ACTIVITY

Sample Journal:

Date Time Activity Rating 1-4

8/31 8-12:30 In class 1

8/31 1-2 pm Went on a walk 3

8/31 6-7pm Dinner 1

9/1 3-5pm HWK assignment 2

9/1 7-9pm Facebook 4

In-class Portion

In class, you will reflect on your activity journal. You will also receive a case study presenting a

time management challenge. You will be responsible for providing three time management

strategies to address the problem presented in the case study.

DUE before class on ____________

38

FINAL—In-Class Portion

Part 1: Activity Journal Reflection. Review your Activity Journal and decide, how do you spend

your time? In which category do most of your activities rate (1) Top Priority, (2) Very Important,

(3) Wanted to do the activity, or (4) Recreational/Leisure. Do you feel you use your time wisely?

How will you manage your time differently in the future? Be specific and write your answer

below.

_____

_____________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

39

Part 2: Review the case studies below. Read all of them, and your instructor will assign TWO

case studies for you to respond to. On a separate piece of paper, WRITE one paragraph for EACH situation: IDENTIFY the student’s problem and three time management solutions. Then, EXPLAIN how these solutions will improve their academic life. Scenario 1 Lindsay could not wait to get to college. She was anxious to meet new people

and experience college life. On the first day, every instructor presented her with a syllabus and

a semester full of assignments. How would she ever get all this done? She felt overwhelmed.

She felt she had so much to do that she did not know where to start! What should Lindsay do to

ease her anxiety? How can she manage her time effectively?

Scenario 2 Heather has just received the results of her first college test. She failed her

Psychology exam miserably. She can only blame herself because she was not prepared.

Heather just could not find time in her busy schedule to study. She has another exam coming

up in two weeks. What can Heather do this time to ensure she improves her grade?

Scenario 3 Sarah is a single mom with three small children. She has just gone through a

divorce and feels she can get a much better job to support her family if she can get an

Associate’s Degree. She is terrified of returning to school after so many years. While she is

excited about going to college, she is apprehensive about the workload. She has many doubts.

What should Sarah do to alleviate her anxiety? How should she manage her time?

Scenario 4 James, a first-year college student, is eager for his first semester to begin. High

school was so easy for James; he never had to study. He feels college will be similar to high

school; after all, it is just junior college. After the first week of the semester, however, James

realizes he was wrong. He has been bombarded with loads of challenging work, not to mention

grueling exams. He had never had to study before and is finding it hard to say to no to friends

and family when they want to hang out. What should James do to adjust his schedule to fit

college life?

Scenario 5 Angelica waits until the last minute to do most tasks, especially when it comes to

homework and studying. She is the worst procrastinator, and she knows it. However, she just

feels so burdened by duties all the time. Angelica believes if she doesn’t deal with her

homework, it doesn’t exist. She tends to have low self-esteem because of her procrastinating.

What can Angelica do to change her behavior?

Scenario 6 Kevin is a man with a plan. He has a schedule, and he sticks to it, even though it

is a schedule most people could never keep up with. Kevin is not going to let anything stop him

from achieving his goals. Midway through the semester, unfortunately, Kevin suddenly

collapses from fatigue, suffering a nervous breakdown. His mind and body simply could not

endure his hectic schedule. What could Kevin have done to prevent this from happening?

Per your instructor’s direction, please respond to Scenarios __________ and __________ .

40

Interesting & Instructional Resources Oregon State Learning http://success.oregonstate.edu/learning-corner/all-tools-worksheets

Dartmouth Academic Skills Website http://www.dartmouth.edu/~acskills/success/time.html

Study Guides and Strategies, Time & Stress Management http://www.studygs.net/shared/mgmnt.htm

Princeton Effective Time Management https://www.princeton.edu/mcgraw/library/for-

students/effective-time-management/

Eisenhower Matrix https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wU3SVUngKSo

Eisenhower Matrix https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suGXZ1869qc

How Better Tech Could Protect Us from Distraction https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wU3SVUngKSo

Combatting Perfectionism: http://www.princeton.edu/mcgraw/library/for-students/perfectionism/

Apps to aid productivity: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/apps-college-students-

need_n_5691733

Coping with Indecision http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2013/07/05/coping-with-indecision-7-

deadly-thoughts/

“The Truth About Being Too Busy” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arin-gragossian/too-

busy_b_4547137.html?