Tips and Tricks 3:Time Management @ KU Leuven

Karel JoosStudy Advice ServiceOctober 28th 2013

Managing Time Effectively

Managing Time Effectively

• Introduction

• Increasing awareness

• How to manage your time?

• Difficulties

• Advantages

Introduction

Introduction

• How much time do you spend studying?o Number of hours in class per week = ?o Number of hours study time per week = ?

o Total load = ?

Introduction• Research : The ‘average’ student spends 37,5 - 45 hours a week

o including studying, preparing papers, attending courses/ lectures, library/ lab work, ..

o For 60 credits, passing in June

• 1 credit = 25-30 hours • 1 year = 1500 – 1800 hours

Increasing Awareness

Increasing Awareness

• Questionnaire

Managing Time Effectively

• Time management questionnaire• 45 - 50 points: You're on your way to becoming CEO of a major

corporation! • 38 - 44 points: You’re in control and well organized. • 30 - 37 points: You are managing your time fairly well, but sometimes feel

overwhelmed. • 25 - 29 points: Your college career is likely to be stressful and less than

satisfying unless you take steps to begin to manage your time more effectively.

• less than 25 points: Your life is one long roller coaster ride, out of control.

Increasing Awareness:

• Keep track of the number of o hours spent studying o hours spent not studying

• After recording : could your time be better/more effectively spent ??

How to Manage Your Time?

Systemizing

• Do not wait until you feel like having fun in studying

• Look for a system :o Develop a manageable routineo … that can last for weeks or months

• System = o Chop into manageable chunks

Examples :

• Detailed schedule

• Number of hours/weeko On Friday : count

• If ok, free weekend• If not ok, add some hours in weekend

• Number of hours/dayo E.g. 8h/day in total (lectures included)o 2h of individual studying

• Review previous lecture before next one

Ingredients

• Goalso As concrete/clear as possibleo When did you reach your goal of the day??

• Motivationo Pick a major study goal

• f.ex. Passing an exam : think about the result

o break your goal down into steps/substepso Reward yourself on completion of a step

• ‘coffee break!’; ‘well done!’; activity…

Some Tips• Times of the day when you are most alert• Contrast activities : after 2 hours of study, some physical activity• Breaks : every 50 min – 10 min ??• Small chunks of time : 15 - 30 min

o list of small tasks• Installing good habits (‘automatic pilot’)

o Active recreation :• jogging, fitness-training, swimming… • Two or three times a week • at least 30 minutes per activity.

Don’t Exaggerate

Difficulties

No Overview

• Short term

• Long termo overview of things to do in the coming weeks and

months. o relevant data and periods like tests, exams, deadlines

for papers; other activities, …)o Calendar or time schedule

Concentration

• Concentration = fever

• Set an immediate small goal and refocus your attentiono Short term pleasure – pleasure on the long termo Opposite of addiction (pleasure on short term)

• Distracting thoughts and worries : o write down ?

• Deal with personal problems o talk to friend, counsellor

• Remove distracting stimuli o pictures, computer, mobile phone…

• Change your environment o move your desk or try other places (library)

Fear of Failure• Worries about ‘ disastrous’ consequences of a study

failure

• Tendency to judge own possibilities pessimistically.

• High level of stress (psychosomatic problems, like insomnia, having difficulty to eat, crying fits, feelings of powerlessness and panic)

• Distracting thoughts : ‘Oh dear, this is going wrong, the professor will think I’m stupid, I’m blushing, I’m really making a fool of myself…’

Fear of Failure (2)• Active fear of failure :

o perfectionist - control - hardly ever dare to relax o Looking for certainty

• Passive fear of failure : o confrontation avoidance / escape into relaxation

activities

Other Underlying Difficulties

• Idea of “losing time”

• Forced to study

• Passive agression

• Low self-esteem

• If admired in the past, …

• Magic thinking

• …

Advantages

Time Management: Advantages

• Reduces stress

• Increases productivity

• Makes you feel better o more self-confident, less guilty, frustrated,…

• Helps you accomplish important long-range goals in life

Contact

o Study Advice Service

Naamsestraat 80

3000 Leuven

016/32 43 11

www.kuleuven.be/studyadvice (contact form)

Good Luck!