Dear Friends,
In this post we will be exploring the executive skill(s) of “Planning and Organization (time).” The definition of time management is the ability to determine the amount of time needed to complete a task. The definition of planning is the ability to create a plan in order to finish a task. Planning includes goal setting and determining how best to meet that goal. Some strategies for strengthening planning and time management are:
· Put away electronics (cell phone, I-pod, Facebook, etc) these are distractions which will interfere with the management of your time – save these as a reward for when you complete the task(s).
· Use of a calendar (daily, weekly, and/or monthly)
· Dry erase calendar for students to keep track of events, due dates, assessments, etc.
· Learn to tell time
· Wear a watch
· Break down a long term assignment or exam into mini due dates and write them into calendar
· Practice estimating the amount of time it takes to complete a task – as you practice you will become better at knowing a time allotment for an activity
· Set up routines
· Prioritize your assignments – try to get the longest or most difficult out of the way first
· Use down time wisely (example – car rides – listen to your novel on audio book)
· Get a good night’s sleep – your brain needs time to recover from the events of the day and only can perform at peak performance when well rested
· Do a daily review of your notes
· Be organized with your materials and work space – if you need to continually get up for missing items- you are ultimately wasting valuable time
· Set your clock a bit earlier – to trick yourself into having more time to complete tasks
Dartmouth has a great wealth of information and videos to assist with time management. The link is http://www.dartmouth.edu/~acskills/success/time.html.
Remember practice makes perfect…keep trying.
Kim Turse, M.Ed.
