Introduction
In this WebQuest you are going to learn more about time management techniques, then apply them by using the resources provided to you.
Time has become an issue in everybody's life, even though everyone has the same amount of time in a day, but the way the people allocate their time leads to different result.
Time management is the term of using time in an efficient way and increasing productivity by identifying your aims, planning the amount of time for each, as getting rid of the unnecessary activities.
Managing your time well will help you stay on top of your course work and help keep stress levels down. In this webquest we take a look at your current time management habits and strategies to make the most of that important resource.
Task
So your task is to start organizing your time, priorities your tasks, get rid of time wasters and deal with distractions for Finals that is coming up soon.
You need to get organized.
- Avoid procrastinating and cramming
- Study and work on assignments during peak times
- Try to minimize distractions
- Break down into smaller steps
Process
On a piece of paper, write down what subjects you have finals on. Figure out the finals schedule. Then write down what you need to prepare for the exam (chapters, presentation slides, book, quiz, and so on.)
- Setting Goals
Setting goals is part of being organized - it gives you direction and helps you to see where you are headed.
The S.M.A.R.T. method is a well recognized structure for goal setting.
- Prioritize
Another important component of being organized is being able to prioritize. This is like a 'to do' list in order of importance.
If you are feeling overwhelmed by the thought of all the work to be done, the first step is to face things, and write down absolutely everything that needs to be done!
You can then stop worrying about it and start making informed decisions about what to work on. It is important to have a clear picture of exactly what needs to be done. This list will include other stuff in your life as well as school work.
- Scheduling
Scheduling simply means to allocate a time to the things you do.To be truly organised you are going to need to schedule everything in your diary. This includes, work, sport, training, study, sleep, breakfast...everything!
Evaluation
| # | Poor | Not bad | Good | Exceptional | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Do you use your time efficiently? | Student does not recognize the reality of time constraints or take action to use the available time efficiently. | Student rarely prioritize tasks, student completes work in the last minute. | Student uses time efficiently and completes work within the given time constraints. | Student prioritizes tasks, recognizes time constraints, estimates time to completion, and uses time effectively. | 25 |
| How often you set aside time for planning and scheduling? | Student never schedules and plans for activities previously, they start doing their activities without any plans. | Student sometimes schedules and plans for activities previously, only the important activities such as: education and big events. | Student usually schedules and plans for activities previously expect the daily ones. | Student always schedules and plan for activities previously, set start and stop points for each task. | 25 |
| How do you manage your breaks during your activities? | None of the student's breaks are defined previously, student takes unorganized breaks; student takes breaks. | Some of the student's breaks are defined previously. | Most of the student's breaks are defined previously, student pay attention to the duration of each break. | Student takes breaks when it's required to avoid the stress and to keep concentrate; student completes the part he/she is doing before the break, student sets the break time previously, and can take it once or separate it into segments. | 25 |
| Do you set contingency time for unplanned activities "the unexpected"? | Student's timetable is very crowded, so there is no time for unplanned activities. | Student often sets time for unplanned activities. | Student usually sets time for unplanned activities. | Student always sets time for unplanned activities. | 25 |
|
Total Score: 100 |
Conclusion
Congratulations!
Time management is an essential skill that needs to be mastered for academic and work purposes.
Now that you have a working timetable you will need to use it!
Follow it and your finals for this semester will be much less stressful and you will have enough time for it. Time is too precious to waste!