Time Management Self-Assessment

Self-assessment of your study time patterns allows you to explore and evaluate the range of
decisions you make each day with regard to time management. Managing time is a very
complex process and self-assessment provides some measures of your strengths and
weaknesses.

Do these items reflect you as a student? No Yes

1. I keep a careful record of the dates of upcoming major events 1 2 3 4 5

such as tests and assignments.
2. I often feel really panicky about being behind with my work. 1 2 3 4 5
3. During a study sessions, I set small goals and work to achieve 1 2 3 4 5
them (e.g., read 5 pages of text and do three math problems).
4. I tend to miss classes. 1 2 3 4 5
5. If I need to solve a problem quickly, I get help from another 1 2 3 4 5
student, the teacher, or other help resources.
6. I often miscalculate how much time homework tasks will 1 2 3 4 5
take.
7. I have set up a regular plan for my study activities. 1 2 3 4 5
8. I find my current course load too heavy 1 2 3 4 5
9. I begin assignments early so that I will have time to do a good 1 2 3 4 5
job
10. I have difficulty concentrating while doing homework. 1 2 3 4 5
11. I plan ahead so I can be flexible about putting in extra hours if 1 2 3 4 5
I have a lot of school work to do.
12. I always seem to be behind with my work. 1 2 3 4 5
13. I regularly use a day planner to plan my activities. 1 2 3 4 5
14. My marks tend to suffer because of last minute cramming for 1 2 3 4 5
tests.
15. Each day I have clear goals what I wish to accomplish. 1 2 3 4 5
16. I am easily distracted from school work by my friends, tv, etc. 1 2 3 4 5
17. I really enjoy working on the courses I am taking. 1 2 3 4 5
18. I can only work if I feel like working 1 2 3 4 5
19. I prioritize tasks effectively. 1 2 3 4 5
20. I have a hard time deciding just what school work I should be 1 2 3 4 5
doing outside of class.

Your scores for each item

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 Total

2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 Total

Total for the ODD numbers minus the total for the Even numbers = ______
Understanding your Score
Odd numbered items in the inventory reflect positive components of time management that
can contribute to effective use of time. Even numbered items reflect negative components
that can take away from effective time management. Therefore, if you have a positive total
score, this indicates a proactive approach to managing time. If your score is negative, your
time management strategies can be improved. However, remember that there is not one
right way to manage time. You need to find the right approach for you that will allow for
tasks to be completed on time, without necessitating a superhuman effort. It will also
ensure that your stress level is reasonable.

Initial Goals
Look back to your completed self-assessment. Of the 20 items on the inventory, select five
items that you feel are important issues for you. These may be typical behaviors that are
currently detracting from you personal satisfaction and potential as a student. What would
you like to chance for the better? _________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

Use the table below to compare your score to a representative sample of other students.
The table gives percentile rankings. For example, if your score on the assessment
inventory was 7, your percentile ranking is 66. That means that your score was higher than
the scores of 66% of the representative sample of students who completed the
questionnaire. Data for the table were collected from 200 students from a variety of
classes and educational institutions.

Score Percentile Score Percentile Score Percentile

31 100 9 73.9 -7 21.3
26 99.5 8 70.7 -8 20.7
24 98.9 7 66 -9 19.1
22 98.4 6 63.3 -10 17
21 96.8 5 60.1 -11 12.8
20 96.3 4 55.9 -12 10.1
19 95.7 3 52.1 -13 8.5
18 93.1 2 47.3 -14 7.4
17 92 1 42.6 -15 5.3
16 89.4 0 38.3 -16 4.3
15 85.6 -1 36.2 -17 3.2
14 85.1 -2 34 -20 2.7
13 83.5 -3 30.9 -22 2.1
12 81.4 -4 28.7 -23 1.6
11 79.3 -5 25 -25 1.1
10 76.6 -6 23.9 -37 0.5

Your Score: Your Percentile:

Adapted from: Power Over Time: Student Success with Time Management, Joan Fleet & Denise Reaume,
1994. Harcourt Brace, Canada.