WEEK 5: MANAGING STUDY TIME

Quotation of the week:

"The bad news is time flies. The good news is you're the pilot."

Michael Altshuler

UNIT AIM: This unit aims to train learners to

 Understand the importance of time management in effective studies

 Know how to use suitable techniques and strategies in time

management

Task 1 (Brainstorming)

We each have a personal perspective of time, but most of us aren’t even aware that we
have subconscious feelings about time at all. Read the following list, then choose five
words that you feel best apply to time. Allow yourself a little creativity in your choices.

Spent white friendly opportunity

Lively unclaimed exhausting hollow

Ready busy handy effective

Mountainous relentless tense Valley-like

Energetic restless bumpy jammed

Blank exciting available empty

Explain your perspective to your friend(s).

Task 2 (Reading)

Read the passage about “Time management” and then discuss reflection questions that
follow.

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 TIME MANAGEMENT

What Exactly Is Time Management?

Time management is a set of principles, practices, skills, tools, and systems working together
to help you get more value out of your time with the aim of improving the quality of your life.
The important point is that time management is not necessarily about getting lots of stuff done,
because much more important than that is making sure that you are working on the right
things, the things that truly need to be done.

Smart time managers know that there is much more to do than anyone could possibly
accomplish. So instead of trying to do it all, smart time managers are very picky about how
they spend their time. They choose to focus and spend their time doing a few vital projects that
will really make a difference, rather than spending all their time doing many trivial things that
don't really matter all that much. If you become a good time manager, you’ll not only get a lot
more done in less time, but you’ll feel more relaxed, focused and in control of your life. You’ll
be able to use your time in a much more balanced and effective way and you’ll be able to make
time for the people and activities that you love. When you get to the end of a busy day, you’ll
feel a strong sense of accomplishment from everything that you actually got done.

8 Time Management Tips

Here are 8 practical time management tips to help you get started...

1. Write things down

A common time management mistake is to try to use your memory to keep track of too many
details leading to information overload. Using a to-do list to write things down is a great way
to take control of your projects and tasks and keep yourself organized.

2. Prioritize your list

Prioritizing your to-do list helps you focus and spend more of your time on the things that
really matter to you.

3. Plan your week

Spend some time at the beginning of each week to plan your schedule. Taking the extra time to
do this will help increase your productivity and balance your important long-term projects with

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your more urgent tasks. All you need is fifteen to thirty minutes each week for your planning
session.

4. Carry a notebook

You never know when you are going to have a great idea or brilliant insight. Carry a small
nojltebook with you wherever you go so you can capture your thoughts. If you wait too long to
write them down you could forget. Another option is to use a digital recorder or a mobile
phone

5. Learn to say no

Many people become overloaded with too much work because they overcommit; they say yes
when they really should be saying no. Learn to say no to low priority requests and you will free
up time to spend on things that are more important.

6. Identify bad habits

Make a list of bad habits that are stealing your time, sabotaging your goals, and blocking your
success. After you do, work on them one at a time and systematically eliminate them from your
life. Remember that the easiest way to eliminate a bad habit, it to replace it with a better habit.

7. Don’t be a perfectionist

Some tasks don’t require your best effort. Sending a short email to a colleague, for example,
shouldn’t take any more than a few minutes. Learn to distinguish between tasks that deserve to
be done excellently and tasks that just need to be done.

8. Beware of “filler” tasks

When you have a to-do list filled with important tasks, be careful not to get distracted by
“filler” tasks. Things such as organizing your bookcase or filing papers can wait until you
tackle the items that have the highest priority. (Word count: 610 words)

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

1. Are you a good time managers? Why/why not?

2. Which of the 8 time management tips are new for you? Which tips do you think really work
for you?
3. Do you have any other effective time management tips or techniques to share?

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Task 3: Sharing Time Management Techniques

In pairs, share any time management techniques you might have in order to be an effective
and efficient learner of English.

Our time management techniques are

Task 4 (You Say)

Learning a foreign language is time and effort consuming. Is managing your study time the
most vital skill to learn in higher education in general and in foreign language learning in
particular? What do you think of this statement? Have your say!

Task 5 ( You Remember) – It works

Preventing your time robberies

 Plan your TV viewing, if it is necessary at all. Consider standing up when you watch
TV. It’s much easier to move away from the program that is over.

 Be assertive. Just tell any visitor that you’re busy. Arrange a mutually suitable time to
meet.

 Postpone tasks or routines that can be put off until school work is finished. Eliminate or
delegate or delay non-essential tasks as part of prioritizing.

A WEEKLY MINI – PROJECT

Demonstrate (both orally and in written form) how you manage your own time in general and
your English study time. Use visual aid to justify your time management skills and techniques.

USEFUL STUDY RESOURCE FOR FURTHER STUDY

Search this web link: http://www.time-management-guide.com/effective-time-management.html

- END OF CLASS ACTIVITIES –

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