Time Management for

High School Students

Presented by Judy Githaiga
Trainer
Kiambu Institute of Science and Technology
jajummu07@gmail.com
TOPICS TO BE COVERED
 Introduction to Time Management
 Assess/examine how you are

currently allocating your time

 Detecting Difficulties in Managing your time
 Procrastination & Strategies to prevent it
 Planning Your Time
 Goal Setting/ To Do Lists
Where does the time go???
• Make a list of 10-15 observable activities
you have participated in during the past 24
hours.

• Estimate how much time you spent on

each activity
Time-Management Assessment
On a piece of paper, write down if you agree or disagree with each of the
12 statements below:
 I tend to be on time for classes and appointments.
 I set aside time to study for exams.
 I set aside time to study or read my textbook even if I do not
have an exam to prepare for.
 I regularly take part in social activities despite the fact that I
have studying to do.
 I usually cram for exams.
 I usually feel prepared on the day of exams.
 With everything I have to do, I find it hard to complete
assignments and projects on time.
 I do not experience “burn out” anytime between midterm and
final exams.
 I write down the things that I need to do.
 I have enough time to get done what I need to, but I still find it
hard to finish everything.
 I hardly ever feel pressured to get things done.
 Dealing with extenuating circumstances such as sorting out
financial aid, getting extra tutoring, or seeing a professor
during office hours seriously disrupts my daily or weekly
Time-Management Assessment
Answer Key
 For statements: 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 9, 11
 Give yourself 1 point for each statement
that you said you agree with

 For statements: 4, 5, 7, 10, 12

 Give yourself 1 point for each statement
that you said you disagree with
Where does your Time-Management
clock in?
 If you scored between 9 and 12,
congratulations! You are a good time
manager.
 If you scored between 5 and 8, you are doing

some things right.

 If you scored between 1 and 4, you need to

spend extra time working on your skills.

 Regardless of your score, the tips on the

following slides can help you improve your

time management skills!
INTRODUCTION: WHAT IS TIME
MANAGEMENT?
 Time Management is using the time
available to you effectively in order
to get the task done
• Not just about managing your time, it’s
about managing your attention

• Attention Management = ability to

focus on a designated activity

• Without attention management, time

management is pointless
“To manage your time you must manage yourself:
your energy, your behavior, your attitudes, you”---
Myths about Time Management
 Time management is nothing but
common sense. I do well in school,
so I must be managing my time
effectively.
 It takes all the fun out of life!!!
 Time management? I work better
under pressure.

 No matter what I do, I won’t have

enough time!
The Truth About Time Management

Increases productivity.
Reduces stress.
Improves self-esteem.
Helps achieve balance in life.
Increases self-confidence
Helps you reach your goals!
 Discuss some of the difficulties you face
when trying to manage your time.
• In order to manage your time more
effectively it is important to analyse where
you are wasting time.
• To do this we can utilise the R-A-C method
• Record
• Analyse
• Change
Steps to Managing Your Time

1. Set goals
2. Set reasonable expectations (and
remember that no one’s perfect)

3. Make a schedule

4. Revisit and revise your plan

 PLANNING YOUR TIME

• In order to use your time effectively, it is necessary to plan it out.

• By knowing what you have on in a given week, you can plan around your
commitments to make space for homework and study.
 YEAR TIMETABLE

• The first step is to know what you have on for the year. This will help you plan what
pieces of work to concentrate on at different periods of the year.

• If you are doing a practical subject such as music you will need to prioritise your
practice before the practical exam which takes place before the written exam.

• Similarly, you’ll have to put time towards your aural language exams at that time of
year.

• You can use the worksheet for this topic to write in all the pieces of work and exams
etc you have over the course of the year.
 WEEKLY TIMETABLE

• The final step is planning out your individual week. Planning your week by
marking off the times when you are busy is a vital step to using your available
time as effectively as possible.

• Use the weekly timetable worksheet for this topic to mark off the hours you are
busy this week.

• Include school, part-time work, sports, socialising.

• BE REALISTIC. Highlight the hours you are free to get some study done.
 WEEKLY TIMETABLE

• Remember that aiming to study for 4/5 hours at a time isn’t very productive. You become
too tired to be effective in your learning.

• Try to study for a block of no longer than two hours at a time, with breaks during this
period.

• Most people can only concentrate for about 20-25 minutes at a time. So, for example, if
you’re studying for an hour, this should be broken into two 25 minute periods with a five
minute break in between.

• Divide your study aims up into 25 minutes chunks, to work through them one by one! You
can always use a timer to help keep you on track – all smartphones can provide this
function.
 WEEKLY TIMETABLE

• When you have found your available study time you can plan out what you are
going to do during these times by creating a SMART goal to-do list and then
putting the goals from the list into the available study period.
Try it and evaluate your plan!
 How are you actually using your time?
 Which tasks were you able to do? What didn’t get
done?
 Was your energy level appropriate? Your stress level?
 What changes need to be made to your weekly
schedule?
 What are persistent time wasters?
 Was procrastination an issue?
“Never do today what you can put
off ‘til tomorrow!”

 Procrastination is my sin.
 It brings me naught but sorrow.
 I know that I should stop it.
 It fact, I will – tomorrow!
 WHAT IS PROCRASTINATION?

Procrastination’ means putting off a task you should be doing.

• So, for example, you need to get your homework done, but instead you make a cup
of tea, then go on your phone, then have a chat with someone in the kitchen… 40
minutes later you haven’t even begun doing your homework.
 WHY DO WE PROCRASTINATE?

• A task may be too unpleasant to face, or too difficult, or very tedious, or boring, or
there simply may be so many other more interesting things to pull your attention
away that you struggle to keep on track.
• This is certainly an issue in the digital age, when we all have smartphones in our
pocket and a world of distractions at our finger tips.
Forms of procrastination:

• Ignoring the task, hoping it will go away

• Underestimating how long it will take/overestimating your abilities
and resources
• Telling yourself that poor performance is okay/insisting on perfection
• Doing something else that isn’t very important
• Believing that repeated “minor” delays won’t hurt you
• Talking about rather than doing it
• Putting all your work on only one part of the task
• Becoming paralyzed when having to make choices
How to Overcome Procrastination
 Win the mental battle by committing to being on time.
 Set and keep deadlines.
 Organize, schedule & plan.
 Divide a big job into smaller ones.
 Find a way to make a game of your work or make it fun.
 Reward yourself when you’re done.
 Tell your friends and roommates to remind you of
priorities and deadlines.
 Learn to say “no” to time wasters.
Tackle Time Wasters
 Learn to recognize when you’re wasting time.
 Decide what you need to do and can realistically do.
 Learn how to say “NO” when you don’t have time.
 Return calls at your convenience. The phone is a major
time killer.
 Learn to say “I can’t talk right now. I’ll get back to you.”
 Wasting time is often linked to a lack of self-discipline.
 Ask yourself, “Do I really need to do this or not?”
Learn to say “No!”
 Avoid the temptation to socialize when you’ve scheduled
work.
 If friends ask you to join them last minute, decline
outright, but ask if you could get together later in the
week.
 Socializing is important when you don’t have other things
to worry about!
 Study somewhere you won’t be tempted to chat, watch
movies or YouTube, or use social utilities like Facebook.
 Texts are a major distraction.
REVISE and PREVIEW:
Staying on top of things…
 Immediately note all changes.
◦ Exam/Paper due date revisions
◦ Meeting additions/cancellations
◦ Work schedule changes
◦ Upcoming visitors, etc., etc…
 Preview
the upcoming week making any
necessary adjustments.
 Preview
each day to see what might
happen…
 Time Management Strategies
 There are Strategies to gaining good time
management skills.
-The 888 method
*Fixed vs. flexible time
*Keep track by using a calendar.
*Stay away from interruptions or
procrastination.
 8,8,8 = Balance
There are only 24 hours in a day!

 The day is made  8 hours of

of only 24 hours work/school keeps
(even though we you from burning
wish it had out by doing too
more). Three much, or from not
segments of 8 devoting enough
hours keeps Personal
things simple. time to your goals.
 8 hours of sleep Work/School 8 hours of
gives you the personal time
rest your body Sleep keeps your life
needs to well-rounded with
accomplish your time for fun and
goals and enjoyment!
remain healthy.
 Fixed Vs. Flexible Time
 Fixed
Flexible
timetime is time
is time that
that is set.you
Youhave
knowavailable and
ahead of time
can change
when at any
things will chance.
happen. Your An outing
class with your
schedule, your
friends, washing
appointment with clothes, talking
a counselor ondoctor,
or your the phone,
due or
dates for papers,
watching TV areorexamples
tests are examples of events
of flexible time. that
are under a fixed time.
 Things To Avoid When
Managing Your Time
 Avoid interruptions

 Avoid Procrastination
Review
 Time and energy management can make you more
productive and reduce your stress level.
 The Three Steps
◦ Set goals
◦ Make a schedule
◦ Revisit and revise your plan
 Be tough with your time. Actively avoid procrastination
and time wasters. Learn to say “no” to distractions.
 Employ a variety of time management strategies to
maximize your time.
 Relax and enjoy the extra time that you’ve discovered!
Enjoy your time as a student!