Time management Adam Sandelson LSE Student Counselling Service 18 January 2012
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Transcript of Time management Adam Sandelson LSE Student Counselling Service 18 January 2012
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Time management
Adam Sandelson LSE Student Counselling Service
18 January 2012
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AimsAims
• Identify useful strategies for better time management
• Examine psychological issues • Explore common difficulties with
perfectionism and procrastination
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Message from a friend:Message from a friend:
Failing to plan … is planning to fail
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IntroductionIntroduction
How do yougo aboutmanaging your time?
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Five basic principlesFive basic principles• Be realistic about the task….how long will it
take?
• Be determined…..limit distractions/displacement
• Be organised………books, pens, coffee
• Balance the other parts of your life
• Be flexible…things may change
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Taking control of timeTaking control of time
Ask yourself from time to time:• How am I using my mental and
physical energy now?• Is this good use of my time?
• Identify priorities/commitments for the week ahead and write on blank sheet all sessions/ meetings; leisure activities; paid work; time for self; adequate rest/sleep.
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Personal Timetable
Sun Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat
08:00
09:00
10:00
11:00
12:00
1:00pm
2:00
3:00
4:00
5:00
6:00
7:00
8:00
9:00
10:00
11:00
12:00
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Use personal timetabling to:Use personal timetabling to:
• acknowledge what you have achieved• save mental energy • be purposeful and realistic• meet deadlines and keep up with work• have effective study time and effective
relaxation • Enjoy yourself without guilt and worry
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Causal Dimensions of Time Causal Dimensions of Time Management Problems for StudentsManagement Problems for Students
Intrinsic/Emotive Extrinsic/External• Feel overwhelmed &‘frozen’ by all the tasks
• Anxiety about what is expected of them
• Anxiety about writing: worried about the quality of their work
• Wanting to live up to other people’s standards
• Wanting to live up to their own image of themselves
• Bored – motivation is low
• Workload is heavy & appears overwhelming
• Lack of clarity about what is expected
• Student not experienced in managing time independently
• Cultural dimensions: come from a society that is relaxed
about time• Course is not interesting
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Tips for avoiding distractionTips for avoiding distraction• Start with the unpleasant tasks first • Set yourself a time limit for reading. • Use active reading techniques. • Distraction problems can occur when the
subject being studied appears totally removed from the real world.
• If you find a particular recommended or set book hard to follow, try another that offers you a simpler or clearer explanation.
• If other students are distracting you, go somewhere else. Where others are working quietly, you are likely to do the same.
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Four Tips for Managing TimeFour Tips for Managing Time1. Start with the unpleasant tasks first – get
them out of the way early. 2. Set yourself a short time limit for reading: 40
– 45 minutes tends to be the maximum time most people can read before their concentration slips. At the end of the set time, stop and take a break.
3. Don’t struggle with books you find hard to read. If you find a particular set book hard to follow, try another that offers you a simpler or clearer explanation of the same subject.
4. Keep your working area clear of clutter: the Wall Street Journal reported that typical US Executive wastes 5 hours a week looking for misfiled/mislaid items. (Lindley 2006).
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Writing StrategiesWriting Strategies• Free yourself up• Go for a walk; talk it out loud• Wait for a structure to arrive• Bullet points, mind maps, scribble ideas• Give yourself time to work it out – learning
and writing involve unconscious processes• Imagine looking back at this task in 6
months • Work with others, use study groups, etc.
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Common difficultiesCommon difficulties
• Perfectionism
• Procrastination
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Are you a perfectionist?Are you a perfectionist?• You are never good
enough, whatever you accomplish
• You can’t complete work or projects, waiting to get them just right
• You must always give 100% or else be mediocre or a failure
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What is perfectionism?What is perfectionism?• Self-defeating thoughts and behaviours associated with
high ideals, not realistic goals. • Often mistakenly seen as desirable or even necessary for
success. • Recent studies show that perfectionist attitudes actually
interfere with success. – The desire to be perfect can deny you a sense of
satisfaction and cause you to achieve far less than people with more realistic goals.
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Causes of perfectionismCauses of perfectionism
• You may have learned early in life that you were mainly valued for your achievements.
• You value yourself on the basis of other people's approval.
• Your self-esteem is based primarily on external standards.
• You are vulnerable and sensitive to the opinions and criticism of others.
• To protect yourself you decide that being perfect is the only defence.
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Negative thoughts andNegative thoughts and feelingsfeelings
• Fear of failure. • Fear of making
mistakes. • Fear of disapproval. • All-or-nothing
thinking. • Over-emphasis on
‘should’, ‘must’ and ‘ought’.
• Never being good enough.
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How is it maintained?How is it maintained?
• Current triggers – eg research pressure• Negative predictions – ‘I won’t do it well’• Unhelpful behaviours,
– eg avoidance of writing, constant checking• Confirming negative beliefs• Self Critical thoughts – ‘I’ve failed again’
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Vicious circleVicious circle
• Set an unreachable goal.• Fail, as the goal was impossible.• Constant pressure leads to
chronic failure and reduces effectiveness.
• Self criticism and self-blaming leads to low self - esteem, anxiety and depression.
• At this point you may give up completely on your original goal and set yourself another unrealistic goal, thinking "This time if only I try harder I will succeed".
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4 common myths with 4 common myths with perfectionism perfectionism
• You can’t succeed without it
• It gets you the best results
• It enables you to overcome obstacles
• It helps you achieve and please others
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What can I do about it?What can I do about it?
• Realize that perfectionism is undesirable– perfection is an illusion that is
unattainable.• Challenge self-defeating thoughts
and behaviours that fuel perfectionism.
• Cost benefit analysis of keeping high standards
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Strategies to move forwardStrategies to move forward• Set goals
– realistic, reachable, sequential• Experiment with standards for
success– Try for 80% or even 60%
• Focus on the process not the end result
• Evaluate success in terms of what you accomplished and what you enjoyed
• Celebrate and learn from mistakes
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Common difficultiesCommon difficulties
• Perfectionism
• Procrastination
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What is What is procrastination?procrastination?
• Putting off a task which needs to be done
• It can affect our study and writing• We may disguise avoidance by being
very busy • We may find things to do that are
interesting or even useful, but don't contribute towards the main goal
• It may involve feelings of anxiety, stress, guilt, shame and depression
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Overcoming ProcrastinationOvercoming Procrastination
• Use a diary• Prioritise and set
achievable targets• Revise targets• Acknowledge progress• Stay focussed• Avoid avoidant
activities!• Reward yourself
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Procrastination – Procrastination – so what can you do about it ?so what can you do about it ?Aversion to the task- Develop motivation• Find a personal engagement with subject …• … how can I use this idea ?• … what’s significant in this for me ?• Why have I found this difficult in the past ?
…• … how is this different now ?• If I had to explain this to others simply, how
would I best summarise it for them ?
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Procrastination – Procrastination – so what can you do about it ?so what can you do about it ?Impulsiveness / distractions- Long term vision - ‘Unpleasant’ tasks first- Short tasks / short term rewards- Involve others in pay-offs- Mix active / passive work e.g. reading- Study groups
• sharing research• teaching learning
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Procrastination – Procrastination – so what can you do about it ?so what can you do about it ?Time management issues:
- Allow more time for assignments … - … draft, leave, edit, redraft- Simple, realistic, daily goal-setting- Link short-term priorities to long-term
goals- Lower your expectations ?
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Procrastination – Procrastination – so what can you do about it ?so what can you do about it ?Environmental Factors
- Ask library staff for guidance- Find your favourite space- Keep it clear, focussed on one activity- Symbolise it ?
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Dynamics of studyDynamics of study
Pastrelationships
My relationship
with mystudies
Currentrelationships
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What can I do?What can I do?
• Look at your internal dynamics
• Write down any historic messages you carry about yourself
• Develop a more realistic assessment of your ability and worth as a person
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ConclusionsConclusions
• Look after yourself (diet, sleep)
• Keep a supportive structure for your daily life; have relaxation time
• See this as a time of discovery • Recall past achievements• Challenge negative thoughts• Imagine looking back at the
task from a future vantage point
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LSE Student Counselling LSE Student Counselling ServiceService
• Free and confidential • Groups and Workshops programme
– Self Esteem Group – Stress Management Group
• Website has information about the Service– Stress management handout– Relaxation tape MP3’s– Links to self help resources