Time Management. Outline How busy will you be in grad school? Self-assessment The five categories of...
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Transcript of Time Management. Outline How busy will you be in grad school? Self-assessment The five categories of...
Time Manageme
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Outline
• How busy will you be in grad school?
• Self-assessment
• The five categories of time management
• Tips to increase your efficiency
About me…
• Ruslan Suvorov – Linguistics– [email protected]
• Bernie Anding - Chemistry– [email protected]
Time Management and You
• Graduate School– it’s a job, not an extension of your
undergraduate education– you will work flexible hours
• weekends, breaks, etc.
Time Management and You
– 50% TAs: expected 20 hours per week
– RA: expected at least 20 hours per week
– Conclusion: you are going to be busy
How good is your time management?
• Questionnaire taken from mindtools.com
– scoring
– Can be broken down into 5 categories:1) Goal setting2) Prioritization3) Scheduling4) Managing interruptions5) Procrastination
Goal Setting
• This is step one…
• Benefits of goals:– achievements– you’ll notice
accomplishments– avoid daily “grind”
Goal Setting
• What should your goals be?• Start big, then set smaller goals designed to
achieve the large goal
– example:• Overall goal: Earn PhD
– publish 4 papers– serve on a collegiate committee– teach a stand-alone course
– It doesn’t hurt to start thinking about your CV already
Prioritization
• You will always have something to do• Make sure what you are doing is the most
important thing toward achieving your goals
Urgent vs. ImportantMust be done
soon• e-mails• grading• reading for
class
Vital to your career
• manuscripts• thesis
These are what help you achieve your goals
Prioritization
• Make “To Do” Lists:
Prioritization
• Make Prioritized “To Do” Lists:
1) write down all the things you have to do2) grade them A through F
• A is most important• A is not necessarily urgent
3) follow the list doing A’s first, B’s second, etc.
Prioritization
• Make Prioritized “To Do” Lists:
YOU WILL PROBABLY NOT COMPLETE YOUR “TO DO” LIST IN ANY ONE DAY
…try not to get frustrated
Scheduling
• Now you have goals and priorities…– create a schedule to keep on track
• Pickle Jar theory– large pickles, golf balls, marbles, and
sand– A-list priorities are the large pickles
Scheduling
• in application:– Make daily schedules:
1) identify the time you have available2) block out time for A-list activities3) leave time for distractions4) fill in space time with urgent activities
– use planners or other electronic tools if they help
Scheduling
• and don’t forget to schedule
BREAKS!!!
– nobody is a machine– it makes you more efficient in the long
run
Scheduling
Thisincludes SLEEP!
Managing Interruptions
• Another look at Important/Urgent activities:
• Try to minimize interruptions
• Learn to manage interruptions
Managing Interruptions
• Some interruptions are part of the job– Don’t scare interruptors away!!– they will most likely be labmates and students
Managing Interruptions
• Tips:– Rate the urgency of interruptions– Set “available” and “unavailable” time
• if you have regular interrupters, schedule meetings with them
– Learn to say “no”• or at least limit the time you give to these
interruptions
Procrastination
• The most obvious waste of time• Know yourself• Learn the steps you need to take to
beat procrastination– tips:
• Do tedious chores (like cleaning glassware) immediately before they pile up
• avoid unnecessary perfectionism• scheduling helps you get motivated
Tips
• Limit Internet usage for non-academic purposes: – LeechBlock for Firefox
• Disable email notification pop-ups (unless needed)
• Avoid sitting at the computer all the time
• Change study/work locations:– Your office, lab, library, MU, coffee shops
Tips
• Turn off/silence your cell phone when at work
• Work/study with a partner who can prevent you from getting distracted
• Do not bring work home:– No computer at home– Necessary for those with families; helps
motivate you to stay on task during work hours
Questions
Please fill out the evaluation before you leave