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Guide To Time Management: Home

Student Success Coordinator for Distance Education; Copyright Education and Independent Proctoring

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Dena Callicoat Laton
Contact:
Marshall University
Drinko Library 226
One John Marshall Drive
Huntington, WV
304-696-3141

Essentials of Time Management

Don’t Overcommit

  • We all want to be involved and needed.  It is okay to say NO once in a while.
  • Stick to what is most important to you.  Family, church, school come first.  Everything else can be scheduled around those. 

Work According to Priorities

  • Consult your schedule regularly
  • Put all dates on a calendar – Everything. 

Make To-Do Lists

  • Be reasonable – Don’t take on too much, it just leads to frustration
  • Leave room for the unexpected
  • Don’t wait until the last minute to do things!!!!
  • Check the list periodically
  • Check off completed tasks (it’s fun)
  • The simple act of checking off tasks improves production.

Use pockets of time to your advantage

  • If you have something mindless to do, it can be done while waiting to pick up kids at activities or while watching TV 

Mornings set the tone for the day

  • If you take your lunch, pack it the night before.
  • Set out a couple outfits to wear for the week. (after you wear those, set out more)  This saves a lot of time in the mornings.
  • Make sure your keys and anything else you will need is in one place before you go to bed.

Stick with your schedule as much as possible

  • Don’t make each day jammed full of tasks, appointments, work and class.  Filter out some things for another day.
  • Give yourself breathing room for the unexpected
  • Don’t stress if you have to move something to tomorrow’s list or next week’s list

Use a Planner

  • Whether paper or digital, a planner is our best memory.
  • Trying to remember everything leads to failure
  • Color coding helps with visual tracking
  • What to track:
  • Start with personal commitments (birthdays,    appointments,  etc)
  • Go through your work calendar and add deadlines and meetings