Chapter 2 Using Time and Space Effectively Time

Time is precious and irreplaceable: “All my possessions for a moment of time. ”

Ways to gain extra time • Reclaim lost time • Stick to a schedule

Reclaiming lost time • Pinpoint areas of “hidden” time • Cultivate time-saving habits Copyright

Ways to find “hidden” time • • • Carry pocket work Use your mind

Changing your time habits • • • Defy Parkinson’s Law Obey your alarm clock

Sticking to a schedule • • • Provides greater control Encourages relaxation Saves time

Dividing time in to blocks • Makes tasks more manageable • Helps you work

Tips for time blocks • Don’t waste big blocks • Study during prime time

The three-part scheduling plan • The master schedule • The weekly schedule • The

Use a taskbased schedule when • Your days are unpredictable • Your free time

Standard time schedules • Divide time into blocks Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All

Task-based schedules • Divide goals into subgoals Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights

Task-based master schedule • A series of long term goals divided into manageable subgoals

Assignmentoriented weekly schedule • Used for shorter assignments that span a week or less

Daily task-based schedule • Basically a to do list Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company.

Efficiency vs. Effectiveness • Schedules can provide a false sense of security if they’re

The Urgency-Importance Matrix Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 2 | 18

Interruptions are often urgent but not important • Phone calls • Unexpected visitors •

Busywork is usually not urgent and not important • Straightening desk • Sharpening pencils

Tasks that are both urgent and important take top priority and should not be

The most valuable tasks are not urgent but important • Mastering your notes •

Using the matrix to plan your time • Tackle tasks in quadrant 1 first

How to stay organized • Devise a system • Keep it flexible • Minimize

Principles for a system of organization • Find a place for everything • Arrange

Finding a place for everything • Divide your materials into basic groups: textbooks, notebooks,

Organizing things intelligently with the CIA system • Current. Keep things you’re working on

Labels help you to locate things quickly • Label folders or directories according to

The problem with inflexible organization • Too rigid and demanding • Too complicated Copyright

Keeping things flexible • Use loose-leaf paper: Easier to shift around and rearrange •

Minimizing clutter • Use the OHIO rule for papers and e-mail • Don’t print

If time-saving seems uninspiring, ask yourself this: • What am I saving time for?

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Chapter 2 Using Time and Space Effectively

Ways to find “hidden” time • • • Carry pocket work Use your mind when it’s free Record study information Employ spare-time thinking Use your subconscious Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 2|5

Changing your time habits • • • Defy Parkinson’s Law Obey your alarm clock Limit e-mail and Internet time Take “time out” Listen to your body Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 2|6

Tips for time blocks • Don’t waste big blocks • Study during prime time • Study before recitation classes and after lecture classes • Don’t let details tie your hands • Include nonacademic activities Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 2|9

Efficiency vs. Effectiveness • Schedules can provide a false sense of security if they’re filled with low-priority tasks • The Urgency-Importance Matrix helps to clarify priorities Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 2 | 17

Tasks that are both urgent and important take top priority and should not be ignored • Scheduled classes • Looming deadlines • Emergencies or dangers Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 2 | 21

Using the matrix to plan your time • Tackle tasks in quadrant 1 first but try to keep them to a minimum • Spend the bulk of your time in quadrant 2 • Minimize tasks in quadrant 3 by finding a study environment where interruptions are rare • Try to keep tasks from quadrant 4 off of your to do list. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 2 | 23

Principles for a system of organization • Find a place for everything • Arrange your work materials intelligently • Label items logically Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 2 | 25

Finding a place for everything • Divide your materials into basic groups: textbooks, notebooks, pens, mail, etc. • Find a specific place for each basic group: shelves, draws, jars, inbox • Go back and subdivide these groups: Math and science books on one shelf, history and language on another. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 2 | 26

Organizing things intelligently with the CIA system • Current. Keep things you’re working on right now close at hand • Imminent. Keep things you plan to work on nearby but not in your way • Archived. Label seldom-used materials and then store them away Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 2 | 27

Labels help you to locate things quickly • Label folders or directories according to the course identifier • Use separate labeled folders for different parts of a class • Include enough information on each page or file so it can stand alone • Provide an index for file folders Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 2 | 28

Keeping things flexible • Use loose-leaf paper: Easier to shift around and rearrange • Use a different notebook per class: Lets you take only what you need Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 2 | 30

Minimizing clutter • Use the OHIO rule for papers and e-mail • Don’t print out files if you don’t need to • Allow time for cleanup and setup Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 2 | 31