We were not born knowing how to manage time but we learn it. One of the unstated but vital tasks of a student’s life is learning how to manage time and self effectively.
Time management is the art of planning, controlling and using time effectively without wasting it. This requires consistency and determination. There is always a price to pay because you may have to cut down some of the events that are pleasurable to you and stick to a more reasonable schedule. This indeed is sowing in tears but at the end of the day, you are sure that you will reap in joy. It is just a matter of discipline, determination and decision.
However, you cannot be a good time manager without battling with procrastination. It is always difficult for a procrastinator to achieve success because as he postpones, life speeds by. In my research, as a teacher on the causes of students' failure in examinations, I have discovered that a greater percentage of the students with poor results do not know how to plan, organize and control their time effectively. They devote more time to activities that are not germane to their academic pursuits and spend less time studying.
NUGGETS AND PRINCIPLES
1. Find out how you spend your time and cut down activities that are not profitable to your academics.
2. Set goals for yourself.
3. He who fails to plan, plans to fail. Make plans on how to achieve your goals.
4. Never leave ‘till tomorrow that which you can do today.
5. “Don’t say you do not have enough time. You have exactly the same hours per day that were given to
Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson and
Albert Einstein”. Jackson Brown
6. Prioritize your schedules and give yourself deadlines for events, activities, homework, etc.
Task:
Answer the following time management questions by picking from options 1 to 4.
1. How often do you copy notes in the hostel/during prep?
(1) Everyday (2) 3 times a week (3) Twice a week (4) Once a week
2. How many people constantly interrupt you while studying during the day?
(1) 6 or more (2) 4 or more (3) 2 or more (4) 1 or none
3.How many hours in a day do you spend on non-academic activities? [Do not include sleeping time]
(1) Six or more (2) Five or more (3) At least three (4) Less than two hours
4. How many hours do you spend socializing?
(1) Two hours or more (2) 1 hour (3) 30 minutes (4) 15 minutes
5. How many assignments do you always leave undone till the following day?
(1) 3 or more (2) 2 ( 3) 1 (4) Zero
6. How much time do you spend studying in a day on your own?
(1) None (2) Less than 1 hour (3) 1 0r 2 hours (4) 3 hours or more
7. How often do you procrastinate? (1) Fairly often (2) Occasionally (3) Seldom (4) I don’t
8. How many times in a day do you handle a book or assignment before doing something on it?
(1) 4 or more (2) 3 (3) 2 (4) once
9. How many times do you extend deadlines given to you in finishing an assignment in a week?
(1) Fairly often (2) Occasionally (3) Seldom (4) I don’t
10. Do you have a study time table? If yes, how often do you use it?
(1) I don’t (2) Seldom (3) Occasionally (4) Fairly often
It is now time for you to grade yourself to know whether you are good time manager or not. Add up all the options that you picked and divide by ten.
4 - an excellent time manger
3 - a good time manager,
2 - a mediocre,
1- a poor time manager.
What is your rating of yourself? Is there anything to improve on? Are you an excellent time manager or a poor manager of time. Work more on yourself and do this quiz, at least, once in two weeks.
To your success,
Akinrinwa Akinbowale
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