Managing Your Time at University

1. Managing Your time at University By Learning Strategies Development Queen�s University, Kingston Theme Two: Setting & Prioritizing Goals Managing Your time at University By Learning Strategies Development Queen�s University, Kingston Theme Two: Setting & Prioritizing Goals

2. Setting & Prioritizing Goals What are my goals: Short term? Long term? Academic? Life goals? Why have I set these goals for myself? How do these goals relate to my values? How are these goals helping me achieve what I want in university and life? Your next step to effective time management is setting your goals and then prioritizing them, put them in order of importance. Before you begin to set your goals, ask yourself� [READ THE SLIDE QUESTIONS ALOUD] Your next step to effective time management is setting your goals and then prioritizing them, put them in order of importance. Before you begin to set your goals, ask yourself� [READ THE SLIDE QUESTIONS ALOUD]

3. Strategies for Goal-Setting Identifying and Recording Goals The process of goal setting can be viewed in a shape of a coffee filter: you start by thinking about what you value in your life and how these values translate into BIG picture, long term goals. Once you have done this, you will find that you have greater clarity to make good decisions in the short and medium term. Thinking at the macro level first will help guide your daily decision-making and ensure that the immediate goals you set are couched in your value system. Therefore, it is important to spend time considering what part your values play in your academic choices Identifying and Recording Goals The process of goal setting can be viewed in a shape of a coffee filter: you start by thinking about what you value in your life and how these values translate into BIG picture, long term goals. Once you have done this, you will find that you have greater clarity to make good decisions in the short and medium term. Thinking at the macro level first will help guide your daily decision-making and ensure that the immediate goals you set are couched in your value system. Therefore, it is important to spend time considering what part your values play in your academic choices

4. Setting & Prioritizing Goals Goals reflect different time frames: Immediate Mid range Long range Goals should be: Realistic Specific Measurable �Setting goals helps us determine a direction, assess whether or not we are on track, and provides an opportunity for us to celebrate our achievements. Goals can reflect different time frames (immediate, mid or long-range) and are most useful when they are realistic, and involve an action or concrete outcome. �Setting goals helps us determine a direction, assess whether or not we are on track, and provides an opportunity for us to celebrate our achievements. Goals can reflect different time frames (immediate, mid or long-range) and are most useful when they are realistic, and involve an action or concrete outcome.

5. Strategies for Prioritizing 4Ds: Do it; Delegate it; Defer it; Dump it. ABC Time Management Matrix (Download PDF) Course Planner chart (Download PDF) Task Analysis chart (Download PDF) After you�ve set your goals, you need to PRIORITIZE them. Students are generally tired, busy and distracted by many competing demands. This makes the task of setting priorities for your goals all the more important. Here�s are some strategies to assist you in prioritizing your goals. 4Ds No matter what the stuff in your "inbox" is, you only have 4 choices: Do it: If the task can be completed in 2 minutes or less, do it now. Delegate it: Give the task to someone else to do. This might be troublesome if you hate waiting for something to be done by someone else. Defer/Delay it: But make a plan as to exactly when you will deal with it. Dump it: Your choice here! ABC Categorize your goals into: A: immediate/ must do B: might do now but don�t have to/ could do if time C: nice but not likely to happen/ can be delayed Mark each goal with an A, B, or C. Do the A goals now! For other helpful tools, click on the Hyperlinks for the Time Management Matrix, the Course Planner chart, and the Task Analysis chart. This concludes our second theme of �Setting and Prioritizing Goals�. Please continue to the next theme �Getting Organized�. After you�ve set your goals, you need to PRIORITIZE them. Students are generally tired, busy and distracted by many competing demands. This makes the task of setting priorities for your goals all the more important. Here�s are some strategies to assist you in prioritizing your goals. 4Ds No matter what the stuff in your "inbox" is, you only have 4 choices: Do it: If the task can be completed in 2 minutes or less, do it now. Delegate it: Give the task to someone else to do. This might be troublesome if you hate waiting for something to be done by someone else. Defer/Delay it: But make a plan as to exactly when you will deal with it. Dump it: Your choice here! ABC Categorize your goals into: A: immediate/ must do B: might do now but don�t have to/ could do if time C: nice but not likely to happen/ can be delayed Mark each goal with an A, B, or C. Do the A goals now! For other helpful tools, click on the Hyperlinks for the Time Management Matrix, the Course Planner chart, and the Task Analysis chart. This concludes our second theme of �Setting and Prioritizing Goals�. Please continue to the next theme �Getting Organized�.