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READING
E
XPERIENCE
5: T
IME
, P
LANNING
,
AND
P
RODUCTIVITY
116
L
EARNING
TO
L
EARN
: B
ECOMING
A
S
ELF
-G
ROWER
Be diligent in recording your activities throughout
the period of a week. Break down how you spend
your time into various categories (such as in-class
time, studying, sleeping, eating, time with friends,
recreation, e-mail and Internet, television, travel,
etc.). Don’t be too general in your use of time
category headings.
Be sure to identify any “missing time” in your
records. In the example above, there were 30
minutes between finishing breakfast and starting
the drive to school. How did you spend those
30 minutes? Did you watch TV? Did you spend
it looking for your keys? Account for all the time you possibly can. Don’t judge that time at this stage;
simply account for it.
At the end of a week, sum the totals in the various time categories. Analyze the time data you collected.
The Last 24 Hours
The activity in this experience will give you the opportunity to formally complete this kind of time analysis
for a week’s worth of time spent. For now however, consider the last 24 hours. Into what categories do
your major commitments, activities, and tasks over this period fit? Do your categories suggest any kind
of pattern or trend?
Zach’s last 24 hours:
Yesterday was a crazy day. I worked in the
morning and only had one afternoon class, so I need categories like
work and in-class. But on the way home from work, I stopped
by the mall to pick up a new cell phone, and while I was
there, I ran into an old friend. After talking for about an
hour, I had to rush home and grab my bio homework to
turn in. When class was over, I had to swing BACK by
work (I forgot to return a DVD I borrowed from Kylie),
went home (again) and read some of my history
assignment. Then I met my buddies for pool and
wings. It was midnight by the time I got home, and after
some sleep and a quick shower, here I am again. So
the other categories I used were necessary errands,
errands because I didn’t plan ahead (there were too
many of those), hanging with friends, meals, and
studying. Yeah, I see a pattern. I did a lot more driving
around than I really had time for and all because I
forgot things or didn’t plan very well.