Page 252 - Foundations of Learning, 4th Edition (Revised)

PROJECT

1. The first step in time management is to inventory how you currently spend your time. Create a seven-
column table with each day of the week listed in the column headings across the top of a page. List the
hours of the day down the page as row labels. Individually inventory and block the times for each day
of the week in the following manner.
a. First, fill in your “committed” times. This includes things such as your classes, work commitments,
meal times, sleep, travel time (for commuters), and organized sports or activities.
b. Next, block in the times you presently use for studying (which is really commitment to your own
success). Note: A guideline for out of class study in college is that for every hour spent in the
classroom, you should spend 2-3 hours studying out of the classroom. Do you feel you are currently
allocating the appropriate amount of time for study?
c. Fill in the rest of the schedule with how you usually spend your time. You may be specific or you
may use general terms such as “social” or “recreation.”

2. Analyze the information in your table in terms of weekly totals. Categorize or group your time spent into
major areas, e.g., basic needs (sleeping and eating), mental, social, physical, and spiritual needs. Sum
the hours you spend each day in these categories to arrive at a weekly total. Optional: Use a computer
with graphing software to construct a pie chart of this data.

3. Create a new table which shows the hours per week you currently spend in the main areas common to
most people’s everyday lives.

4. Create a revised weekly schedule for how you plan to spend your time next week (after working through
this activity). Include a prioritized daily task list with anticipated time requirements. What changes if
any will you make to your study habits?

246 Foundations of Learning