Time Management and Goal Setting

Chapter Outline

4.1. Time Management

4.2. Procrastination

4.3. Strategies for Managing Time

4.4. Prioritizing and Task Completion

4.5. Goal Setting

4.6. Creating your Work Schedule

Student Survey

How do you feel about your time management and goal setting abilities? Take this quick survey to figure it out, ranking questions on a scale of 1–4, 1 meaning “least like me” and 4 meaning “most like me.” These questions will help you determine how the chapter concepts relate to you right now. As you are introduced to new concepts and practices, it can be informative to reflect on how your understanding changes over time. We will revisit these questions at the end of the chapter to see whether your feelings have changed.

1. _______ I regularly procrastinate completing tasks that do not interest me or seem challenging.
2. _______ I use specific time management strategies to complete tasks.
3. _______ I find it difficult to prioritize tasks because I am not sure what is important.
4. _______ I am pleased with my ability to manage my time.
5. _______ I use my goals to prioritize my activities.
6. _______ I am aware of how to formulate a specific goal.
7. _______ I keep a study schedule.
8. _______ I know how to break down large tasks into small doable pieces.

Chapter Outcomes

In this chapter you will learn about two of the most valuable tools used for academic success: prioritizing and time management. By the time you complete this chapter, you should be able to do the following:

• Articulate how time management differs from high school to college.
• Outline the reasons and effects of procrastination and provide strategies to overcome it.
• Describe ways to evaluate your time management skills.
• Discuss the importance and the process of prioritization.
• Articulate the importance of goal setting and motivation.
• Identify strategies and specific tactics for managing your time.
• Articulate the characteristics of a SMART Goal.
• Formulate specific steps of an action plan.
• Apply the concept of breaking down a large assignment into small parts and setting deadlines.