This time of year, most people are assessing their priorities and goals.
New Year's resolutions are a hot topic of discussion and planning. But how does a person decide if she can achieve her New Year's resolution? Does prioritizing your "things to do" really work when you're behind on everything? Where does one start? Is it truly possible to manage time? How is it that some people get a lot done in what seems like a short time?
There are no secrets when it comes to time management, just proven strategies. But like anything else in life, you need to decide when you are ready to change those habits that keep you from making a commitment to yourself. Until then, you will struggle to manage time.
When you're ready for change, you are ready to learn strategies that harness a mere 24 hours.
If change is to happen, you should first assess your current situation. How do you manage time? What do you do on an average day? Where do you spend your time?
We all have 24 hours in a day; therefore, identify what you do in these hours. What time do you normally wake up? When do you go to school or work? When do you eat your meals? Record these and other hourly activities on a piece of paper. Then evaluate it by looking to see where you are now spending your time.
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So, if you normally sleep from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m., does this work for you or do you need to improve it by increasing the number of hours you sleep? Review each hour and decide whether the activity you documented advances you toward your ambition. If not, it is time to change.
If you have assessed what you do in an average 24 hours and determined you have many things to do with very little time, then you need to clarify your goals. What is it you want to accomplish during the semester or year? Every activity you do works toward accomplishing a goal regardless of whether you realize it.
For example, if you are taking in more calories than what your body consumes, you are indirectly working toward a goal of increasing your weight.
What do you want to have accomplished by May or next year? Do not worry about activities yet, just project into the future and see what you see. Think about physical, mental, emotional and spiritual areas in your life. Where do you see yourself in each of these areas in the near future?
Once you know where you are going, it's simple to list activities you can accomplish to make your goals a reality. Instead of being overwhelmed with so many things to do, you can identify which activity will help to accomplish each aspiration. This will assist in prioritizing your list of things to do.
We are creatures of habit, so we tend to be more productive in routine situations if it meets our needs. Do you find you study better in the morning, afternoon or evening? If it's morning, then try it out for 21 days and if it works for you. If it does, then you are on your way to establishing a new habit - one that is positive and helps you move toward your goals.
Everyone is given 24 hours a day, and how one spends them becomes the measure of one's success or failure. If you're interested in assessing your time management and setting realistic goals for this semester, you can attend a time management workshop given by Peer Health Educators from the Student Health Center. For more information, call 277-7947.
Shirlee James-Johnson is the Health Education & Prevention Manager at the Student Health Center. She received her master's degree in public health with an emphasis in health education from the University of California at Berkeley and her bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism from Northern Arizona University.
