Provide 5-6 sentences reply to post below:
- Identify flaws in Shawn's ideas about time management and some techniques he can use to figure out how he divides his time.
- I believe Shawn’s time management skills flaws are procrastination, the ability to prioritize, and a little bit of laziness. Some techniques he can do is simply using the calendar on his phone or a planner to write down everything he must do daily. He can save time by planning and prioritizing his daily and academic schedules with either one. Using a planner can help relieve stress knowing when assignments are due and important test dates that are coming up. Online calendars can be synced with his mobile device or tablet.
- What strategies can Shawn use to take control and effectively manage his time once he figures out where his time is going?
- One of the strategies he can use is having a time management checklist. On page 55 of “The Pocket Guide to College Success” has a great example on how Shawn can prepare one for himself. Making a to-do list is also a great way of effectively managing his time. He can prioritize his challenging assignments first. To help combat the procrastination he can use the “3..2..1..” trick as a tool to get assignments done instead of waiting until the last minute.
- What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of Shawn completing his coursework online, and what is the role of time management when taking online classes?
- The advantage of coursework online is being able to do it on your own time but there is still a deadline you must meet. Another is being able to do it in a setting where he can be relaxed, like a coffee shop or library. A disadvantage is that the flexibility of not having to go to class in person can contribute to his procrastination. One disadvantage of having online courses is the distractions at home when you are doing coursework. You can be easily tempted to go lay down on the couch and turn the tv on. This is where the role of time management and combating procrastination comes in. Dedicating a certain amount of time to classwork each day is a good way to succeed in college. Also dedicating some time to relax and recharge is just as important as putting the time in to do classwork.
- What are some potential challenges you think Shawn will face as he navigates his current situation? Do you share any of these time management challenges? If so, what is your plan to combat them?
- Some potential challenges Shawn will face are not having the Grit to make the changes necessary to succeed and balancing his personal life with his academic schedule. Shawn shows he has some lazy tendencies by procrastinating and waiting until the last minute to do assignments and just wanting to relax all weekend. If he doesn’t make a change in his schedule to take care of his schoolwork, he will have a harder time keeping up. I do share some of his time management challenges. Having to work a full-time job and with 3 boys that have school and sports practice all over town all week and games on the weekend, any spare time I have will be dedicated to my course work. My plan to combat them is to come up with a daily/hourly planner to keep track of what free time I have and get ahead of the coursework. Currently, I have a calendar with important events written down. I think having an hourly planner will help me with better planning of my days and time management. It will also help me with balancing my personal life and academic schedule to the hour of each day.
