Managing Your Time at Graduate School

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Self Reflection Questions:

Why should I use time management skills?
a) in my life?
b) in my academic setting?

Am I having trouble organizing & managing my time?

If so, do I want to improve my time management skills?

If the answer to this last question is YES, read on!

There is no mystery about the importance of managing our time. We all have 168 hours each week to eat, sleep, study, exercise, and have a personal life. A combination of improved time management skills and effective study and learning strategies will result in you feeling more in control of your life and more likely to achieve your academic goals. The greatest difference in managing time from undergraduate to graduate school is the level of complexity. By graduate school, there are greater responsibilities and expectations both academic and personal. These expectations are both internally (self) and externally imposed.

Some common challenges facing graduate students are:

• unclear expectations (from self, professors, supervisor)
• not feeling in control (of processes, timelines, outcomes)
• feeling guilty (e.g. of not doing enough work)
• fear: feeling not capable and/or over one's head
• supervision: communication, availability, unclear on rights
• lack of accountability or feedback on progress
• juggling multiple and complex tasks
• managing large projects e.g. thesis writing, data collection
• lack of structure (e.g. no classes to ‘frame' the week)
• non-academic demands: family, work
• finances

Overseas students have added stressors and challenges such as:

• homesickness, loneliness, and/or culture shock
• language (especially for non-native speakers of English)
• taking care of and worrying about family who has accompanied them and family back home

Purpose of this Module

This module aims to assist you in balancing your complex life, specifically through good time management practices. Reflective questions in each section help you to assess how well you are managing right now and if any changes need to be made. Specific time management strategies are provided from which you can pick and choose according to your style and preferences.

The strategies are grouped around central themes:

1. becoming aware of your values and current habits
2. setting and prioritizing your goals
3. organizing your schedule
4. overcoming procrastination

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