SUGGESTIONS FOR TIME BUDGETING

There are 168 hours in week, but about 100 are usually taken up with "non-optional" activities such as sleeping, eating personal care, travel religious activities, home chores and modest amount of leisure and recreation. If items A,B,C, and D total more than 65, somthing needs to be modified.

Plan to spend a maximum of 65 hours a week on a combination of the following activities.

        A. Classes and laboratories
        B. Study
        C. Part-time employment
        D. Student activity commitments (dramatics, forensics, music, intercollegiate
            athletics, student government, etc.) If you have a "regular" activity off campus
            which is highly time-consuming (e.g. a "Little Theater" group) also include this
            activity.

Plan to spend some time in studying the day before each class meets. Review your
class notes as soon as possible after each class meeting.

Plan your study time so that each hour is assigned to a specific subject (e.g. study English
102 at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and at 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday,
Thursday and Sunday).

Schedule some review time each week for each subject.

Leave some time unscheduled each day for a "shock absorber."

Give consideration to the following:

    A. Try to scheduled study time for a subject just before or just before or just after
        the class meets.
    B. Schedule study time for your most difficult subjects when you are most alert.
    C. Do not schedule study time for one subject for too long a period of time. After
         an hour or so, most people find efficiency is reduced. Try to change to a
         dissimilar subject ( e.g. from sociology to mathematics)
    D. Try to stop at an interesting place.

Be realistic about your schedule. Do not:

    A. Schedule exceedingly long study sessions. Few people can study with any
        effectiveness for more than three hours without a substantial break.
    B. If you know you expect to take a half- hour "coffee break" some time between
        9 and 10 every morning do not schedule that time as an "hour " of study.
    C. Do not expect to get up early in the morning, expend your energies in exhausting
        activities all day, and then still expect to study at night. Do your studying when
        you are alert and energetic.
    D. Decide if you are a "night person" or a "day person" and arrange your schedule
        accordingly. But be honest in your evaluation. (Of course, You’ll be tired if you
        stay out late every night!
    E. Do not rationalize that you can study well in the presence of many distractions.
        T.V., conversation, reminders of previous exciting activities ( e.g. souvenirs
        and momentos), etc. should not be within your "sensory sphere."

When you have developed a realistic, balanced schedule, stick to it.
 



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