Embedded Files
Overview
Overview
Time management is a key skill to develop as a grad student. Graduate projects tend to be longer and larger than most work that's done in undergraduate programs; work on one project can extend for months (or semesters) rather than just a few weeks. Grad students will need to balance work and families with competing priorities including regular classwork, special projects, and original research. Learning to work effectively and efficiently will empower you to strike a good balance, but it's important to remember that everyone's balance looks different. Below are a few tools and ideas to help you overcome procrastination and decision paralysis. Fellow classmates and professors are also good sources for advice about time and energy management.
Procrastination and Graduate Students
Procrastination and Graduate Students
Where do the hours go? article from the American Psychological Association
Pomodoro Technique
Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique is a popular method to overcome procrastination and get over the initial inertia of starting a project. First, you make a list of all your tasks. Second, pick the one you most want to make progress on and set a timer for 25 minutes. Third, work on your chosen task until the timer goes off. Finally, take a five-minute break before beginning another round. After every four pomodoros, take a longer break. Watch the video on the left for more explanation.
The keys that make this simple method effective are twofold. First, you must eliminate all distractions during your work time, e.g., no looking at your phone, sending emails, or talking to others. The best progress is made with uninterrupted attention. It takes 15+ minutes to refocus after each distraction. Second, it is hard to start projects because they seem large and will take a long time to finish. Recognize that you do not have to finish a whole project, but the real goal is to make progress. It is easier to say I will work for 25-minutes, and then I can take a break. This amount of time makes it seem more manageable and thus easier to do. You will be amazed at how much work can be finished in a focused 25-minute session.
Ideas to Break the Procrastination Cycle
Ideas to Break the Procrastination Cycle
Eisenhower Matrix
Eisenhower Matrix
The Eisenhower Matrix is a popular tool to help prioritize tasks by urgency and importance to see what you should do first. It is also called the Urgent-Important Matrix. Every time you get a task, you should consider which category it falls in: do first, schedule, delegate, and don't do. Using this matrix will allow you to track how you spend your time and make changes to reflect your priorities, ensuring that you balance self-care with your personal and professional goals.
SMART Goals
SMART Goals
Setting goals in writing that are Specific, Measureable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Oriented (SMART) is increasingly important as you enter graduate-level work. Large goals--such as "write my thesis"--seem daunting and impossible, but SMART goals can help you break down the task into manageable chunks. The presentation to the left from the University of Kansas Writing Center shows how SMART goals can be established when creating a semester plan for your writing tasks. Walden University also provides additional information about Developing SMART Goals.
SMART Goals Acadmic Skill.pdf
Page updated
Report abuse