• Unless you have a perfect memory, then you will certainly forget something that turns out to be important. If your memory is not good, i.e., it is human ! then you will probably forget more and more.
• Unless you are sure of the priority of each thing you have/want to do, then you also create difficulties for yourself;
• One way to ensure you do the things you need and want to do, is to develop a daily list. This can be done first thing each day if preferred, or last thing the night before [much better];
• In developing such a list, you should also prioritise what is listed as :
• Must Do;
• do if possible;
• do if there is nothing more important.
• Ensure things on your Must Do list are completed. Don’t put too much here. Be realistic about your own ability;
• It is amazing how people spend considerable time on things that are not essential or productive. This has to change !;
• If things remain, consider whether they -
• really need to be done, or
• can be removed from the list.
• If they reappear but have little impact, even if not accomplished, remove permanently.
• Amazingly, things you really want, or have, to complete, will get done !
• Be consistent. Make it part of your life. It will pay dividends.

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• This is really what we are talking about;
• If you are disorganised physically, room like a tip, can’t find things where you work, then you will be disorganised mentally, forgetful, behind time, mentally lazy;
• Be sure you know where things are. Make sure they are there. This way you won’t waste time searching;
• Not everyone is perfectly organised [very few in fact], but the more organised you are, the less problems and the less time you waste.

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• You will have masses of paper [yes, we know it is a paperless world, but …] - magazines, mail, [lecture] notes, books, letters, emails, invoices, receipts, manuals, etc..
• For any of the above, consider the following :
• Don’t leave it in piles, boxes, on chairs/tables, …;
• Is it necessary to keep ? If not, dispose of it [shred, burn, tear up, recycle] as required;
• If it needs a response, do so. Refer to the previous point once you have. If it has to be kept, store it appropriately. Check regularly, cull as necessary;
• If it is junk [e.g. junk mail, advertisements] use a circular file [garbage !];
• If it has to be kept [e.g. lecture notes] file it with related material. Then you know where it is and won’t waste time looking in the future;
• If it is books and you no longer want or need them, consider selling them. You can sell second hand texts, trade books for fiction or non-fiction material, give them to someone else or a charitable organisation. If they only become dust catchers, you lose time having to clean them !
• You have to be brutal or allow yourself to be swamped;
• Suggestion - if you shift flats, rooms, houses - be brutal when deciding what to take. Don’t take things that are not needed. You will be surprised what you can get rid of as rubbish. A good clear out is really useful, as we have found many times.

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• How often do you waste time which is then lost forever ?
• Consider these :
• waiting for appointments;
• travelling on ‘public’ transport;
• waiting for something to be finished.
• Question ? - If you sat down and looked at how much time was wasted with any of these or similar occurrences, what could you have done with that time ?
• If you know any of these will happen, make a positive decision. Don’t sit there reading 10 year old magazines. Use this time positively and :
• take a book or notes;
• take something else constructive to do;
• Remember, the time you save can be used for some worthwhile purpose - professional or pleasure.

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• The adage of a healthy mind in a healthy body may seem old fashioned, but is scientifically true;
• Poor health robs you of stamina, mental agility, memory and more - not the least of which is time;
• Have a balanced diet. Don’t exist on junk food !
• Get adequate sleep. Very few people can exist on limited sleep. Maybe you don’t need eight hours every night, but there should be a balance, so make sure you get enough ! Also consider the time when you sleep - early morning to mid afternoon is not conducive to education, work, even leisure;
• Don’t be a Couch Potato. Exercise. Choose a form suited to you and be consistent in doing a reasonable amount each week. Doing this pays considerable dividends in many ways;
• By taking care of yourself, you will have more energy for doing things you want and need to do.

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• Do you know people who want to talk all the time, just for the sake of it; people who just want to be around for no reason and prevent you doing things you want to do ?
• Nice as you may be, there is only one solution because your priorities have to come first !
• Don’t let them waste your time if you are getting nothing positive from it.
• If they are wasting your time, avoid them like the plague, either totally, or at periods when you cannot afford to waste time.
• For some, full time avoidance is the only answer. Let them waste their time if they wish, don’t let them waste yours.
• How you give them the message will depend on your personality, but you have to for your sake.

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• Just joking ! [sort of]. Don’t let television, computers, video games take over. At least know where the Off Button is and use it regularly.
• People often claim they can do several things at once. This usually means nothing is done as well as possible.
• If you are simply using time playing with the above, you are probably gaining nothing but pleasure [possibly not ?].
• Instead, consider alternatives - family, outings, reading, sports, study, … among others. It also lets you do those awful work things [whatever they are] that allow genuine leisure time when completed.

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• Having said the above, you need to ensure that there is balance in everything you do.
• Nobody can work and do nothing else. Nobody, unless they are really rich can do nothing except satisfy their every desire without worrying about other things. Even so, they probably still get bored !
• Remember, the balance changes as different demands are placed on you.
• However, if you follow the essentials above, you will find you not only have time for everything needed, but you will gain achievement and satisfaction from everything you do.

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• 11 Tips
  [To Increase Your Time Management Skills]
  ‘Time management is a skill that takes time to develop and perfect. It also is a skill that is different for everyone. Your best bet is to try out the tips listed [below] and see which ones work best for you.’
• Good Time Management
  ‘Good time management is essential to success at university.’ Good information. Online and as a PDF download from the University of NSW.
• How Good is Your Time Management ?
  ‘We’ve put together an interactive Time Management Quiz to help you identify the aspects of time management that you need most help with. The results will point you to the specific tools you need to use to gain control of your time, and start working efficiently.’
• It’s About Time
  [Management Simplified]
  Available online.
• Managing Interruptions
  [Maintain focus. Keep control of your time]
  ‘The key to controlling interruptions is to know what they are and whether they are necessary, and to plan for them in your daily schedule when they truly need your attention. The tips that follow will help you do that and so prevent interruptions from frustrating you and jeopardizing your success.’
• Managing Your Time
  ‘Many students discover the need to develop or hone their time management skills when they arrive at college. Unlike high school where teachers frequently structured your assignments and classes filled your day, in college, you will have less in-class time, more outside of class work, and a great deal of freedom and flexibility. These pages provide you with tips for managing your time well.’ Word and Excel documents, quizzes, planners, video and more.
• Organising and Time Management Skills
  Listed under 8 sections [including resources] by Deakin University.
• Personal Time Management Guide
  ‘This personal time management guide and the accompanying newsletter are dedicated to building a stronger foundation for your success. One skill at a time. Each article or section below is an important building block you can put into your foundation right now. Take one of the pages and read it: you will gain the key insights and practical tips for one of the core areas of higher personal effectiveness. Each article will move you one step forward in something that could be limiting your success level today.’ Check other links on the left-hand menu.
• Prioritization
  Overview and descriptions [with links to further information] for techniques to ‘bring order to chaos, massively reduce stress, and move towards a successful conclusion.’
• Student Time Management for Success
  ‘Student time management can help you succeed in juggling your academic life with work and other extra-curricular activities, so that you can get the most out of being a college student.’
• Study Skills
  In this listing from Cornell University is a section on Time Management. One item of particular interest should be ‘Time Management for Right Brained People’, that is those who are not list makers. Most are downloadable in PDF format.
• Thirteen Timely Tips
  [For More Effective Time Management]
  Available online.
• Time Management
  A mass of information, presented in point form and with items as detailed as ‘gentle nos’, ‘procrastination’, ‘the 80/20 rule’ and ‘interruptions’.
• Time Management [Activity]
  ‘Students often say that managing their workload is one of the most difficult things they experience when they first start at uni. It is difficult, but you can develop good time management skills that will help you succeed. So, what can you do to help plan your studies and work steadily ? How can you meet all those deadlines and avoid mind-blanking panic ? To help get you started, we’ll ask you to assess your time management skills.’
• Time Management [SGS]
  [Study Guides and Strategies]
  Part of a series of help topics. Looks at strategies, effective aids, even access to an Assignment Calculator.
• Time Management [Timethoughts]
  Introduction, 15 primary tips on time management and more. Check the left menu for further options.
• Time Management [UniS]
  ‘This section aims to help you manage your time to work more effectively and to reach your goals.’ Developed by the University of Surrey.
• Time Management and Organization
  ‘Time is a limited resource. How are you using yours ?’ Multiple sections of information from MIT. Includes a PDF file on Time Distribution Assessment.
• TimeManagementBenchmark
  Use the process to benchmark your time management, and the results to help you improve this. Free.
• Time Management Guide
  [A version of this infoKit is available for download in PDF format.]
  ‘This resource aims to help you manage your time more effectively by suggesting a number of tools and approaches that you may find applicable to your own circumstances.’
  Well presented !
• Time Management, Mind Tools
  ‘This section of Mind Tools teaches you personal time management skills. These are the simple, practical techniques that have helped the leading people in business, sport and public service reach the pinnacles of their careers.’ Done via specific topic articles.
• Time Management Strategies
  [For Improving Academic Performance]
  Interactive process developed by Virginia Tech in the US. Easy to use.
• Time Management Tips
  7 major tips plus a conclusion drawn from their use. Based on sound common sense but very useful.
• Virtual Pamphlet Collection
  [Time Management]
  A collection of pamphlets on the topic from a range of North American universities. This is the Unabridged collection and you need to select Time Management from the listing. No longer maintained by the University of Chicago but by an individual.
• Where Does Time Go ?
  ‘It may seem like there aren’t enough hours in the week to get everything done. That may be true or it may be that you are not using your time as efficiently as possible. To assess where your time goes, complete the inventory [below]. Be as honest with yourself as you can.’ Interactive tool.

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