Page 75 - Keys To Community College Success

Choose a Planner

Your first step is to find a planner that will help you
achieve the control that a schedule can provide. Time-
management expert Paul Timm says, “rule number
one in a thoughtful planning process is: use some
form of a planner where you can write things down.” 2
Choose a planner that works for how you
live. There are two major types:
■ A book or notebook, showing either a day
or a week at a glance, where you note your
commitments. Some planners contain sec-
tions for monthly and yearly goals.
■ An electronic planning app or calendar app
on a smartphone. Basic functions allow you
to schedule days and weeks, note due dates,
make to-do lists, perform mathematical cal-
culations, and create and store a contacts list.
Because most smartphone calendars have Balance means getting your work done as well as finding time to have
companion programs on computers, you can some fun with friends.
usually back up your schedule on a computer
and view it there. If you have a computer and
find that you are using it constantly, you might prioritize a computer-based calen-
dar app like iCal or Google Calendar.
Although electronic planning tools are handy, powerful, and capable of all kinds of
functioning, the software can fail, and smartphone batteries can die. Analyze your pref-
erences and finances and choose the best tool for you. A blank notebook, used consis-
tently, may work as well as a top-of-the-line smartphone.

Establish Priorities
Prioritizing helps you focus the bulk of your energy and time on your most important
tasks. Since many top-priority items (classes, work) occur at designated times, prioritizing
helps you lock in these activities and schedule less urgent tasks around them.
Whether it’s a task or a goal you’re scheduling, here are some basic ways to assign
priorities. Think about what results your risks might bring, and what may result from
taking no risks.
■ Priority 1. These are crucial, high-reward items that you must do, usually at a
specific time. They may include attending class, working at a job, picking up a
child from day care, and paying bills.
■ Priority 2. These are important items that have some flexibility in scheduling.
Examples include study time and exercising.
■ Priority 3. These are less important items that offer low-key rewards. Examples
PRIORITIZE
include calling a friend or downloading songs onto your iPod. To arrange or deal with in
You should also prioritize long-term and short-term goals. Consider keeping high order of importance.
priority long-term goals visible alongside your daily schedule, so you can make sure
your day-to-day activities move you ahead toward those goals. For instance, arriving at
school a half hour early so you can meet with an advisor can be a step toward a long-
term goal of deciding on a major.

Build a Schedule
Scheduling and goal setting work hand in hand to get you where you want to go. The
most clearly defined goal won’t be achieved without being put into a time frame, and

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