Managing Your Time Better

FIND THE REASON WHY

Hey there! With all the cool technology, it's easy to
spend a lot of time using devices like TVs, phones,
computers, and games. While these devices can be
helpful, they can also use up a lot of our personal time.
The US Census Bureau found that last year, adults
spent about 65 days watching TV, over a week on the
internet and a little more than a week reading a daily
newspaper, among other activities. As a 9th grade
student, it's important to be aware of how much time
you spend on similar activities, so you can make
informed choices about how you want to invest your
time! If you want to learn more about simplifying your
life, check out the Kentucky Extension publication
called 'Choosing the Simply Beautiful Life'.

CHECK YOUR SCREEN TIME

For the next question, you will need to check
your screen time on your phone. If you do not
track your screen time,make a realistic
estimate on how long you spend on your
phone during a week.

Project

Management

Sometimes projects or tasks can feel too big to even start, but there

are ways to tackle them. One suggestion is to adopt a motivating

phrase like "Just Do It" to help get started repeating it to yourself.

Another suggestion from Dorothy Cudaback, a Family Life Extension

specialist, is to break the job down into smaller tasks, which you can

list out. This can be helpful for identifying instant tasks that can give

you momentum and help you start. You might also schedule times for

the tasks, especially if they take a long time. If you determine some

tasks to be delegable, go ahead and pass them on. To avoid spending

too much time on the project, you can set a time limit for the day. And

if all else fails, try to increase the payoff for finishing the task. You got

this!

Handling Big Jobs

There’s a time-management technique you might find helpful that can increase

your efficiency by at least 50 percent. It's called the "To Do" list. You can print or

copy multiple weeks of the list and begin mapping out your tasks. Here's how it

works:

• Start by listing the five most crucial things you need to do the following day.

These items are often steps in a larger project.

• Rank the tasks from the most important to the least important considering you

and any other party involved, like family, company, or school. Use numbers 1

through 5.

• Mark whether you should complete the task from high-energy period or

low-energy period.

A Method

4. Indicate how much time you plan on spending on each activity.

5. Determine which tasks you can pass off to someone else. Then, pass the jobs on

and note the delegatee on the list.

6. Begin with the tasks that only you can accomplish. Work on your top priority with

all your energy and concentration. After completing No.1, move to No. 2, and

continue this pattern.

Through this process, you don't need to pressure yourself if you're unable to

complete all the goals for the day. Simply focus on the most important ones. If

you'd like to encourage your productivity further, you can set up a reward system.

For instance, tell yourself that if you can finish items 1-4 on the list on that day, you'll

reward yourself by sitting back and relaxing for 30 minutes, listening to classical

music.

Continued