Simplifying Time Management

Simplifying Time Management for Student/Parents
Joseph A. Ortiz
GEN/200
July 9, 2012
Don Jones

Simplifying Time Management for Student/Parents
“Keep it Simple, Stupid” my old sergeant always told me. Reasons for this approach will include why simplifying time management is the key skill, which must be mastered to have an enjoyable and successful college experience. In the stressful and high speed life-style of today’s college students with families of our own at home, every activity with family or school must be prioritized and set in a structured order. College life becomes exceptionally more complicated when balancing classes along with a full-time job and children at home, but these obstacles can be simplified when prioritized correctly.
Always Be Prepared
Preparation is a skillful way to deflate the stress out of upcoming tasks. Let us face it; we have enough on our plates to concern ourselves with meaningless distractions. Giving up certain menial things is a great way to simplify our daily tasks and focus on the important things in life. We have our goals we wish to meet; things like keeping up with the latest episodes of “NCIS” should not stand in our way! Simple actions can make life very much easier for students; such as all class assignments should be completed ahead of schedule and try to arrive 20 minutes early to class. There will always be factors in life we cannot control (like traffic), but we can always find ways to minimize our risks of living with them. The obstacles thrown into our lives can be met with a positive attitude and a willingness to adapt and overcome.
Time Management At Home
It has been said that a successful college student will spend two hours studying at home for every one hour spent in class (Ellis, D., 2011). So much more effort is dedicated into schoolwork while at home rather than in the classroom, does it not make sense that time management at home will reflect a student’s effort in the classroom? For a fulltime student who is also a parent, home life is always going to be filled with constant distractions. When children are involved, it is not just your schedule you are dealing with, but you are over seeing theirs as well.
Methods for Time Management
Having everything prepared ahead of time will make it easier to focus on classroom exercises. Even the simplest things, like possessing all class materials will enhance your classroom experience. Have you ever been distracted looking for an extra pen because your ink just ran out, and then as a result you are missing notes from the classroom lecture? Simple things like this can be avoided with time management. Create a checklist, whether written or mental, of daily materials or tasks that should be completed before class: Do I have extra pens readily available, extra paper, lunch, does the car contain gas, etc. It is difficult to focus on a classroom lecture when you have just realized you forgot to e-mail in an assignment because you took your children to the park earlier in the daytime. A simple trick as a daily checklist can help immensely with time management. A mental review of your agenda for the following day can easily eliminated overlooked mistakes. Review upcoming task and make a sound decision on what is worth your time. “In some cases, procrastinating and not making a decision is fraught with greater risk than making it” (Gomez-Mejia & Balkin, 2002).
Conclusion
Although true, a procrastinator also can be a successful student, but someone who uses simple time management techniques will enjoy a more stress free experience. There is no need to add stress to our hectic lives when these things can be avoided. A little of foresight is priceless for the college student with children. We each have a personal responsibility to use time management to prepare for unseen factors that affect our college success. College goals are a worthy cause for our efforts and commitment, let us eliminated unduly distractions and enjoy this experience together.

References
Ellis, D. (2011). Becoming a master student (13th ed.). Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.
Gomez-Mejia, L. R., & Balkin, D. B. (2002). Management. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Reference Explanation I choose the listed sources because I believe the two references to be from a reliable source which will strengthen my essay with relevant points. I chose a quote from the “Management” book and paraphrased information from “Becoming a master student”. Both books are from the “ebook” collection inside the University of Phoenix website library.
Book Reliability I believe the University of Phoenix website to be a very valuable and reliable source. The electronic web library is fairly easy to use and navigate and each book listed is comprised with all appropriate information. It was fairly simple to get the authors’ and publishers’ information from each book. As a student from the University of Phoenix, what better and more reliable source could there be than the university website? I am sure the website security is valid and it would be extremely difficult to tamper with the online library.
Reference Relevance In my opinion the two listed sources have a direct relevance to my essay. The information I pulled from “Becoming a Master Student” has a perfect connection with my essay. The chapter I pulled it from is filled with information on time management. The chapter contains many tools and exercises for someone to better themselves in time management techniques. The second source from the “Management” ebook also ties in well with my essay. The quoted text applies with principles involving procrastination but the book itself does not apply very well. I felt that the procrastination quote was a good way to drive home a point and get the reader thinking about the information.
Strengthening Information Upon reviewing the essay with the listed sources, I believe the sources to greatly improve my essay. It lets the reader know that the information is not only my opinion but is also supported by two different credible sources. The two sources help to connect my thesis to the body of the essay. They help to support my listed information of how to simplify time management. The sources listed in this essay assist the reader in viewing the importance of techniques applied at home which will improve your abilities as a student.

References: Ellis, D. (2011). Becoming a master student (13th ed.). Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. Gomez-Mejia, L. R., & Balkin, D. B. (2002). Management. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Reference Explanation I choose the listed sources because I believe the two references to be from a reliable source which will strengthen my essay with relevant points. I chose a quote from the “Management” book and paraphrased information from “Becoming a master student”. Both books are from the “ebook” collection inside the University of Phoenix website library. Book Reliability I believe the University of Phoenix website to be a very valuable and reliable source. The electronic web library is fairly easy to use and navigate and each book listed is comprised with all appropriate information. It was fairly simple to get the authors’ and publishers’ information from each book. As a student from the University of Phoenix, what better and more reliable source could there be than the university website? I am sure the website security is valid and it would be extremely difficult to tamper with the online library. Reference Relevance In my opinion the two listed sources have a direct relevance to my essay. The information I pulled from “Becoming a Master Student” has a perfect connection with my essay. The chapter I pulled it from is filled with information on time management. The chapter contains many tools and exercises for someone to better themselves in time management techniques. The second source from the “Management” ebook also ties in well with my essay. The quoted text applies with principles involving procrastination but the book itself does not apply very well. I felt that the procrastination quote was a good way to drive home a point and get the reader thinking about the information. Strengthening Information Upon reviewing the essay with the listed sources, I believe the sources to greatly improve my essay. It lets the reader know that the information is not only my opinion but is also supported by two different credible sources. The two sources help to connect my thesis to the body of the essay. They help to support my listed information of how to simplify time management. The sources listed in this essay assist the reader in viewing the importance of techniques applied at home which will improve your abilities as a student.