time management for tas - carleton university · 2014-01-21 · understand how you use your time o...
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Time Management for Teaching Assistants: Strategies for Juggling Multiple Roles
Leah DeVellis & „Deji Dunmola
January 14th, 2010
Juggling Multiple Roles
Professional
O TA
O Graduate student
O Contract Instructor
O Conference
Presenter
O Researcher
Personal
O Spouse/Significant
Other
O Family Member
O Friend
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Know Yourself
O What time of day are you most productive?
O Where are you most productive? (ie. home,
school)
O Do you work best alone or in a group?
O What distracts you?
3
Exercise: Creating Balance
Consider the following questions:
1. What do I need to be happy and healthy?
2. What work do I need to accomplish?
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Exercise: Creating BalanceO Avoid burnout by balancing
your activities
O Avoid spending time in only
one area
O Taking time for socializing
and exercise can increase
productivity.
social/
emotionalspiritual
physical
mental/
intellectual
Exercise adapted from Patricia Crosscombe, School of
Public Policy and Administration5
Covey’s Four Quadrant Map
Importance
Urgency: HighImportance: LowE.g. Individual at door
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2
3
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Urgency
Urgency: HighImportance: HighE.g. Big assignment due tomorrow
Urgency: LowImportance: LowE.g. New TV series
Urgency: LowImportance: HighE.g. Deadline due in 2 months
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Exercise: To Do List
O Make a list of 5-10 things you need to do
O Assign priorities (Covey‟s numbers) to the items
O What should you do first?
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Time Logs
Time Activity Priority
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Time LogsTime Activity Priority
7 – 8am Walk the dog C
8-8:30am Shower, eat bf C
8:30 –
9:30am
Check email A
9:30 – 12 Comp A
12 – 1pm Lunch C
1 – 3pm Marking B
3 – 4pm Grocery shopping C
4 – 5pm Gym A
5:30 – 7 Dinner with friends A
O The goal of this activity is to help you
understand how you use your time
O Keep a time log for 1 day from the
time you get up until the time you go
to bed. Describe your activities in
blocks of time.
O Prioritize your activities:
O A - Important to you
O B - Important to others and
O C - Basic human needs
O Colour Code your activities:
O Green (G): School Work, Class,
studying, assignment prep
O Blue (B): Rest and Relaxation,
Watching TV, going out
O Red (R): Social, relationships,
family
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Using Time Log Info
O What doesn‟t need to be done?
O What can someone else do?
O What can I do more efficiently?
O How am I wasting other people‟s time?
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What is procrastination
O The avoidance of doing a task that needs to
be accomplished
O It has a high potential for serious
consequences
O It interferes with the academic and personal
success of students
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Signs of Procrastination
1. Overwhelmed by the task: “I don‟t know where to start”
2. Waiting for the “right” mood/“right” time
3. Fear of failure or success
4. Inability to make decisions
5. Poor organizational skills
6. Perfectionism: “I don't have the right skills or resources to do this perfectly now, so I won't do it at all”
O TA Duties: “I‟ll just grade these essays/labs first…”
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Exercise: Biggest time waster
O What is your biggest time waster?
O Why do you do it?
O What are you going to do about it?
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Final Tips on Time ManagementO Stay organized
O Prioritize tasks
O Be a realistic
O Recognize procrastination!
O Set achievable goals
O Break larger task down into more manageable activities
O Adjust to demands
O Reward yourself
O Drop-in to consult with an expert
(LSS department)14
FeedbackPlease ensure you complete the evaluation and thank
you for attending!
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References
O Pausch, Randy. “Time Management.”
Presentation. Carnegie Mellon University.
Video Link
O Covey, Stephen R. 7 Habits of Highly
Effective People: Restoring The Character
Ethic. New York : Simon and Schuster, 1990,
c1989
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