Time Management Analysis Activity – Information & Starter Fi

Time Management Analysis Activity – Information & Starter File Useful Information

Maya is a student taking two courses in her first semester, balancing her academic responsibilities with part-time work, child care, and personal activities. She has a daughter, Sara, in 1st grade, who is in school Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm, and she watches her niece and nephew twice a week. Maya enjoys hobbies such as shopping, going to movies, dining out, and watching TV.

Assignment Overview:

Part 1: List and Compare (30 points):

  1. List all of Maya’s roles.
  2. List all of Maya’s responsibilities requiring dedicated time (personal, family, work, study, sleep, etc.).
  3. Compare your lists to Maya’s current calendar. Indicate whether she spends too much, too little, or the right amount of time on each responsibility.

Part 2: Revise (30 points):

Review Maya’s current weekly schedule. Based on your assessment and time management principles, propose revisions to her schedule to better balance her responsibilities and personal needs, ensuring adequate time allocation and avoiding overcommitment.

Part 3: Reflect (40 points):

Write 5-7 sentences explaining why you made specific changes to Maya’s schedule. Address what time management strategies from the presentation Maya should incorporate and why. Discuss your thought process behind the revision choices and how they support her overall well-being and responsibilities.

Paper For Above instruction

In constructing an effective weekly schedule for Maya, the primary goal was to balance her various roles and responsibilities while ensuring she maintains her health, manages her studies effectively, and spends quality time with her family and friends. Understanding her responsibilities and current schedule was essential to identify areas where time could be optimized or reallocated. Her roles encompass being a student, a worker, a mother, and a caregiver for her niece and nephew, along with personal hobbies. Each of these roles demands a certain amount of dedicated time, which requires careful planning to prevent burnout or neglect of important commitments.

Maya’s current schedule shows she spends significant time on her work and caring for her niece and nephew, with somewhat limited dedicated study and personal leisure periods. For example, she works from 9 am to 3 pm on weekdays, with her time immediately afterward primarily consumed by family responsibilities. Her evening schedule includes some leisure activities like watching TV and movies, but it overlaps with her study obligations, such as completing her ENG 111 assignment. Sleep appears to be prioritized, though possibly not enough, considering her late-night commitments.

From a time management perspective, Maya needs to allocate more structured study periods and ensure she has sufficient sleep and personal downtime. Strategies such as establishing specific blocks of uninterrupted study time, limiting non-essential activities during peak academic periods, and scheduling regular self-care moments can significantly improve her productivity and well-being. Additionally, she should consider setting boundaries for work shifts when possible, to avoid unpredictable extra shifts that disrupt her schedule. Incorporating reward systems for completing her studies can help maintain her motivation, and prioritizing sleep will improve her overall health and energy levels.

To revise Maya’s schedule, I recommended creating clear time blocks dedicated solely to her studies, particularly during weekends or weekday evenings when her children are engaged elsewhere. For example, scheduling focused study sessions during early weekday mornings or late evenings can help her complete her assignments efficiently without conflicts. I also allocated specific times for her hobbies, such as going to the movies or shopping, to ensure she maintains personal fulfillment, which is vital for stress relief. Balancing family responsibilities with personal time and sleep helps prevent overcommitment and improves her overall quality of life.

In my revised schedule, I minimized unnecessary trips to the mall during the weekdays and limited watching movies to designated weekends. I also inserted short, daily periods for self-care or exercise, acknowledging these as essential rather than optional. Notably, I adjusted her dinner and evening routines to include quiet time for reflection or planning for the next day, which can promote better time management. By applying key time management strategies—such as prioritizing tasks, setting realistic goals, and maintaining a consistent sleep schedule—Maya can achieve a more sustainable balance among her roles. The revised schedule fosters a structured yet flexible approach, supporting her academic success, family commitments, and personal well-being.

References

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  • Cleary, M. & Warner, C. (2014). Time management techniques for students: A practical approach. College Student Journal, 48(4), 602–610.

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