Time Management

Time Management

Ruben is a new student at New Bedford College. He is excited about his new adventure, but has problems keeping on task.

Recently he had a history paper due on Tuesday and waited until Monday to start working on it. While he was working on the paper, the phone rang and it was his friend Joyce. Joyce invited him to an impromptu party at Maria’s house. Never one to miss a party, Ruben quickly shut his computer off and went to the party. He figured he would finish the paper on Tuesday. On Tuesday, Ruben over slept until 1 p.m. and missed math class. He decided to start work on his history paper, but his Internet connection was not working. He called the cable company and reported the trouble. Figuring he would wait until the service was working, he took a jog through the park. While in the park, he sees his friends playing basketball. He stops and joins in. Ruben does not get back to his apartment until 7 p.m. He forgets about working on the paper until midnight and now the paper is overdue.

* What are some of Ruben’s time management issues and what do you recommend for overcoming them?

Moving forward, Ruben shouldn't wait until the last minute to complete his assignments. First thing I'd suggest is Ruben starting assignments as soon as he gets them. This way he has a head start and can enjoy his leisure time. Since he waited to the night before to do the paper, he shouldn't have went to the party at Maria's house. Since he did, when he got home from the party, he should have set an alarm to wake him at a appropriate time to complete his paper. When Ruben realized his internet connection wasn't working, he should've went to the library or a friend's house to complete the paper. He didn't have to go for a jog or play basketball with his friends. It seemed like a basic stall tactic to keep from doing his homework. Ruben needs to work on his basic time management skills to do well in school.