Counselors share stitch of time
by Brandy Bramblett, reporter

    When one manages time the way one eats a peach cobbler—a little bit at a time—he or she will never go wrong, a time-management expert said last week.

   According to Clif Dobbins and his wife, Annie, counselors who led a Time Management seminar on South Campus, the number one reason students are unsuccessful academically is they have not learned how to manage themselves.

   “If you can’t manage yourself, you can’t manage your time,” he said.
Self-management begins with prioritizing. Students should not spend time on a menial task, such as cleaning their rooms, when they have exams to study for, Dobbins said.

   Dobbins recommends buying a calendar at the beginning of the school year and then marking important dates, such as upcoming tests and due dates for homework assignments. That way, one can allocate time for the jobs that have a high priority.

   Another tip the pair suggests is getting up early and completing important tasks in the morning. The mind is at its freshest then, so any material studied will be easier to absorb and recall later.

   To discover why someone always runs behind, Dobbins suggests writing down how time is spent from hour to hour for a period of three days.

   “I guarantee you’re wasting 10 to 20 hours a week,” he said.

   The top time-blocker for students is, surprisingly, family, Dobbins said. Family members are likely to request errands and favors that do not fit into a student’s busy schedule.

   Dobbins recommends giving each family member a copy of the student’s schedule to minimize time conflicts. He also suggests holding family meetings to build understanding and communication.

   Another rule of thumb is to never put off anything until the next day, Annie Dobbins said.

   “Yesterday is a cancelled check; tomorrow is a promissory note; today is ready cash,” she said.

   One must realize that yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come; people must utilize the time they have today, she said.

   “If you have a task that you can’t complete today, schedule it on your calendar. By marking it on an actual day, such as Sunday, instead of tomorrow, you are more likely to complete the task,” she said.

   To become a proficient time manager, one can begin by taking a few simple steps.

   Students should write a to-do list every day and stick to it, starting with the top priority and working down, she said.

   Busy people should realize that their needs and time are just as important as everyone else’s.

   If they cannot fit something into their schedules, they should learn to say “no.”

   Finally, students should accept that they cannot do everything there is to do; they should not be afraid to make choices, she said.

   The Dobbinses met while attending college and have been married 32 years.

   He is the South Campus coordinator of testing as well as an assistant professor of psychology. She is the coordinator of the College Student Survival Seminars, of which Time Management was the first. She also teaches Psychology of Success.