Prioritizing Power: What's Most Important?

Objective: To help you understand how to prioritize tasks based on their urgency and importance.

Instructions:

Imagine you have a super busy week ahead. You're a high school student with classes, homework, a part-time job, and extracurriculars. Below is a list of tasks you need to complete. Your job is to sort them into the four categories using the Eisenhower Matrix (or 'Do-Decide-Delegate-Delete' rule we discussed):

Categories:

• Do First! (Urgent & Important): Tasks that need immediate attention and have serious consequences if not completed.
• Schedule It! (Important, Not Urgent): Tasks that are crucial for your goals but don't need to be done right this second. Plan these carefully!
• Delegate or Decline! (Urgent, Not Important): Tasks that demand immediate attention but don't contribute significantly to your goals. Can someone else help, or can you say "no"?
• Eliminate! (Not Urgent & Not Important): Tasks that are distractions and don't help you achieve your goals. Reconsider if you need to do these at all.

Your Tasks for the Week:

1. Study for a Chemistry test tomorrow (counts for 25% of your grade).
2. Finish a History essay due in two days (worth 20% of your grade).
3. Attend soccer practice (team is preparing for playoffs).
4. Work your shift at the local coffee shop.
5. Reply to a friend's text about weekend plans.
6. Clean your room (it's a bit messy).
7. Research colleges you might want to apply to next year.
8. Go to the school play (a friend is in it, and you promised to go).
9. Buy a birthday gift for your mom (her birthday is next week).
10. Watch a new show on Netflix.

Your Turn!

Use sticky notes or a separate piece of paper to write down each task, then place them into the correct category below. Be ready to explain why you put each task where you did!

Do First! (Urgent & Important)

Schedule It! (Important, Not Urgent)

Delegate or Decline! (Urgent, Not Important)

Eliminate! (Not Urgent & Not Important)

My Time Mastery Worksheet: Design Your Ideal Week!

Objective: To help you analyze your current time usage and create a more effective weekly schedule.

Part 1: Where Does Your Time Go? (Current Schedule Reflection)

Think about a typical week. List all the regular activities you do and approximately how much time you spend on them each week. Be honest!

Total Estimated Hours (should be close to 168 hours in a week!):

Reflection Questions:

1. What surprised you about where your time is currently going?
   
   
   
2. Are there any activities that take up more time than you realized, or less?
   
   
   
3. Where do you think you could potentially free up some time?
   
   
   
   

Part 2: Design Your Master Schedule (Ideal Week)

Now, let's create a personalized weekly schedule that incorporates your priorities and goals. Fill in the blocks below, making sure to include dedicated time for school, homework, extracurriculars, sleep, and personal well-being. Remember to be realistic!

Part 3: Commit to Your Time Mastery

1. What is one specific change you will make to your schedule this week to improve your time management?
   
   
   
2. How will this change help you reduce stress or achieve a goal?
   
   
   
3. What challenges do you anticipate in sticking to your new schedule, and how will you overcome them?
   
   
   

Reflection Journal: My Time Taming Journey

Objective: To encourage ongoing reflection and personal growth in time management skills.

Take some time to reflect on your experiences with time management, both today in class and in your daily life. Your honest thoughts and observations are valuable!

Journal Prompts:

1. Before today's lesson, how would you have described your relationship with time? Were you a master, a struggling student, or somewhere in between? Explain why.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. What was the most surprising or impactful thing you learned during the Time Tamer: Mastering Your Schedule lesson today? Why was it impactful?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Looking at your completed My Time Mastery Worksheet, what is one specific change you plan to implement in your schedule this upcoming week? How do you think this change will affect your stress levels or productivity?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Describe a time when you successfully managed a busy schedule. What strategies did you use? What can you learn from that experience and apply going forward?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. What are some potential obstacles you foresee in sticking to your new time management strategies? How can you prepare for or overcome these challenges?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. How does good time management connect to your overall well-being and personal goals (beyond just academics)?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
7. Imagine it's a month from now, and you've consistently applied what you learned about time management. What does your day-to-day life look like? What positive changes have you noticed?