Managing Time and Sleep Managing Time and Sleep

for Better Learning for Better Learning

Counselling Services University of Victoria
Time Management Problems? Time Management Problems?
What problems do you What problems do you
have with your time? have with your time?
Managing Time Managing Time
?? Where does the time go? Where does the time go?
?? Pauk (1989) asked university students how Pauk (1989) asked university students how
they spent time during a typical week. they spent time during a typical week.
Pauk (1989) Pauk (1989)
?? Sleeping Sleeping 49 hrs 49 hrs
?? Studying Studying 20 hrs 20 hrs
?? Attending Classes/Labs Attending Classes/Labs 19 hrs 19 hrs
?? Preparing & eating meals Preparing & eating meals 11 hrs 11 hrs
?? -------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------
?? Total time accounted for Total time accounted for 99 hrs 99 hrs
?? Total time in a week Total time in a week 168 hrs 168 hrs
?? Unaccounted for time Unaccounted for time 69 hrs! 69 hrs!
First Step to Managing Time: First Step to Managing Time:
Becoming Aware Becoming Aware
?? How do you spend your time? How do you spend your time?
?? Are you allocating time to valued activities? Are you allocating time to valued activities?
?? What low What low--valued activities consume too valued activities consume too
much of your time? much of your time?
?? Are you devoting your prime time to the Are you devoting your prime time to the
most important activities? most important activities?
?? Are you achieving a good balance among Are you achieving a good balance among
academic, social, entertainment and academic, social, entertainment and
wellness activities? wellness activities?
Time Allocation Monitoring Tool Time Allocation Monitoring Tool
Time Allocation Monitoring Tool Close Time Allocation Monitoring Tool Close--up up
Record in real time
Keywords sufficient
Use abbreviations
Space Time
If you forget to record,
go back and fill it in as
best you can.
Lets try it! Lets try it!
?? Use the handout sheet. Use the handout sheet.
?? Start with your wakeup time today. Start with your wakeup time today.
?? Fill in your day up until this presentation. Fill in your day up until this presentation.
Now, pair off with a colleague and review
your morning. (3 min.)
Awareness Assignment Awareness Assignment
?? Continue to record your time use for Continue to record your time use for
the next week. the next week.
?? At the end of each day, devote 10 At the end of each day, devote 10
minutes to summarizing your time minutes to summarizing your time
allocation. allocation.
?? Use meaningful categories to tally your Use meaningful categories to tally your
time. Perhaps use a spreadsheet. time. Perhaps use a spreadsheet.
?? Share your record with a colleague. Share your record with a colleague.
Meaningful Categories Meaningful Categories
What are some useful categories? What are some useful categories?
?? Classes/Labs Classes/Labs
?? Studying Studying
?? Transportation Transportation
?? Meals Meals
?? Socializing Socializing
?? Entertainment Entertainment
?? Maintenance Maintenance
?? Exercise Exercise
?? Sleep Sleep
?? Etc. Etc.
Special Categories
?? For behaviours that you know to be excesses For behaviours that you know to be excesses
or deficits, make a separate category. or deficits, make a separate category.
?? Example: Many university students spend Example: Many university students spend
excessive time engaged in various forms of excessive time engaged in various forms of
electronic communication electronic communication (e.g., Facebook, MSN, (e.g., Facebook, MSN,
email, etc.). email, etc.).
?? Monitoring behaviour will generally change its Monitoring behaviour will generally change its
frequency in the frequency in the desired desireddirection. direction.
Time Management Tips Time Management Tips
for Studying and Learning for Studying and Learning
?? Studying and learning new information Studying and learning new information
(e.g., reading) seems to benefit from (e.g., reading) seems to benefit from
shorter shorter--duration study periods (40 duration study periods (40--60 min. 60 min.
max). max).
?? Problem Problem--solving and creating activities solving and creating activities
seem to benefit from longer seem to benefit from longer--duration duration
study periods (90 study periods (90--120 min. max). 120 min. max).
Time Management Tips Time Management Tips
for Studying and Learning for Studying and Learning
?? Previewing readings and notes before Previewing readings and notes before
class increases learning and retention. class increases learning and retention.
?? Active recall of readings and notes soon Active recall of readings and notes soon
after class increases memory. after class increases memory.
Brain Dump Brain Dump solo or with a colleague solo or with a colleague
Cornell Notes Cornell Notes
Concept Maps Concept Maps
Time Management Tips Time Management Tips
for Studying and Learning for Studying and Learning
?? Use breaks to reward progress. Use breaks to reward progress.
?? Be efficient! Use day time rather than night Be efficient! Use day time rather than night
time, especially for difficult subjects. time, especially for difficult subjects.
Research shows that 60 min. of studying Research shows that 60 min. of studying
during the day is worth 90 min. of studying during the day is worth 90 min. of studying
at night. at night.
Sleep Well to Study Well Sleep Well to Study Well
Thanks to colleague J une Saracuse for this part of the presentation!
What is Sleep? What is Sleep?
?? Shakespeare called sleep deaths counterfeit. Shakespeare called sleep deaths counterfeit.
?? Early researchers (1930s) were surprised to find Early researchers (1930s) were surprised to find
that the sleeping brain is active and cycles through that the sleeping brain is active and cycles through
stages. stages.
?? EEGs show: EEGs show:
Awake Awake fast, random, low fast, random, low--voltage voltage
Relaxed Relaxed less random, Alpha waves less random, Alpha waves
Stage 1 Sleep Stage 1 Sleep Theta waves Theta waves
Stage 2 Sleep Stage 2 Sleep Sleep spindles, higher Sleep spindles, higher--voltage voltage
Stage 3 and 4 Stage 3 and 4 Delta waves, rhythmic, high Delta waves, rhythmic, high--voltage voltage
REM Sleep REM Sleep fast, random, low fast, random, low--voltage (dreaming) voltage (dreaming)
Average Hours of Sleep Average Hours of Sleep
Before Electricity Before Electricity 10 hrs/night 10 hrs/night
Early 20 Early 20
th th
Century Century 8 to 9 hrs/night 8 to 9 hrs/night
Mid 1980s to 2002 Mid 1980s to 2002 7 to 8 hrs/ night 7 to 8 hrs/ night
College/ University Students: College/ University Students:
1980s students reported 7 1980s students reported 7 -- 7.5 hrs/night 7.5 hrs/night
2002 students reported 6 2002 students reported 6 -- 6.9 hrs/ night 6.9 hrs/ night
Among college students 71% had Among college students 71% had
sleep complaints in 2000 compared sleep complaints in 2000 compared
to 24% in 1978. to 24% in 1978.
Sleep Debt Sleep Debt
The number of hours of sleep The number of hours of sleep
you need per night minus the you need per night minus the
number of hours you get number of hours you get
==
Your Sleep Debt Your Sleep Debt
For example: For example:
If you need 8 hours a night If you need 8 hours a night
and you get 6 hours a night and you get 6 hours a night
for a week, you have a sleep for a week, you have a sleep
debt of 14 hours! debt of 14 hours!
Deficient Sleep is Serious Deficient Sleep is Serious
?? Studies show that when some mammals are Studies show that when some mammals are
deprived of sleep their regulation of internal deprived of sleep their regulation of internal
functions degrades. After prolonged sleep functions degrades. After prolonged sleep
deprivation the animals die. deprivation the animals die.
?? Luckily, this doesnt seem the case for Luckily, this doesnt seem the case for
humans. Humans cant stay awake. humans. Humans cant stay awake.
?? But deficient sleep is responsible for many But deficient sleep is responsible for many
traffic deaths each year. traffic deaths each year.
The only way to make up you The only way to make up you
sleep debt is to catch up on sleep debt is to catch up on
your sleep your sleep
(Maybe by going to bed earlier!) (Maybe by going to bed earlier!)
Sleep debt happens gradually so Sleep debt happens gradually so
we can become accustomed to the we can become accustomed to the
sensation of sleepiness. sensation of sleepiness.
We settle for less than we are We settle for less than we are
capable of in creativity, academic capable of in creativity, academic
performance, and communication. performance, and communication.
How does sleep How does sleep
deprivation affect our deprivation affect our
learning? learning?
Research shows that sleep Research shows that sleep
deprivation impairs: deprivation impairs:
Ability to pay attention
Verbal creativity and effective
communication
Creative problem-solving and innovation
Abstract thinking
Sleep deprivation also impairs: Sleep deprivation also impairs:
Decision making involving the unexpected Decision making involving the unexpected
Adaptive learning that involves retrieving Adaptive learning that involves retrieving
knowledge from long knowledge from long--term memory, adding term memory, adding
to that knowledge and using it to solve to that knowledge and using it to solve
problems problems
Overall mood and motivation Overall mood and motivation
A sleep A sleep--deprived student may be deprived student may be
able to memorize facts but then be able to memorize facts but then be
unable to use that information in a unable to use that information in a
constructive and innovative way. constructive and innovative way.
Why? Why?
Research is not definitive, but it Research is not definitive, but it
appears that sleep helps to appears that sleep helps to
consolidate our memories. consolidate our memories.
1. 1. You learn new information, You learn new information,
2. 2. your brain is active in the same area your brain is active in the same area
during sleep, and during sleep, and
3. 3. the next day you show the next day you show
improvement in memory improvement in memory
performance. performance.
Some researchers suggest that when Some researchers suggest that when
you first learn something: you first learn something:
?? Information is fragile Information is fragile
?? Encoding on your brain is delicate Encoding on your brain is delicate
?? When you sleep your brain reviews and When you sleep your brain reviews and
forges stronger pathways forges stronger pathways
?? The information then becomes a more The information then becomes a more
solid part of your knowledge base solid part of your knowledge base
They conclude: They conclude:
Getting a good nights sleep is a Getting a good nights sleep is a
crucial step in organizing new crucial step in organizing new
information, strengthening recent information, strengthening recent
memories and being able to memories and being able to use use
this information in a constructive this information in a constructive
way. way.
Suggestions Suggestions
Sleep Tips Sleep Tips
Get sufficient sleep (8 Get sufficient sleep (8--9 hrs per night). 9 hrs per night).
Cultivate a sleep pattern that conforms Cultivate a sleep pattern that conforms
to natures way by working on a 24 to natures way by working on a 24--hour hour
sleep cycle. sleep cycle.
Strive for a consistent wake Strive for a consistent wake--up time, 7 up time, 7
days/week. days/week.
Keep naps brief (< 20 min.) Keep naps brief (< 20 min.)
Animals dont sleep in on Animals dont sleep in on
the weekends! the weekends!
Maintain a consistent Maintain a consistent
wake wake--up time up time
Consistency Rules! Consistency Rules!
One last important point: One last important point:
?? Drowsiness is a Drowsiness is a red red alert! alert!
?? Drowsiness is the last step before Drowsiness is the last step before
falling asleep, not the first! falling asleep, not the first!
?? Falling asleep in class might not be life Falling asleep in class might not be life
threatening (depending on your point threatening (depending on your point
of view) but falling asleep while driving of view) but falling asleep while driving
is a different story. is a different story.
References References
?? Kryger, M. (2004). Kryger, M. (2004). Cant sleep, cant stay Cant sleep, cant stay
awake. awake. Toronto: HarperCollins. Toronto: HarperCollins.
?? Lindsay, D.S., Paulhus, D.L., and Nairne, Lindsay, D.S., Paulhus, D.L., and Nairne,
J .S. (2008). J .S. (2008). Psychology: The adaptive mind. Psychology: The adaptive mind.
(3 (3
rd rd
ed.). ed.). Toronto: Nelson. Toronto: Nelson.
?? Pauk, W. (1989) Pauk, W. (1989) How to study in college (4 How to study in college (4
th th
ed.). ed.). Boston: Houghton Boston: Houghton--Mifflin Co. Mifflin Co.
?? Webb, W.B. (1992) Webb, W.B. (1992) Sleep: The gentle tyrant Sleep: The gentle tyrant
(2 (2
nd nd
ed.). ed.). Boston: Ankar Publishing Co. Boston: Ankar Publishing Co.
Web Resources: Web Resources:
http://www.sleepfoundation.org/ http://www.sleepfoundation.org/
Questions? Questions?
Active Review Active Review
?? Before filling out your Time Allocation Before filling out your Time Allocation
Monitoring Tool for this presentation, lets Monitoring Tool for this presentation, lets
engage in active review: engage in active review:
?? Pair off with a colleague, and share aloud Pair off with a colleague, and share aloud
the three points you thought were most the three points you thought were most
important. What was the take home important. What was the take home
message? Take turns. message? Take turns.