STRIVE students learn about Time Management from Chris Lizee
Posted by Steve Frazier
on Nov 10, 2011
The STRIVE Program for November 10th was Chris Lizee presenting Habits: Sleep, Attitudes and Time Management. There were 32 students and ten mentors present at STRIVE.
Chris started out by asking everyone present how many hours they thought it took to become a pilot. With help from the kids and Dick Glover it was determined that it take 40 hours of flying time to get a private pilot’s license; 225-250 hours to get an instrument rating and 1200 hours to get an airlines pilot license. The point Chris was making is that to achieve this goal or any goal you need to develop healthy habits such as a positive attitude, time management to get you to your goal and proper care of oneself such as proper sleep to achieve at your best.
Everyone was surprised to find out that high school students should get 9 ¼ hours of sleep to do their best in school. She contrasted the difference in performance of not enough to well rested performance on a continuum for the group. She noted several really good tips for getting to sleep and waking rested. She suggested that students should write down a to-do-list prior to bed so they do not have to worry about what is coming tomorrow and that the room should be dark (No electronics), quiet and peaceful.
Moving into time management Chris noted that it takes about 10,000 hours to become an expert in any given field. That means that if you spent eight hours a day studying/working on one specific skill/field it would take you three and a half years! She is an accomplished knitter and she attests to the fact that she has way over 10,000 hours of experience and is still learning.
Chris handed out a planning check list to the group and had them rate themselves on six areas of time management and to rate themselves five levels from “Never” to “Always” and then to calculate their scores. Most of the students were average planners but all had areas they admitted that they needed to work on to do better in school. Chris went on to suggest that they start with some type of daily planner. It can be one of the commercial types or one of their own. They can use a whiteboard in their room or even have one on their electronic communications device. She challenged the entire group – including mentors – to chart their time management for one week to experience the feeling of accomplishment and better performance that results with good time management.
Before dividing into discussion groups she said, “I can’t teach you how to study better or test better but I can teach you how to manage your time better and get positive results.” She said that she would be lost without her planner as it holds all of her appointments and meetings as Mayor of Shorewood so that she accomplishes all tasks required of her as mayor.
Pictured here with Chris is STRIVE Students Hanna and Laura who feel they are good planners but found out several new things that they are going to try the following week to make their planning better and increase their performance. (Story and photo by Steve Frazier)