So, your student struggles with time management

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Time management is one of the most common challenges we see in students

Luckily, we know first hand that time management can be learned, taught, and applied. Learn how Executive Function support can help your student build stronger time management skills that will help them succeed in the classroom and far beyond.

time management challenges

Time management is the ability to use time effectively and productively, especially at school or work. This allows us to coordinate tasks and activities to maximize the effectiveness of efforts.

Our Executive Function coaches are professionals who help people improve their ability to manage their time more effectively. They help people become more productive and organized by providing guidance on how to prioritize tasks, set goals, and create systems or processes to help them achieve their objectives. Our coaches also provide support, accountability, and resources to individuals to help them make the changes needed to improve their time management skills.

What is time management?

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Time management strategies

Learn tried and true time management strategies that will help your child take control of their week.

Icon Budget vs. Actual

By understanding the time you have budgeted (B) for a task, versus (V) the time the task actually (A) takes, you can start to have a better understanding of how long everyday tasks should be scheduled for. This is essential for students when creating their homework plans for the evening. Does it really only take 15 minutes to make 50 flashcards? Is writing an outline truly a 45-minute ordeal? Keeping track of the difference in time that students budget for these tasks and the time they actually take leads to more accurate and useful plans.

Using BVA in everyday life will allow you to make realistic time estimates for planning purposes. 

Icon The Unschedule

The unschedule is a tool described in the book, The Now Habit by Neil Fiore. Scheduling self-care, fixed activities, and guilt-free play first, allows you to fit in work in your free time. 

This technique helps you visualize how all of your commitments can fit. It forces you to be realistic about your time and gives you more time to find workable solutions.

Icon 5-minute Goals

Big tasks can be overwhelming for students and adults. Oftentimes, we make to-do lists that are longer than what can be accomplished given the time each day. To use 5-minute goals, select a task that should take no more than 5 minutes, set the timer, and get started! 

You can even try this strategy for tasks that might take more than 5 minutes as a simple way to get started. If you need to put away dishes, set that timer for 5 minutes and just do whatever you can accomplish within that time frame. Now, you're already into the task and have accomplished more than you did 5 minutes ago.

Icon Calendar App

As Executive Function coaches, we recommend a calendar app for clients of all ages. Both Google Calendar and iCal can be synced up with your device and include features like text reminders for appointments, color coding of different types of events, task lists with due dates, and the ability to schedule recurring events.

Calendar apps make the difference between forgetting about that eye exam and knowing exactly where you need to be and when you need to be there.

Don't forget, having a calendar app is great, but you have to get into the habit of actually using it! 

How coaching helps with time management:

01

Focus

Coaches teach clients strategies that help them minimize or eliminate distractions and reduce multitasking while they work. We encourage frequent breaks, chunking assignments or tasks into manageable pieces, and finding the right combination of environmental factors to encourage optimal focus.

02

Prioritization

Prioritization is the process of deciding the relative importance or urgency needed when faced with multiple tasks. We teach prioritization by helping you set realistic goals and prioritize tasks based on importance and urgency. 

03

Distractibility

Our coaches teach clients strategies to minimize distractions, such as creating a designated workspace and using noise-canceling headphones. Coaches also encourage clients to take regular breaks and engage in physical activity to maintain focus.

04

Productivity

Our coaches help promote productivity by helping clients develop strategies to maintain motivation, such as visualizing the result or creating a reward system, encouraging clients to track progress and celebrate small wins along the way, and teaching clients to develop resilience and learn from setbacks or challenges.

05

Organization

Coaches work to better understand their clients' organizational habits and get to the root of their barriers to implementing systems to get organized. They then utilize this understanding to create a game plan that may involve small organizational commitments week to week.

What to expect fromExecutive Functioncoaching:

In 1:1 sessions online, coaches help students identify, employ, and evaluate tools and strategies that address their specific needs. Our coaches customize their approach to each individual depending upon their attitude toward changing work habits. We use a research-based model to attain clients’ buy-in to improve their self-management skills and lead to lasting change.

 

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Executive Function coaching cost?

Our Executive Function coaching programs for students start at $165 per week. We know that when it comes to effective 1:1 support, one size doesn’t fit all. For this reason, we have three unique coaching programs that offer their own set of session times, features, and core goals. You can visit our pricing page to learn more about each offering. 

Does Beyond BookSmart coach adults as well as students?

Since 2006, we have coached hundreds of adults in addition to the thousands of students we have worked with. In 2020, we created a new division, WorkSmart Coaching, especially for adults who are seeking Executive Function support. Visit WorkSmart Coaching and learn more about how we help adults become more effective.

How long does the coaching process typically take?

The coaching process is transformative and takes time. Students in coaching are learning entirely different ways of viewing themselves and discovering their own motivation, often for the first time. Beyond skill-building, we’re helping individuals to take responsibility for their life’s direction. For work at this level, coaching can take many months, depending on one’s readiness for change and the scope of their needs. Progress is dependent on several variables such as how motivated the individual is, how self-aware they are, how narrow or broad the goals are, and how long the challenges have been present. A highly motivated but disorganized person may need just a short time to learn, practice, and internalize a new plan for managing their daily life. By contrast, a person who is easily frustrated struggles with attention, and doesn’t know how to get work done on time might need more time to learn the specific skills they will need and to apply them independently. Our goal is to help clients achieve confidence, competence, and independence as quickly as possible. Our reputation is built on that premise.

Why coach online?

Online coaching provides greater flexibility for scheduling and more options in finding the right coach for your student from our 350+ coaches on staff. Clients can also work with their coach in the safety and convenience of their own home or office. Lastly (and most importantly), we coach online because we've found through our research that it works in improving Executive Function skills.

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