Mason Resources  |  Local Resources  |  National Resources  |  Books and Other Readings

Mason Resources

Academic Skills Workshops are sponsored by the Counseling Center and provide skills for individuals to improve the quality of their lives and their academic performance through personal assessment, education, practical guidelines, and referral resources. Topics include assertiveness in academic and personal life; time management; overcoming procrastination; improving concentration; motivation and goal setting; and exam strategies. Individual workshops are held regularly and can be accessed at http://www.gmu.edu/departments/csdc/acadwksp.htm.

The Freshman Center houses University 100 (UNIV100) courses and is a place where all new students can come for assistance. The Freshman Center offers programs for new students to aid in their transition to college, answers questions about difficulties they may be experiencing, provides guidance and referrals to other campus resources, and is also a place where students can come to study, check e-mail, or just hang out. See http://www.gmu.edu/departments/freshman/index.html.

The Self-Help Resource Library provides a collection of audio and video tapes, CD-ROMs, books, and handouts on growth and academic skills topics available to students at George Mason University that are available for use in the Resource Library during business hours. Programs are organized around categories including assertiveness, decision-making, emotions, time management, problem solving, and money management. View all resources at http://www.gmu.edu/departments/csdc/timemana.htm.

Student Academic Affairs and Advising (SAAA) encourages and supports students to identify, plan for, and achieve their educational goals. SAAA serves the diverse student population by recognizing the uniqueness of each student and by fostering growth in a supportive, student-development oriented environment. SAAA also serves as a centralized resource that provides current and accurate information and guidance to the university community. Visit http://www.gmu.edu/departments/saa/.

Time Management Tips from the Counseling Center prove that scheduling and managing time wisely are important for college students. This brochure highlights that missing appointments and deadlines causes complications to both academic and social life and causing anxiety, frustration, guilt, and other negative feelings. The brochure suggests ways to make the most of limited time, incorporating social activities, and setting priorities. This is pertinent for busy schedules. Access these tips online at http://www.gmu.edu/departments/csdc/time.htm or pick-up a copy in Learning Services, Student Union I, Rm 354. <back to top>

Local Resources  <back to top>

National Resources

Grad Resources’ Time Management addresses the time management struggle and how it isn't just cutting back or acquiring new skills plus the exhaustion that impacts so many areas of life. The pressures of deadlines and requirements hit each person in different ways. Different strategies are needed to achieve a healthy balance of leisure and distractions. Grad Resources is a non-profit organization that serves the practical and emotional needs of students on several university campuses across the United States. Grad Resources offers students free assistance and support via student orientation programs, seminars, support groups, online resources and several helpful articles. Grad Resources adheres to a strict policy of offering practical support services to all students and spiritual resources only to students who express an interest. http://www.gradresources.org/articles/time_management.shtml

The Learner's Day Planner is a tool to review how you spend your time in order to help prioritize your goals and objectives. Determine how a typical day is spent and can help in becoming more effective in working smarter and creating personal time. The Study Guides and Strategies web site was created as an educational public service, and the student guides are collaboratively maintained across institutional and national boundaries. Access these at http://www.studygs.net/timman.htm.

Mind Tools aids in the discovery of the essential skills and techniques to help excel in school studies or career. Learn personal effectiveness, goal setting, and time and stress management. Furthermore, discover techniques that improve creativity, assist problem solving, organize time and deadlines, and improve memory. Visit this web site at http://www.mindtools.com/.

The Personal Time Management Guide opens new types of opportunities in bringing life to the next level. Some people see personal time management as just a list of rules that are mainly about scheduling appointments and making to do lists. On this site, time management is viewed as the science and art of building a better life. Explore the many areas of interest including procrastination, goal setting, student tips, stress, and burnout. http://www.time-management-guide.com/

Time Management for University Students is a personal time management guide for highlighting key issues of goal setting, urgency versus importance, effectiveness versus efficiency, and advice on monthly, weekly, and daily planning. To improve skills browse this site at http://www.yorku.ca/cdc/lsp/tmonline/time.htm.

Time Management Goals helps individuals learn about time management and overcoming procrastination resulting in better and more productive use of personal time. When a new time management system is working effectively, one should notice improvements such as increased energy, productivity and motivation, a greater sense of control, proactive rather than reactive behavior, and enough hours in the day to complete the most important activities. Thus effective time management simply means that much of the time is directed towards achieving goals. Find out how to begin at http://www.timemanagementgoals.com/.

The Time Management Resource Library hosts a wealth of informative articles and links to resources on time management, planning, motivation, etc. The library is sponsored by MAP for Nonprofits which provides management and board recruitment services to large and small nonprofit organizations. MAP’s purpose is to build the capacity of nonprofit organizations to achieve mission-driven results. http://www.managementhelp.org/prsn_prd/time_mng.htm

Time Management Skills is a resource dedicated to enriching the quality of individuals’ lives by providing tools to help them to use their minds more productively and effectively. This resource is provided by Mind Tools Ltd and is available at http://www.psywww.com/mtsite/page5.html.

Books and Other Readings

Atkinson, J.W. (1964). An introduction to motivation. Princeton, NJ: Van Nostrand. Gardner, R. (1972). Attitudes and motivation in second-language learning. Rowley, MA: Newbury House Publishers.

Bliss, E.C. (1976). Getting Things Done: The ABC's of Time Management. New York: Scribner.

Burka, J. B. and Yuen, L. M. (1983). Procrastination: Why You Do It and What to Do About It. Reading, Massachusetts: Addison-Wesley.

Davidson, J. (1978). Effective time management: A practical workbook. New York: Human Sciences Press.

Eds. Ferrari, J.R., et al (1985). Procrastination and task avoidance: Theory, research, and treatment. New York: Plenum Press.

Ellis, A. and Knauss, W.J. (1977). Overcoming procrastination. New York: Institute for Rational Learning.

Hobbs, C.R. (1987). Time Power. New York: Harper and Row.

Keyes, R. (1991). Timelock: how life got so hectic and what you can do about it. New York: Harper Collins Publishers.

Knauss, W.J. (1979). Do it now: How to stop procrastinating. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Korman, A.K. (1974). The psychology of motivation. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Lakein, A. (1973). How to get control of your time and your life. New York: David McKay Co.

Martin, Reed (1974). Developing student discipline and motivation. Champaign, IL: Research Press.

McCay, J.T. (1973). Beyond Motivation. New York: J. Norton Publishers.

Russell, I.L. (1971). Motivation. Dubuque, IA: W.C. Brown Company.

Reynolds, H. and Tramel M. (1979) Executive time management: Getting 12-hour's work out of an 8-hour day.

Robinson, J., and Godbey, G. (1997). Time for Life: The surprising ways Americans use their time. University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press.

Wlodkowski, R. (1993). Enhancing adult motivation to learn. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.  <back to top>