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Time management tips

Amitava Basu

As days draw close to examination, tensions mount for revision. Remember, prior planning prevents poor performance. It is important to prepare a time management plan for studying instead of spending time in unplanned and unproductive way. Here are six time management tips that may be worth considering.

Set Goals For each course you have, rate your interest level and preparedness, list the course requirements, set a goal for the grade you wish to earn, and determine the amount of time you will need to study each day.

Establish Study Schedule Set aside a block of time each day specifically for study. In setting the study time, ask yourself at which part of the day are you at your best. Are you a “morning person”, a “late afternoon whiz”, or a “night owl”? Knowing when your best time is, choose that time of the day as your study time. Also, consider that some time has to be allowed for interruptions and distractions. Plan for about 50% of your time. This would provide flexibility to handle interruptions and emergencies.

Determine Right Order of Study When studying, start with your most difficult subject, while your mind is freshest and most receptive.

Prioritise Study Matters Peter Drucker, the management guru, says, “doing the right thing is more important than doing things right”. To do the right things, follow the 80-20 rule stated by the Italian economist, Vilfredo Pareto. He noted that 80% of the reward comes from 20% of the effort. The trick is to identify those items for study that constitute the valuable 20%. Once identified, prioritise time to concentrate your study on those items that could provide the greatest reward.

Choose Your Study Place Location and environment have significant influence on mind and body. Select a study place that is quiet and lacking distractions. Create a pleasing atmosphere by having bright light, a good table, and a comfortable chair and make it a place that is associated with studying.

Reward Yourself Promise yourself a reward for completing a planned exercise or finishing a total task. Keep your promise and indulge in your reward. This helps to maintain balance between study and recreation, and re-energises you.

Begin managing time and bid good-bye to tensions. You would find yourself much relaxed and in the right frame of mind for your examination. Try out and you would know the magic.

The author is a consultant working in different countries on assignments funded by international financial institutions and was a visiting faculty and career counsellorat Xavier Labour Relations Institute, Jamshedpur, India.

Digital Random Electric Absorption Minimizer “DREAM”

Gopal Kumar Mohoto

Today in Bangladesh load shedding is a big problem and many of us are worried about excessive monthly electric bill. So we have to think of a device that could save electric energy and thus reduce electric bill. In our daily life in home or office it is seen that light, fan, TV and other electric home appliances go on running even when there is nobody in the room. Sometimes it so happens that we forget to switch off light and fans when we leave a room. If a house contains 4 rooms and one tube light (40 watt) and one fan (100 watt) runs daily one hour in vain, at the end of month it will cost excess charge for 16.8 units.

How the device works:
Each time a person enters the room sensor sends signal to counter and the counter counts the number of person entering. When the counter counts a decoder sends signal to operating mode logic gates, then according to the state of light and heat sensor the system decides which relay has to be on. Conversely, each time a person exits the counter counts the net number of person in room. When the net number of person is zero all the relays goes off.

Operating modes :
1. Absence off automatic switching mode.
2. Timer mode. (Circuit is kept on for selected duration of time, can be used in balcony )
3. Environment sense mode. (The light and temperature sensor decides whether light or fan is needed or not )
4. Stand by mode. (Only counts)

Circuit description:
The circuit is controlled by a 4 bit counter. A 4 bit counter can count up to a maximum of 15. The direction of counting is controlled by the logic gates, which receives signal from the Motion Detector. The 7-segment display shows the number of person inside the room. Then the state of magnetic relay (on or off) is controlled by the predefined control mode.

Cost:
The device will cost 200 taka (without temperature control mode).

Limitations:
1.The operating mode can be changed when the display shows zero.
2. If more than one person enters or exits at a time there may be error in counting.