Author: August Clarke
No matter how old you are, developing good time management skills is really useful and will probably save you a whole lot of stress down the road. Unfortunately, it can also be really, really hard to manage your time in a way that will be useful for you, especially when you have a lot on your plate. This blog post will hopefully give you some useful tips to manage that more effectively.
Tip #1: Plan tasks according to priority
It’s really tempting to do the tasks that are “easy” or that you think will take you the least amount of time first, but it’s usually the more difficult tasks that end up taking the most out of your day. It is a lot easier to make time for things later on that you know won’t take up much of your energy than it is to try and squeeze in a major project right before the deadline. As hard as it may be, sometimes it’s a good idea to try tackling the hardest thing you have on your plate first because you will have more energy to put your all into it. It also feels good to get something that has been weighing you down out of the way.
Tip #2: Figure out when you are most productive
Some people work best in the morning, others are night owls. If you know what kind of person you are and when you work best, you can plan your schedule to your advantage. For example, I know that no matter how early I wake up, I won’t be able to get myself to focus on anything school related in the morning. So, instead of studying, I use my time in the morning to go the gym so that I a) get my exercise in, and b) free up my afternoon to do homework. It’s all about finding out what works best for you and planning accordingly!
Tip #3: Don’t forget to make time for things you enjoy
School and work are important, but so is your mental health. Don’t fill up your entire schedule with chores; make sure to leave out some time for yourself (self-care is important), for your social life, and for other fun things you enjoy! Everyone needs a break at some point. When the school year really ramps up and things start getting busier, it can be hard to find times to just chill out, but that just makes planning your time that much more important!
Tip #4: Write it all down
Once you have created a schedule for yourself, you are far more likely to stick to it if you keep it somewhere that you can keep referring back to. Personally, I find a written agenda works best for me, but if you prefer to keep your schedule in your phone or on your computer (or on some other medium), that works just as well. It’s all comes down to preference.
These are some of the ways that help me stay organized and on top of things, particularly during the school year. If you find you are getting stressed out about things, I hope my tips will help you.
