Time management is synonymous with what college is all about
When you get to this stage in life, you will realize that additional tasks, schedules and responsibilities are laid out for you. If you do not know how to handle these things, you will find yourself stressed and burdened even before you finish your first year.
That is why it is important that you set up proper time management to help you keep all your sanity intact.
Here are some college time management tips you will find more than helpful.
1. Know what you want to accomplish.
Set some goals for yourself. This can be based on a daily, weekly, semester or an even longer span of time. Have a definite goal for your academics and extra-curricular activities.
It is important that these two should be thought of separately because you will want to know what should come first and what will come last in your schedule. Try to accomplish the most important things first before you decide if you can set aside time for other things that are of less importance.
2. Be systematic. Being systematic and well-organized can help you achieve the goals you have set in an orderly manner. Consider the tasks that are taking more of your time that need not be. That is why you have set goals in the first place; to be able to accomplish the necessary things.
Have a proper schedule set up detailing not only your class schedules, but also activities, events and other things that are important in achieving your goals.
In the schedule, never forget to note deadlines so you would not have any problem keeping up with them. By putting them on top of everything else, you do not have to go through cramming and rushing off to finish them in limited time.
Stand by the timely schedule you have created so you can build up a regular routine you can follow in the process of learning time management.
3. First things first.
Learn to prioritize your tasks. Know which ones you have to finish ahead of time and which ones can be put on hold. Do not drift from one task to another. You will just end up starting on many things but not really finishing any of them. You will achieve more when you stay focus on a particular task before starting on another.
Numbering your tasks according to their importance can be helpful. It does not make sense prioritizing a task that you like better when the one you dislike is due in a few days time. Like it or not, the project needed to be done. And you only have yourself to do that.
4. Put spare times into use.
What are spare time? It is when you find yourself just sitting, walking or wandering with nothing to do. While waiting for your friends on the cafeteria, instead of just looking around every now and then, take out your notes and browse through them to prepare yourself for the exam next week.
Another example of spare time is when you are waiting for your professor to come into a class. You can make a draft for your project during those times. You never know. By the time your class started, you may have finished a layout of your project. Thus minimizing the time you need to set aside for it.
5. Do not be a victim of procrastination.
It can be noted that procrastination is the archenemy of time management skills. Procrastination is simply putting up for tomorrow what might have been accomplished today.
If you plan on finishing the task set for today, stick to that time schedule. By doing so, you will avoid the stress of having to ram it into another day that may be full already. It is not easy racing against time because time always has a way of getting ahead of you.
By setting goals and making yourself determined to accomplish them, procrastination is diminished.
6. Make the most of your most productive time.
In a day, you probably have moment when you are more productive. Make the most of these times and schedule the most demanding tasks on that particular time. On the other hand, less demanding tasks should be set for times when you have less energy and enthusiasm.
By following the steps mentioned, you will achieve better time management skills and be a better college student.
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