Time management is one of the most important life skill that’s extremely important for students in order to strike a balance in their academic and personal life. Student’s life is loaded with a lot of work responsibilities i.e. academic workload, social life, personal life, extracurricular activities, etc due to which they could feel overwhelmed and stressed at times. Stress makes a negative impact in a student life i.e. lower grades, bad mood, etc. In order to get hold of their life, students must understand and learn the skill of time and work management.
This guide is specifically shared for students who are interested to master the skill of time management. We have shared some of the tips & techniques in this post that will help students to make the most out of their time, get organized, keep track of their academic work, and more.
7 Tips to Manage Time & Academic Workload
Prioritize Tasks
The first step is to keep track of all your tasks and commitments, write them out in a planner or calendar. Next step is to “Prioritize Tasks” on the basis of their urgency and importance. We often waste a lot of time in doing things which aren’t actually that important.
Value your time, spend it on doing things which are important or adds value in your life. Make sure to breakdown large tasks into smaller ones in order to manage them well.
Understand the concept of SMART goals
Every student must set goals in life i.e. academic and personal goals. Understand the concept of SMART goals, here the SMART means:
- Specific (clear and well-defined),
- Measurable (able to track progress),
- Achievable (realistic and attainable),
- Relevant (aligned with your academic and personal objectives),
- Time-bound (have a deadline)
Use this concept to set goals for yourself. Depending on the goals, make a work plan and execute it in a timely manner.
Plan Your Day (Make Proper Use of Time)
There are 24 hours in a day for every student, but still some are able to accomplish more while some are struggling all the time. Why does it happen? Poor time management. Students must plan out their entire day and make use of each minute.
Use time blocking method to make the best use of time. Here is an example:
You might block time like this, 4 to 5 pm for science homework, 5 to 6 pm for reading, 6 to 7 pm for socializing or relax, etc. By using this technique, you will be able to make the most out of time. Focus will be improved and you will be more confident and there will be less confusion because you already know what you’re supposed to be doing at any given time.
Avoid Multitasking
Some people may not agree with this because they love to multi-task, but multi-tasking is not for everyone. There are studies that shows that multitasking often decreases productivity and increase the chances of mistakes or error. Mastering multi tasking is a another skill.
Students are advised to focus on one task, complete it, and then move on to the next task. Single tasking allows you to give full attention to one task or work and do it more efficiently and actively.
Breaks & Rest
We often neglect the importance of breaks and rest in life. Students must take breaks in between to prevent mental fatigue and keep their mind focused or sharp. There is a popular strategy in time management i.e. study for 25 minutes and then take a 5 minute break. If you are studying for longer hours, then consider taking 15 to 30 minutes of break after 2 or 3 hours.
What to do during a break? you may take a walk, listen music, have a snack, etc. Please stay from things which can easily eat up a lot of your valuable time such as social media.
Say NO
Saying NO is a skill, no joke! Learn to say NO to all those things which aren’t adding any value in your life or which are taking you away from your goals. Do everything in moderation. As a student, we often overcommit to a lot of things i.e. extracurricular activities, clubs, social events, etc. These activities are very important for your personal development but you should do them in moderation to maintain a balance in life.
You need to understand your limits and recongnize when you need to say No to something in order to save valuable time for academics.
Track Work & Progress
Keep a track of your schedule, work, and progress. At the end of a week, you should do a proper review of what you have done to figure out the areas of improvement. Self reflection is important for continuous improvement in life.
Summary
Time management is one skill that will reward you for the entire life. Mastering this skill takes a lot of practice, discipline and efforts. Effective time management is a key to academic success, personal growth, less stress, improved focus and confidence. Time management takes practice, we advise all student to commit to the process of time management in order to make it a second nature for yourself that will benefit for lifelong.