Time is an asset that we all the same of,although some people seem to have more. How can that be? Answer: Time Management.
The better we manage our time, the more we seem to have it – more gets done, there is even time for relaxation! For a student, time management is vitally important. You have classes to attend, assignments, labs, exercises, tutorials, projects, exams, and presentations. On top of that you need to participate in extra-curricular activities, invest in your community, be a good child. Phew!
So here are some tips that could help you manage your time as a student better, if you follow it.
Understand that you have a set amount of time each day.
[su_pullquote]Time is not accumulative, nor could it be brought forward.[/su_pullquote]
You have 24 hours each day, and there is no injury time for you to add to it. If you played games all night yesterday, and slept in till 10 am, that is time you will NEVER get back. Roosters have it right. They start early, and have a lot more time to do whatever it is roosters do.
Make a ‘to-do’ list every day
A list can help you keep track of what needs to be done and when it should be completed. It can even give you the added bonus of feeling a sense of achievement when you cross-out a completed task. [su_pullquote align=”right”]Don’t forget to add a time to study and review in your list. 30 to 45 minutes quality study time can work wonders.[/su_pullquote]
Arrange your task or mark it, so you will know which is crucial and which is not. This way you can hop to clearing out the urgent ones first and keep your sanity intact.
Don’t try to ‘steal’ time to work
Some people say that when you are waiting to be served at the diner, or you are waiting for an appointment, you can get something done. I say don’t. Be aware of where you are and what you do. If you are eating, eat peacefully and enjoy the relaxation. This is a recharging time to help you start the next phase with vigour. [su_pullquote align=”right”]Besides, little ‘start-stop’ moments of reading or working are never of quality.[/su_pullquote]Furthermore, when you relax while eating you can avoid indigestion (which will steal YOUR time). Be aware of other peoples time that you are wasting. If you are waiting for an appointment, prepare for that so both your times are not wasted by unpreparedness.
Don’t be afraid to say no
When you friends ask you to deviate from your planning, it is OK to give in, some of the time. It is also OK for you to say NO. You know your work, your priority, your deadlines. It would be best if you can schedule a time that you can go have fun with no worries. Since your friends are most probably students too, you will be helping them out as well.
Find your personal productive time
Not everyone can stay-up and do an ‘all-nighter’. Some people stay up late and produce quality work, while others just wasted time not sleeping. Find your personal productive time. A time when you are at the peak of your performance. Find your second best time too, as sometimes your peak personal productive time clashes with something you cannot avoid. [su_highlight]Know yourself to help yourself.[/su_highlight]
Stick to your time-plan
A time-plan is a time you set for doing things: study, laundry, football etc. When you have this, stick to it. Don’t browse the Internet when it is study time (unless you need it to study). No social media too. Why not silent your phone during study time so you may focus?
Budget your time
Budget your time according to your needs and abilities. If you cannot study for 30 straight minutes, chunk it and include a short break in between. This is a bad example of budgeting your time: ” Deadline is Friday at 9.30 am, I can wake up at 6 and have 3 WHOLE HOURS to complete the assignment.“. This particular student failed to take into consideration: his ability to actually wake up at 6; his PC getting a virus, the power going off, the Internet lagging, his bike won’t start, the heavy rain.
Get a good night’s sleep
This is very important. Sleep is the time your body uses to regenerate cells, store short-term memory into long-term, and conserve energy. So get a good quality sleep, to ensure a quality you. If you did not manage to complete your list, put the tasks into tomorrow’s list. Don’t forget to take a little time to review your day, so you can learn from it and have a better one tomorrow.
