Even though we all have the same 24 hours in a day, some people manage their time much more effectively than others. While motivation plays an important role in this process, having good time management skills is what enables students to use their time more productively and ensure better academic performance while not sacrificing sleep or their social life. If you’re looking for a way to maximize your productivity and get more things done, here are a couple of quick and easy time management tips you might find helpful.
Make to-do lists
Everyone can benefit from creating checklists of things they need to do on a daily basis, but this can be especially beneficial for students. Grab a piece of paper, be it a sticky note or a page from your journal and jot down some of the most important tasks you need to tackle the next day. Whether you go with a detailed schedule or a rough draft of what you’re planning on doing, making a physical memo will help you create a mental note so that you don’t forget the things that need to be done.
Place this to-do list somewhere where you can see it, like a fridge, a desktop, or your front door. You can also use your smartphone to make notes, but keep in mind that you’re more likely to remember something when you write it versus when you type it.
Learn how to prioritize your tasks
When it comes to time management, learning how to prioritize your tasks can be of immense help. Once you’ve made a list of all the things that need to be handled the next day, you want to put them in order in which they need to be completed. When prioritizing your tasks, you want to consider all the deadlines, the amount of time these tasks will take up, as well as the nature of the task at hand (shopping, college assignments, etc.).
Also, think about which tasks are more important, and which ones can wait. Ask yourself whether there is a task that will make other tasks easier if you tackle it first. Another good strategy would be to start with the least demanding task in terms of time. Get it done, cross it off, and move on to another task.
Arm yourself with timekeeping devices
Another thing about time management is that, wherever you are, you need to make sure that you’re keeping track of time and following your daily schedule. For that, you’ll need to arm yourself with different timekeeping devices that will always be available so as to remind you of the tasks that need to be done.
Aside from analog wall clocks and car clocks, you want to make sure that you’ve got a device you can carry around when you head outside. If you’re being active or playing sports and need to keep track of time, field and outdoor watches can come in handy because of their durability and sturdiness. They’re perfectly reliable for those times when you need to fit in an activity into your schedule and present a good alternative to smartphones when on the go.
Make the most of the early morning hours
There’s a reason why the majority of successful people start their days a couple of hours earlier than the rest of us folks. Getting up just one hour earlier can have an immense effect on your productivity and motivation, not to mention how it can help you gain 15 days per year. Amazing, right?
When you wake up early, you are able to do things without any pressure, and it also gives you a sense of control because you were able to hush the voice that was telling you to stay in bed for just five more minutes. Not only is being an early riser a great way to take advantage of those quiet early morning hours, but it’s also great for your body and quality of sleep. Therefore, set that alarm a bit earlier and watch as you get more things done easily and quickly!
University life can be hectic, and between all those exams, papers, classes, and office hours, it’s easy for students to start to feel overwhelmed by the number of tasks they need to complete. However, by learning how to manage their time more efficiently, students can stay on top of their duties and obligations, maximize their time in a day, and make student life much easier.