You’ve already finished high school. You’ve left home and become a college or university student. The world seems to be yours and you are the best person to shape your destiny. Whoa. Not that fast. Although your educators say “Carpe diem” (meaning to grasp the chance you’ve got now), they expect heaps of things from you. How can you “carpe diem” when you have so much to learn? It’s a question each student cares about.
You have a Hamlet moment: to study or to party? Naturally, you want to spend a lot of time socializing and getting your party on. Now you have to be more than a decent student, pulling down those good grades. Some students have real troubles with time management and can’t manage their studying schedule.
Time management techniques differ, and it’s up to you to choose the most appropriate one depending on your lifestyle. But definitely, you need to know how to use your time. The Unicheck team has come with a good, verified plan to adapt to your lifestyle.
Time management tips for students:
1. Focus on advantages
It’s easy to work if you actually like what you do. However, we often have to tackle different tasks that we totally dislike. What can we do? Absolutely any job has its pluses and minuses, so just concentrate on pluses. Draw up a list of advantages you’ll gain after the work is done.
2. Plan in advance
Plan your time well. Plan out which tasks you need to do and who you are going to meet up with. First thing each morning, or sometime during the previous day, deciding what you are going to do the following day. Follow your plan as closely as possible.
3. Limit time
After your daily plan is ready, block out segments of time and allocate how much time you need to dedicate to each of your assignments. This will let you plan your spare time as well.
4. Prioritize
You can’t cope with all the tasks simultaneously, so define which of them are of major and minor importance. When this numbered list is ready, either get down to finishing off the less important things or postpone them to another day.
5. Don’t digress
Lots of things are going to distract your attention. And your task is to say “stop” to them. Social media, phone, new messages – all these things steal time from you. For example, you could be ready with an article in an hour, but when you constantly pay attention to some incoming texts, before you know it, two hours have passed and the article isn’t done. It’s better to work first and then have some time for messaging.
One more important thing is to focus on only one task. Don’t overload yourself with several assignments, concentrate on one of them – this way you will be able to work more effectively.
6. Have time for rest
Take small breaks between your tasks. First, your work-in-progress will be more creative if you’ve had some rest previously. And second, one way or another you need to relax and have a cup of coffee. Don’t forget to include short breaks in your daily plan.
7. Don’t be a perfectionist
If you pay too much attention to small details, you simply waste your time. It’s better to work without pauses for some time and after you end up, single out 10-20 minutes to work on details.
8. Sleep enough
Your concentration and productivity directly depend on your sleep. Some people prefer to sleep less and work longer, relying on coffee and energy drinks to keep going. Soon their bodies and brain fail to function well. It is best to avoid this trap. Your body needs around 7 – 9 hours of sleep.
9. Start working early
Some people adore working early in the morning, some like to work at night. No doubt, it’s important to listen to your biorhythms and fulfill tasks when convenient. However, we recommend working just after you woke up – your mind is fresh and sober, you don’t feel exhausted. Who knows, maybe you’ll like working in the morning.
10. Use organizers
To become focused, one needs to effectively use organizers and timers. It’s easy enough to find the most suitable for you. Download calendars, notepads, time controllers or other stuff which you find good for your work. Easy to use, they can be synced with your computer or phone without difficulty. Check out our comprehensive list of time management tools for scheduling, prioritizing and minimizing distractions.
11. Keep you deadlines in mind
Mark in your calendar or reminder exactly when you have to hand in a paper, article or assignment. This will give you extra time to check and proof-read. So, aim for an earlier deadline.
Time management skill is a precious thing. If you have it, you’ve gained a great advantage over your classmates. Thanks to the time management tips listed above, you can develop it step by step and see results right away.
For useful recommendations on how to relax and pass tests without stress and depression, check out our recent post Skills of Managing Stress before Tests is a Good Thing to Gain.
Meet the team of passionate edtech creators, advocating original ideas and critical thinking. We seek to discuss any burning issues in education, inspiring readers to take action and join a conversation.
