Being a student means having a lot of things to do and care for daily. Essays and reports, sports, jobs, social life, upcoming exams, relationship, and many other things might be waiting for you right now. But what if you don’t have time for that? We have an answer for you – time management. It’s incredible what this skill can do for you and your lifestyle. Make sure to read this blog post to the end as we have some great tips for you!
Learn From Your Mistakes
When you always don’t have time for everything planned, there should be an issue to investigate. Analyze your daily routine and schedule to find out what is the reason that makes you miss deadlines or complete your tasks at the very last moment.
Is it procrastination? Maybe you spend too much time on your phone or computer? If that is the case, you might want to work on that and change your habits as well as your overall approach to daily tasks.
Another reason might be the lack of self-discipline. That’s okay to have days when you feel lazy. But it’s not okay to feel this all the time. Self-discipline can be developed over time if you have the right mindset and are willing to change. There are also other reasons like mental issues or sicknesses. If so, they should be treated by a specialist.
However, overall, you can surely detect the problem if you inspect your daily patterns. For example. You might be wasting too much time when studying, thus, you have no time for other things. Or you might be not organizing your daily schedule right, setting unrealistic goals, or not tracking your deadlines. Each of these problems requires different measures, so that is why you should totally analyze your mistakes, and find the best approach and tactic. However, we have a few tips for you that will work no matter what the reason is.
Tip 1. Set Realistic Goals
Yes, when you are starting to work on your daily schedule, there is a temptation to change your life drastically, complete an enormous number of daily tasks, and be as productive as you can. And though there is nothing impossible, chances are you will abandon this new routine very soon. That’s because all changes should be made step by step.
Start with setting up realistic goals for the day. Don’t try to bite too much and focus on creating a list of the tasks that are manageable and prioritized. Be sure to think of the time that you will need to spend completing each task.
Tip 2. Set Time Limits
As it was said earlier, the time frames needed for each of the tasks should be planned beforehand. You can surely think of rough time frames, unless you don’t know what actions you will have to take if completing the task for the first time or if there might be some obstacles circumstances, etc. For example, if you need to visit a doctor and don’t know how much time it will take. In other cases, you can plan your day rather exactly.
But be sure to not plan your day too tightly. Set reasonable time frames for each of the tasks but don’t pack your day with back-to-back chores. Leave some space in between so you can adjust to a new schedule. As time goes by, you can work on a more strict daily schedule.
However, when it comes to time limits you want to be exact and make sure that the time frame is reasonable. You don’t need to spend three hours on a task that takes half an hour, so be sure to think this detail through.
Tip 3. Routine Is What You Need
You probably know the feeling of sore muscles after the first workout. Your body can be sore for some time after the first time you visit a gym. But as time goes by, it becomes easier to train and you simply get used to it.
The same thing applies to the daily routine. As long as you create one and stick to it, you might feel a little uncomfortable but you will surely enjoy it after some time. Start with setting the time frame for when you go to bed and when you get up. Once you give yourself and your system time to get adjusted to it, you will see the difference – it will be easier to wake up in the morning, and you will have much more energy for the day.
The rest of your routine should be centered around your classes and your job in case you have one as these time frames rarely change. Have a solid plan for the day, the order for the daily tasks, and the time frames for each of them. Let’s say, you feel that you can cope with the homework best right after your classes – put it into your routine and try not to shift it to another part of your day.
Tip 4. Prioritize
Not every task is evenly effort- or time-consuming. Some of them will need more of your time and energy. That’s why it’s important to prioritize and leave the easiest tasks for the last. Plan the most challenging tasks for the time when you feel the most productive and energized.
Sometimes you can even delegate tasks. For example, you can have some of your essays written by a team and not be worried about another long and challenging study session. It will save you time and will allow you to concentrate on other thongs in your life.
Tip 5. Don’t Be Hard on Yourself
If you have difficulties with finding when you feel the most productive, try various options for your schedule and stick with the one that suits you best. It should provide you with some time for yourself – to rest and relax, as well as the time to get your tasks done. You can plan for a whole week ahead, especially, if you know that you can spend only one or two evenings socializing and having fun. The rest of your week will be probably study-oriented, but still, make sure you give yourself breaks in the mid of the tasks.