Learning to Manage Your Time

No matter what stage of life you are in, there will always been tasks that you need to tackle. It can become a daunting task when you are trying to divide out your time between work, school, relationships, hobbies, church, or even daily troubles. Until you are able to efficiently lay out the time you have and assess how you will utilize it, you will be in a constantly cycle of stress and feeling overwhelmed. I am going to lay out the tips and tricks that I use to stay on top of my plans.

My first starting task is to make sure that any important dates that need to be noted are wrote down where I will see them. I'm one of those people that live religiously off my planner. So much so, that I keep two separate planners for and one for classes and personal life. I will admit that this method does not work for everyone. Some need to have it all written on a whiteboard to see in large scale, some need to use it digitally, and I know some that keep it all on a simple sheet of paper. It is important that you attempt multiple options and find what works best for you.

Now we can assume that we have all the dates and important times marked down on your calendar or device. This should include when you have stuff due, doctor's appointments, presentations, meetings, etc. You now have the obligation of tackling the tasks. I find that if I get the most dreaded and/or the longest tasks out of the way first that I am more likely to actually do it. This is the best way to prevent procrastination that will result in poor productivity. If you notice that you are all done for the day of things you need to do, take a look at the items for tomorrow and see what you can accomplish. The key is to stay ahead, and by living this before time between due dates or times, it allows you cushion is something goes wrong.

When it comes time to actually sit and do the task, make sure you are in the most productive space. If I need to write a paper or study, I know good and well that I can not efficiently do that at home. It is key to know where you work best and utilize that space. There is no right or wrong place, just ensure you will be able to get done what needs to be accomplished. Make sure that while doing your longer tasks that you are working breaks into the mix to promote high efficiency levels.

Once you have gotten your tasks done, you should have allocated time for yourself. This can be watching a movie, your favorite show, getting your nails done, reading a book, taking a long warm shower, or just fiddling with your phone or laptop. With that being said, all of these things can be preventing you for achieving the things that need to be done. When you have the time to treat yourself, then you can, but when you know that you should be studying for midterms, do not turn on The Good Place. SO, when you are in your productive place, make it the safe zone. Turn do not disturb on, keep the distractions to a minimum, and focus on getting your task accomplished.

All of that to be said that there are thousands of different ways to mange your time effectively. You do not have to follow my plans verbatim, but help them inspire you to discover what will work best for you. At the end of the day, this is your time to use. It is up to you and whether or not it's used wisely or frivolously.