Being a college student is fairly difficult. We are expected to obtain good grades, volunteer in our community, be involved in various organizations, and hold leadership positions. On top of all this we have to find hours in the day to eat three meals, sleep 8 hours, exercise, and work. I have asked myself numerous times whether this is even possible within a 24 hour day. I am not a master of time management, however, I have learned a lot throughout my previous three years of college. Obtaining a planner, prioritizing, creating to-do lists, and not getting overly involved are a few tips I have for managing your time as a college student.
1. Invest in a Planner
Planners are great because it allows one to visually see events and activities that are planned on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. On the section that shows the overview of the monthly calendar, write down important event dates, due dates, and exam dates. Most planners also have a portion dedicated to day to day use. Each day, write down what assignments are due, what are events going on, and which organizations meet. A few tips on how to organize the planner further would be to color coordinate, using post-it notes, and stickers specifically made for planners.
Side note: Choose a planner that has a practical use versus a planner that may be more flashy. Planners do not have to be name brand. Similar planners can be found at Target, Walmart, TjMaxx, and even the Dollar Store. Also, pick a planner that provides enough writing space for you. This includes the monthly calendars and the daily sections of the planner.
2. Prioritize
Consider what you are involved in and decide what is most important for you. Do you want to set more time aside for studying? Is fitness important to you? Do you have a leadership position? First decide what you want to spend most of your time doing. Next, determine the order of importance. The majority of your time should be dedicated to the area of most importance. For example, I value academics. Studying for a class will take priority over working out in an occasion where I may not have time to accomplish both.
Additionally, if you are caught up with school work, you can try getting ahead or reviewing recent material. One of my biggest advice with prioritizing would be turning off Netflix, and switch this out for working out, hanging out with friends, participating in a hobby, or even meditating.
3. Create To-Do Lists
Write down what must be done or accomplished by the end of the day. Once each task is completed, cross it off your list. If you do this daily, you'll accomplish more than you ever had before. As a note, do not get discouraged if all tasks are not completed by the end of the day. Just add these items to the next days list and make it a priority to attain it then.
4. Do Not Over Book Yourself
Finally do not get overly involved or take on tasks that you may not be able to accomplish. I have joined many organizations throughout the years because I thought they seemed interesting. However, the passion for these organizations was not as strong as my interest in others. If you do not fully enjoy an organization or some other activity you are doing, why waste your time? Furthermore, I have also had the tendency to say 'yes' to everything. I stopped doing this as frequently,because I now know what I am able to handle as far as my daily schedule. It is better to say 'no',if you are not 100% positive you can commit. Finally, keep in mind you should take time out of your week for yourself. It is important mentally, physically, and emotionally to have 'me time'.
Hope these tips helped those overachievers, procrastinators, and just individuals who have trouble managing their time. College is tough, but hopefully following this advice can ease the pain.
