Five Tips for Mastering Time Management at College
It’s no secret: as college students who are likely living on their own for the first time, it can be difficult to find the right balance between classes, work, extracurricular activities, and time for yourself and friends all in one day. Learning how to master time management skills will help you feel less stressed out and bring you a greater sense of freedom in having control over your day. Through my own trial and error, I’ve discovered five tips that will surely help you in sharpening your skills.
Plan it out
The best way to meet deadlines is to stay ahead of deadlines. Utilizing a planner can be a great visual representation of what you want to accomplish in your day and help you set your priorities. Choose a planner that has a cool design on the front and a layout you understand so that you’re excited about using it. If keeping a physical planner isn’t your style, there are digital options too. Start with adding the fixed parts of your schedule that you can’t control, such as your work schedule and class times. Then, add time to study, eat, and sleep. Make sure to leave room for downtime for yourself and with friends.
Even before leaving class, I jot down any new assignments while they’re fresh in my mind. Whether that be a note on my phone or a scribble in the corner of the paper I’m working on, taking those few seconds to write it down makes a world of a difference in helping me remember what needs to be done.
Create an environment designed for work
Making efficient use of your study time cuts down on the amount of time you actually need to spend doing work. It’s easy to get distracted, so identify those things that are pulling your focus and find ways to eliminate them. Do you constantly feel the need to reach for your phone and endlessly scroll social media? Try placing it in an entirely different room instead of keeping it right next to you until you’ve finished your work. There are also a variety of apps available, such as Flipd, that are designed to help you unplug. It’s also helpful to pick a study spot to return to when completing work so your brain has a routine it can remember.
Give yourself ample time
It can be overwhelming to stare at a to-do list of assignments and realize that you have no idea what to tackle first. While procrastination seems tempting, it will only worsen this issue. In order to prevent this, learn what kind of tasks take you longer and prioritize them by when each assignment is due and how long it will take to complete. Delegate smaller tasks and complete those first, then move onto larger projects and assignments. Also, take into account what type of mood you are in. Are you feeling creative? Do you feel energized? Identifying these can help you determine what type of tasks you should be focusing on for the day.
Use breaks as a reward
When you’re putting so much energy towards focusing, it’s necessary to give your brain a rest so it can resume working at its fullest potential. There are many methods to effective study breaks, but a common strategy that I use is working for thirty minutes, then taking a five minute break, and repeating. Scheduling breaks rather than taking unplanned ones is key because it helps to keep your concentration. Reward yourself when you stick to your schedule!
Be kind to yourself
Time management is a skill that takes time to develop, so don’t worry if you don’t have everything figured out right away. At the end of the day, realizing that we’re being more productive and knowing how to allocate our time helps us to feel happier and more satisfied. Be realistic in your goals, but also flexible. Don’t get caught up in the stress. Take a deep breath, and know that you’ve got this!
Incorporating these tips into your daily life will help you avoid stress and increase your levels of productivity. Not only will these skills help you academically, but professionally and personally as well.
About Hanna
Hanna Ziesel is a junior this year studying Advertising and Public Relations with a minor in Writing. Her passion for writing stems from a love for being able to use her words to make an impact on others, using her skills to craft stories and build lasting relationships. This is her first year on the GrandPR team where she will serve as the Firm Editor, as well as her first year being a member of PRSSA. After graduation, she hopes to use her skills in public relations to work in the music industry.