College years are a time of greater freedom for anyone who just finished school. Students generally have less control from parents, and instructors tend to monitor your progress less than teachers in school. But at the same time, this freedom very often makes us lazy slobs.
Who wants to go to classes if you are free to do anything else but actually study? However, if you want to accomplish something, you need to learn to combine your studies with leisure.
And as you may guess, time management is a crucial skill needed to achieve success in both academics and life. By prioritizing and managing tasks effectively, you can improve your productivity and performance, which also leads to a stress-free life. Here we have 4 valuable time management tips for you to help you learn how to manage your time effectively. Let’s take a look at them.
Be realistic about your time
The amount of time available to everyone is constant and fixed – 24 hours per day allocated to anyone on this planet, including you. If you feel like you’re constantly out of time, try to order custom essay – a great way to save time and focus on other important things. And still, it’s essential to have a realistic grasp of the time available and utilize it efficiently without blaming or punishing yourself.
A good thing to do is to see how you spend your 24 hours by recording all activities from waking up to going to bed. Write out how much time you need for every activity. Then, make a list of the tasks you wish to complete but can’t due to time constraints.
Set goals and prioritize them
We all have objectives to accomplish in our lives. And very often people confuse simple wishes with clearly defined goals. But wishes will stay wishes if you don’t do anything to make them true. Set both short-term and long-term goals. It’s important to prioritize them, break into flexible timeframes, and not be too hard on yourself. Because your academic process can be affected by unreachable objectives and a confused mindset.
Also, your goals should not be solely focused on academics, they can be and should be flexible. However, they must be distinct and arranged in order of importance. Time cannot be managed or controlled, and it is impossible to obtain more of it. And if you have explicit goals and priorities, you can make informed decisions about the use of your time.
Eliminate distractions and take breaks
Though multitasking may be a good skill in certain fields, it also affects your concentration while studying. Splitting your attention between several tasks won’t lead to a productive outcome. Try to deal with the most important tasks first and leave the least important ones for later. Obviously, you can’t sit over your textbooks for several hours straight. You’ll study more effectively if you divide the study time into focused work and breaks, rather than being distracted for the whole time.
There are different techniques to help you with that, the Pomodoro method, for example. To put it simply, study for 30-40 minutes without distractions, then rest for 10-15 minutes. Do all the stuff unrelated to studies only during the break – check your phone, answer emails, etc. But no distraction while studying, remember – study time is strictly for studying.
Don’t forget about yourself
Good grades are cool, but your physical and mental well-being is more important. Having a balanced lifestyle is crucial for academic success in university, rather than solely focusing on studying. Don’t neglect your sleep, exercising, eating habits, and social life – these things can significantly improve the quality of your studying. This is especially important during high-stress periods, such as exam season.
When you’re making a schedule, be sure to allocate some time for socializing, family, and other activities. Mark down any important events that are coming up when you plan out your week. Make sure to manage your time in a way that allows you to attend them. Don’t forget to prioritize your own needs and well-being. Overworking yourself for 12+ hours straight is not cool at all.
Conclusion
Time management is a key component of a successful academic life. Hopefully, these 4 simple tips will help you balance between academic and personal life better and change your approach to studies.
