5 time-management tips from a university student

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     I am sure that a majority of us feel that 24 hours in a day are not enough for us to accomplish innumerable tasks. There are times when we feel overwhelmed by the amount of work we need to get done in a limited time frame. As a student, I feel overwhelmed quite easily. And this feeling is not just limited to students, but to people who have jobs or own businesses. But in times of overwhelm, time management becomes our best friend. Sure there are many things that require our attention, but are they all an equal priority?

In my high school years, I had a misconception that studying for a test next week and completing the essay due tonight has an equal priority. So I tried to cram in the studying and essay writing along with the sports practice. What happened in the end? The feeling of burnout and stress. Nevertheless, this situation can be avoided through the understanding of priorities. My high-school self just ignored the fact that the priority that night was to proofread the essay, add in any finishing touches, and hit submit. Instead, I wasted hours studying for the test which was next week and ended up rushing through the proofreading part. Fast forward to my university years, I have realized the importance of assessing priorities. This is my time management tip 1: assess your priorities. The thing that worked for me is to write my priorities for the day ahead. If there is a test tomorrow, obviously studying for that test is my number 1 priority. The essay due next week is my last priority. My to-do list for the day includes my priorities listed in order and the majority of my day is dedicated to completing those priorities in order. In this way, it is okay for me if I do not get to the last task mentioned on the list as it is the last priority and I will get to it the next day. 

Now when you have assessed your priorities, try to do them in that order. My best tip is to create a schedule on Google calendar or any other calendar system to remind you of the task you are supposed to do. For example, if completing your math homework is your number 1 priority, then 9-10 am is the time to do that homework. 10-11 is the time to do the second priority. You can keep going on like that. But do not forget to schedule a lunch break, or exercise in your day. Also, understand that this is a tentative schedule and priorities might change according to how the day unfolds. Hence remember to keep an open mind about your schedule. Do not stress out if you are unable to follow your tentative schedule due to some unexpected things coming up. Life happens! Thus, this is my time management tip 2: Try to build a tentative schedule and do your best to stick to it. 

My next tip is to avoid distractions while doing work. There are many people warning you against the internet and social media as a number one distraction. In the environment of online school, it is hard to focus on studying. But the internet can become a useful tool if used right. There are many studies with me videos on YouTube that have a Pomodoro timer. Basically, a typical Pomodoro session comprises 25-minute work and 5-minute rest. You can change your time blocks with your preference. I prefer to study for 50 minutes and rest for 10 minutes. This way I get to focus on one task for a longer time period and take a long and meaningful break. But this is my personal preference. There is also 45-minute work and 15-minute rest option. Just do a quick research and find a study buddy on YouTube. Personally, this has helped me during online school as that feeling of studying alone goes away. My time-management tip number 3: Use the internet wisely and look up the Pomodoro session on it.

As I mentioned earlier, social media can be really distracting. I sometimes desired to have to put my phone in a vault so I am not easily distracted. That’s where I did some research and realized there are tons of apps that keep your phone locked for a desired amount of time. My phone has a built-in locking functionality that allows me to focus on my task. I recommend researching whether your phone has this function. If not, no worries there are plenty of productivity apps that will help you with the same. Check this website out for productivity apps available on both iOS and Android: https://www.inc.com/jeremy-goldman/6-apps-to-stop-your-smartphone-addiction.html. My time-management tip number 4: Use productivity functions/apps on your phone. 

Time management is an essential tool that will help you in the long run. But you should never forget that you are a human being. And you will have days where you feel less motivated. Honor this feeling and realize that you need a break. This is when you do something for yourself like exercising, spending time with family or friends, or engage in a favorite activity. Having a big to-do list is normal and is not a stressor that you should be overwhelmed about. My time-management tip number 5: Understand you are a human being and a big to-do list is normal.

To summarize this blog:

  1. Assess your priorities

  2. Create a tentative schedule for yourself

  3. Try Pomodoro method

  4. Use productivity apps like Forest or in-built locking functionality 

  5. Realize that you are a human being and a big to-do list is normal

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