Tips on time management
within the first few days of starting college, many students quickly learn that managing their time is
one of the most challenging and difficult - aspects of being in school. with so much to do and keep track
of, strong time management skills can make all the difference.
get -- and use - a calendar. if your cell phone calendar isn't big enough, buy a paper one. if your paper
one keeps getting torn, try a pda. very few college students make it through their programmes without some
kind of calendaring system; keep trying until you find one that works for you.
do you have a large research paper due the last week of the semester? work backward in your calendar
and figure out how much time you'll need to write it, how much time you'll need to research it, and how much
time you'll need to pick your topic. if you think you'll need six weeks for the entire project, work backward
from the due date and schedule the time into your calendar before it's too late.
things inevitably come up that you weren't expecting. you may not have known that your roommate's
birthday is this week, and you certainly don't want to miss the celebrations! leave room in your calendar
so that you can move things around a little when needed.
any activity or conversation that's important to your success should have a time assigned to it. take five
minutes before every task to decide what result you want to attain. this will help you know what succes looks
like before you start. and it will also slow time down.
your midterms week is a nightmare, but it will all be over friday by 2: 30. schedule a fun afternoon
and a nice dinner out with some friends; your brain will need it, and you can relax knowing that you're not
supposed to be doing anything else.
a remember to plan for some rewards
b leave time to relax in your daily schedule
c make sure to plan ahead
d be flexible in your planning
e revise your plans for tomorrow at bedtime
f find the most suitable scheme of calendaring
g keep your calendaring in one place
h make short breaks to set your goals
