We are slowly creeping up on midterms as we reach the middle of the second month of classes. Long gone are the easy days of syllabus week. The material is getting more complicated. The assignments are getting more detailed. Pile on some extracurricular activities and social obligations, and you’ll find yourself in a tricky spot. How do you manage everything without sacrificing something else? Well, with these time management tips, you’ll be able to get all of your work in on time, and still have time left for socializing and down time!
Tip 1: Write down all obligations in one place.
I find that it really helps to keep a calendar with a list of all of your obligations: academic, social, and so on. Of course, you can keep separate agendas for different purposes if that helps you keep track of assignments. However, it is helpful to have everything in one place so you can cross-check dates to ensure you never overbook yourself. Sure, you might think you have a free day to do your huge assignment, only to discover that you have a work meeting, dentist appointment, or other engagement that same day. You can easily avoid this kind of situation by having a single place to check your availability on a given day.
Tip 2: Don’t be afraid to say no!
Chances are that if you’re having issues with time management, you might be overbooking yourself. If your interests are varied, you might be tempted to try to do everything offered to you. Unfortunately, there are only 24 hours in the day, and you should try to sleep at some point. Sometimes you just have to say no, especially if you don’t completely need to/want to do something. Prioritizing your obligations can be tricky, but if you overload yourself with meaningless tasks, you’re taking time away from both leisure and more important tasks. For more tips on how to prioritize your obligations, check out this article!
Tip 3: Read assignments as soon as you get them.
Of course, you don’t have to immediately do the assignment, depending on how you’ve prioritized it, but it’s a good habit to at least look through an assignment immediately so you know what to expect. It’s helpful to write out the requirements ahead of time, as well. That way, you never accidentally leave a 30-problem math assignment until the night before just because you didn’t realize your “10-problem assignment” had multiple problems per question. Never assume the length of an assignment; always double-check the requirements before deciding when to start it.
Tip 4: Give yourself earlier deadlines.
If you’re a procrastinator, you’re probably used to staying up late rushing to finish assignments, occasionally turning in mediocre work because you lacked the time to truly polish it. So, how can you fix this? Give yourself an earlier deadline! If a professor tells you that a paper is due on Friday, write down that it is due on Thursday. That way, when you’re rushing to finish it for Thursday, you’ll have a whole extra day to spend polishing it to ensure you turn in your best work possible!
Tip 5: Schedule leisure time
Sometimes it’s easy to get lost in your work. Between juggling assignments, extracurricular activities, volunteer work, and a job, sometimes it seems impossible to find any sort of leisure time. But leisure is incredibly important in practicing self-care. If you don’t give yourself downtime, especially during times of stress, you could very easily get burnt out. And once you’ve reached that point of exhaustion, even simple tasks will seem impossible. So, schedule leisure time just like you would schedule an appointment. Give yourself a few hours a week of “me-time” to do whatever you enjoy doing. Here’s a list of 134 self-care activities you can try out during your free time!
Though it’s very easy to succumb to stress, especially during midterms, remember that these tough times will pass. As long as you schedule your time properly, you’ll be able to get everything you need done. You can do it!
If you want to learn more about how to destress, check out these related articles! Five Tips for Healthy Living on Campus, Laugh All Day to Keep the Stress at Bay, 16 Inspirational Quotes.
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