Finals week is always one of the busiest and most intense weeks of the semester. Although it’s definitely overwhelming, you can get through it without being insanely stressed! Figuring out how to manage everything you have to get done can help. Here are some time management tips just for that purpose:
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1. Write out due dates
Putting your due dates on paper or on a Google Doc is really helpful when you’ve got tons of assignments due in a short period of time. Once it’s all out of your head and in front of you, you can more easily see what you should start working on right away and what can wait a bit longer. This is one of the first things I do during finals week, and it’s great for organization.
2. Work at strategic times
Figuring out the time of day when you’re most productive really aids in efficiency. If you’re more productive in the morning, get up earlier and study for what’s on the top of your to-do list first thing. If you’re like me and are a night owl, getting the bulk of your work done during the evening is great too. During finals week, getting work done is what’s most important – not the time of day it gets done!
3. Take breaks
Sometimes it’s tempting to keep working for hours and hours at a time; wanting to fully complete a paper or review absolutely everything that’ll be on an exam can seem like a good idea. However, studying for endless amounts of time will just burn you out and make you feel less motivated. Structuring your time to fit in breaks is necessary for studying well. If it helps, try to do something productive during your breaks! I try to go for a run or grab coffee with my friends during a study break. I always end up feeling ready to start studying again afterwards.
4. Don’t neglect your physical health
Often during finals week, everything other than academic work can fall to the wayside. Although that’s totally expected, ignoring your physical health will not pay off in the long run. In order to stay healthy, allocating time for sleep, eating healthy meals and staying active (even if it’s just walking around campus!) is something that’s really needed. Just like taking breaks, this will inspire you to be more motivated to study and achieve the grades you want, and you’ll also be taking care of yourself.
Finals weeks is one of the toughest weeks of the semester, but with these time management tips, you’ll be able to get through it and stay on top of everything!