Raise your hand if, even though we’re only about five weeks into the school year, you’ve had a week or are going to have one where it feels like your to-do list is longer than all of your syllabi combined. I’m guessing almost all of you raised your hands, myself included. I’m currently in the middle of one of those weeks where it seems all of my professors have assigned huge papers and massive amounts of readings and where my internship commitments are making me want to cry, even though I love what I do. Even this Her Campus article is stressing me out because I feel like there isn’t enough time in the day for me to do everything I need to do, even if I pull an all-nighter. It’s just a bad week for me for work and to top it off I have a conference this weekend where, between Thursday and Sunday, I will be in meetings for 17 and a half hours. Needless to say, I need to manage my time very wisely to ensure I get everything in on time and with the amount of effort it needs and deserves.
Having one of these weeks has really made me think about how I manage my time and a system of organization that ensures I get everything done and I want to share these tips with you. I want to stress that this is what works for me — much like with makeup products or skincare, this system may not work for everyone. Some people need less sleep than others or you may read faster than I do, so time allotment may differ. You have to find a combination that works best for you, but here is what I have found for the best ways to manage your time wisely.
1. Write everything down in your agenda.
I’m not just talking about for this week either. At the beginning of the school year, I sit down with my syllabi, my school’s calendar with all of the days off and events on it, and my own personal events list. I write down when big events are (like the Model UN conference I have this weekend), when papers or assignments are due, when I have meetings for various clubs or advising, and pretty much any important dates I need to know so I can easily tell when I’m available. Then, every day when I have a break I sit and write down everything I have assigned for the next two days.
2. Try to get ahead when possible.
I’m not saying get weeks ahead in work for all of your classes because that isn’t all that productive. I try to do this in a system where I do the things that are due for the next class, the day I have that class. For example, let’s say I have a class on Tuesdays and Thursdays (as you’ll see below from my schedule with my EN 322 class). I try to do the reading for Thursday’s class on Tuesday, so when Wednesday night rolls around my work for that Thursday class is done. It’s not always possible, or sometimes I’m just lazy and leave things for the last minute, but the sooner you get assignments done, the less stress there is for you.
3. Use your free time to your advantage.
I work as an office assistant at BU and if there’s nothing for me to do at work, my boss let’s me do what I want. I’d say that unless its an exam week for biology students, I don’t usually have a whole lot to do, which means I have anywhere from an hour and a half to a four hour shift to do homework. I remember last year one of my floormates asked if I even had homework because no one on our floor ever saw me doing it. My answer was that yes, I did have homework, but I got it all done at work. Could I have spent my shift watching Moana for the 130th time? Sure, but I know if I do that, I’m going to hate myself later that day when I have a ton of work and stress built up. So instead, I do my homework at work so I can get a bit ahead that night and even watch Moana to settle down before bed (it works out well anyways since belting out “How Far I’ll Go” at my office isn’t going to go over too well.)
4. Sticky notes.
Repeat after me: sticky notes are your best friend in college. I have them lined up on my desk, the inside of my computer, I usually keep a pad of them in my backpack, and I’ll use the notes app on my computer. Anytime I have to do something not school related, like send someone an email or pick up a package from the mailroom or remember to print something in the morning, it gets put on a sticky note and placed somewhere I’m going to see it. This usually means along the shelf on my desk since I sit there every day for my makeup and while doing homework. This ensures that whatever has to get done is right in my line of vision so I remember to do it, because otherwise that package is going to stay in the mailroom for 2 months before I remember to get it.
5. Website blocker apps.
(Photo credit: selfcontrolapp.com)
Now this may sound a bit extra, but if we’re being realistic, most people do their work on computers. Computers mean access to the internet and that means distractions, even if it’s perpetually checking your email every 5 minutes like I do. But, with apps like Blacklist and SelfControl, you can enter the websites that distract you like Facebook, Tumblr, or Her Campus and for a designated amount of time it locks you out of those websites so you can’t get distracted by them.
You can download it for Mac here
6. Airplane or Do Not Disturb mode.
If I’m not getting distracted on my computer, you can bet it’s because I’m already distracted on my phone. Putting your phone on airplane mode or do not disturb definitely cuts down on the distractions because you won’t get notifications. If you want to shut it off altogether that’s great and so is leaving it in another room.
7. Make a schedule.
If I know I’m going to have a busy week, I like to find some time beforehand to sit down and make a schedule that includes my classes, any meetings I have, and then certain allotments for everything else. This week I need to make sure I get two papers done, so on Tuesday I would say okay, I’m in class until 4:45, I’m giving myself until 5:45 for dinner, I get a break until 7 to relax, and then from 7 to 10 I’m going to work on the paper. I make it super detailed and super specific so I have no room to move outside of the schedule because otherwise, I won’t get anything done. For this method, it helps to set alarms whenever you’re supposed to start the next task so you can make sure you’re finishing on time and getting things done.
8. Find a studying environment that works for you.
Some people work well with background noise like my roommate so she goes to the dining hall to study. My best friend Lara listens to music or Netflix while she’s studying, and I need pretty much silence. So, whatever your environmental preference is for you to get the most out of your studying, find that. If you go to BU I highly suggest the School of Theology Library or the fifth floor of Mugar Library because they both have individual desk cubicles for people to work so you can be in your own headspace. And when you look around, everyone else is doing work, so it motivates you to do it as well.
9. Don’t overdo it.
According to Business Insider, “the ideal work-to-break ratio was 52 minutes of work, followed by 17 minutes of rest” based on a study they conducted in 2016. So, trying to study for 3 hours straight isn’t going to do you all the good you may think. Breaks in between study blocks, even if it’s just to stretch your legs and get a drink of water, are imperative to your success, retention of information, and productivity. To go along with that, the more tired you are, the less you’re going to retain. So if you’re trying to pull an all-nighter and at 2 AM you can barely keep your eyes open, odds are you aren’t going to remember what you read so it’s best to call it a night.