I am involved in a couple of activities and I really struggled last semester to be able to balance my time. I was wondering if you had any tips on how to manage time better. -trouble with time
Dear “Trouble with time”,
You probably didn’t write in to me to get some random quote from a dead guy who invented a car, but I feel like when it comes to time management and approaching tasks, Henry Ford had a good point. He said, “ Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs”. I came across this quote several years ago, and it really stuck with me. When you look at your whole day in the morning your mind might start to race, and you may wonder how you are going to get it all done and why on earth you committed to so many things. Yikes!! So here are some methods I use to juggle it all:
- Break it up! The night before, set down with a notepad and list out hour- by- hour what your schedule is for the next day including all the things that you need to accomplish. This helps to calm your fears about forgetting all the appointments, assignments and meetings that are swirling around in your head. It also doubles as a visual tool to help you see how much time there is in a day if you stick to a schedule and take advantage of every minute.
- SET SPECIFIC, REALISTIC GOALS! I can’t stress this one enough. So many days I have felt discouraged because I wrote down a weeks worth of tasks for one day…big mistake! Set goals that are actually attainable within a days worth of time-ones that you can scratch off the list before you hit the sack that night. For example, rather than listing on the agenda “work on chemistry”, instead write, “work problems 1-15 and read pages 1-10”. By jotting down specific tasks such as this you can more easily see yourself making headway, and you might even catch a glimpse of that light at the end of the tunnel called “The weekend”, which will no doubt keep your spirits perky.
- Choose your accessories carefully…no not purses and scarves. Treat your clubs and extracurricular activities like accessories not your main attire. Extracurricular activities are not the heart of the reason you are here at school, but if chosen carefully, they have the ability to greatly compliment you and your career goals. So if you can’t crack the books or class notes because campus organizations are choking out study time, remember to keep your studies top priority and pick maybe just 2 organizations that flatter your long-term goals the best!
Take 5! I learned this lesson the VERY hard way last semester and actually spent time at the health center because I literally ran myself ragged. Here’s what I have to say about that…don’t do it! School is never worth you sacrificing your physical or mental health, and it is crucial that you reward and rejuvenate yourself on a regular basis. What’s the point of all your hard work if you never pat yourself on the back?? Take mini breaks in your day even if it’s just to run and grab your favorite snack from the store. Often times, all you need is to take a step back from the mania, and you will be much more productive when you return. Remember that even your relationship with yourself (yes I know that sounds strange) is a two- way road…you can only expect from your body what you put into it, which means sleep, eat well, and exercise. In the long run, you will get WAY more done that way.