It’s getting to be that time in the semester. Deadlines are steadily creeping up, days are blending together, and for some reason, you feel like you’re probably forgetting something important. We all handle the semester differently, some of us probably a lot better than others. No matter where you land on the procrastination spectrum, we could all greatly benefit from some time management tips. At the core of a great work ethic is great time management. No matter how good it feels to just relax and put things off until the last minute it feels a whole lot better to not have the stress of deadlines hanging over your head. Now, let’s dive into some time management tips! Again, I just want to preface I am no expert or professional life coach, the following are just some tips and ideas I’ve found that I think anyone can benefit from.
- Get! A! Planner!
Whether physical or digital a planner is one of the best purchases to make when it comes to time management. The major benefit of a planner is having one place to write down important dates, schedules, deadlines, and really anything and everything you need to remember to do. It’s easy to think that when you have something important you’ll actually remember but all too often we overestimate our memory abilities and end up leaving things to the last minute. There are many forms of planners from physical to online calendars and planners. No matter the form, having a planner is a great start on the road to optimum time management.
- Set alarms.
So you have a planner and every important thing you need to do is nicely written down and yet you still find yourself forgetting things and working late trying to meet deadlines. Despite good organization, it is easy to get caught up in the craziness of life. One way to try and stay on track could be to set alarms on your phone. By doing this, even if you forget, your phone won’t forget to remind you.
- Plan time to work AND relax.
Planning time to get things done is a great way to get started and really get on a roll BUT overworking ourselves can become so counterproductive. The best way to be as productive as possible is to plan out the best time for you to get stuff done and then plan breaks to keep yourself from getting too drained. Draining ourselves really only leads to the continuing cycle of pushing things to the last minute or not doing them at all.
- Take care of yourself.
School, work, and everything in between are very important, but none of that can be possible if you are not healthy and happy. Your health, both mental and physical, will always come first so it is important to take time for yourself. It can come in any form from a favorite skincare routine to exercising. No matter what form yourself care comes in find what works for you and work it into your schedule.
The tips above are just a few of many ways to work towards better time management, but at the end of the day we are all so different and finding what works for us specifically can take time. The important thing is to not give up and work towards finding something that works for you. It is super cliché but it’s true: time management is the key to less stress and finding more success. If you’re looking to improve your time management skills I hope some of these tips have helped you along the way.