Dear Andi,
Sometimes I feel like there aren’t enough hours in a day. How can I organize my time better?
-Racng Against the Clock
Dear Racing against the Clock,
College is tricky. All of a sudden we are thrown into relying on our own time management skills. No set lunch hour, no warning bells, no parents telling us to do this and that and when to do it. All of that freedom…all of that responsibility.
First things first, take a look at your schedule-between studies, work, any activities, clubs or teams; how active are you? If you find yourself constantly double-booking, you may be over committed (in which case there aren’t enough hours in your day). You must keep your schedule realistic.
Also, look at if you are over-sleeping (more than you physically need), wasting time on Facebook, or watching too much TV. You need to set priorities. You don’t have to completely cut out your down time, but set goals for yourself. Don’t check your News Feed until you finish the chapter you are studying. Then take a 5-10 minute break and get back to work.
This system is highly effective. Think about sports- do you go the entire game without taking any breaks? No. Do you stand on the field, motionless, and then expect to score a bunch of points in the last five minutes of the game? Also, a no. The same goes for time management; don’t waste time and expect to get all your work done in the last two hours before you zonk out. Don’t try to do everything without resting- then you are just running on empty.
If you are tired, but you need to finish a task, so you put off resting, do you really think you will be putting your best effort into the task? Probably not, as chances are your focus is off and your work won’t be at its best. Not only are you not hurting yourself by taking a 15 minute snooze, you are actually helping yourself because you will wake feeling on point.
I know, I know. You feel like you don’t have enough time in your day, and here I am telling you to take out more time. If you treat your day like an athletic game, taking breaks when you lose focus or energy, or every few hours; you will return into the game feeling refreshed, reenergized and refocused-ready to take on whatever your day brings you!
And remember to be sure to get your daily dose of Her Campus Towson during a study break!
xoxo Andi