Have you ever heard the phrase, ‘there’s just not enough hours in the day’? Each day is 24 hours, so how can some do more than others? The key is time management. Mind tools defines time management as the process of organizing and planning how to divide your time between specific activities. This can take many different forms and becomes more complicated as you load more on your schedule. Poor time management leads to increased stress, fatigue, and lower grades. 60 percent of stress is caused by a heavy workload, according to the American Institute of Stress. Furthermore, statistics show that 87 percent of students could earn better GPAs if they had better time management skills, and 48.4 percent of college students say they don’t have enough time to do their course work. So, what can you do to lower your stress and manage your workload more efficiently? Try these tips, and you’ll be a master when it comes to time management in no time!
Are you feeling overwhelmed at your current workload? Product plan cites the four Ds of time management as a popular strategy for determining whether something is worth your time or not and organizing tasks in order of prioritization. The 4 Ds are: Do, Defer (Delay), Delegate, and Delete (Drop). The ‘Do’ category is designed for small tasks that only take a few minutes to complete. Something as simple as replying to an email or printing a report can take a lot off your To-Do list quickly. The ‘Defer’ category is designed for tasks that do not take priority in your current schedule and should be scheduled for later. This can include work that does not have a hard deadline/due date or something that doesn’t need to be handled immediately. The ‘Delegate’ category is designed for tasks that will not specifically benefit from you doing them and should be passed off to someone else who can complete them. When delegating a specific task to someone, make sure you pick a capable person, explain why you are delegating the job, and give the necessary instructions and resources to finish a task. Lastly, the ‘Delete’ category is designed for removing tasks that are unnecessary or unproductive. These tasks can take any form, and it’s up to you to know if it’s necessary or not to complete.
Want to organize your schedule to stay on top of your assignments? Use these ten time management tips for students:
- Create a master schedule and block off specific times in the week for studying. You can find a 16 Hour Planning Worksheet on the University’s Academic Support website to help you with this.
- Use an agenda and plan out upcoming assignments. This will help you stay organized as everything you’ll need to do in one place!
- Eliminate distractions. This includes your phone, social media, and friends! An excellent way to get out of the habit of looking at your phone is to turn it off or go to a place like a library where distractions are limited for you.
- Set goals for all your study sessions. This can be as simple as putting a specific number of pages you want to have read by the end of the day or as broad as mastering a particular concept you are stuck on.
- Work on assignments early and know the upcoming due dates.
- Make a plan using the four Ds of time management and break down projects into smaller tasks. Don’t procrastinate; it will hurt you in the long run!
- Work on one thing at a time. Multitasking rarely works in favor of students as it can split attention and prevent memory retention. Instead, focus all your attention on one task, and not only will you absorb it better, but you will also most likely finish it faster!
- Study in shorter bursts and take breaks. It’s easy to get tired out quickly, so use the Pomodoro study method! Block out a chunk of time, work for 25 minutes, and then take a break for 5 minutes. After every hour, give yourself a 15 to 20 minute break! Continue until the task is completed. This helps to recharge your brain and break up your workload.
- Start the day early. It can be hard to get things done when you wake up at a late time. Ensure you are waking up according to your schedule, so you have enough time to complete all your tasks for the day.
- Get 8 to 10 hours of sleep every night. It’s not enough to practice time management; you must get your beauty sleep! Make sure you give your body what it needs and listen to what it’s saying. Rest is the most important as it is directly related to physical and mental health and helps you recharge!