Time flies when you’re have fun, and college is one of the places where there is a lot of fun to be had. However, you still need to study, attend classes, and make excellent grades in college. There is no doubt that time management skills are essential if you want to make the most of your college years.
Are you trying to juggle going to classes, studying, and socializing without success? Do you always seem to drop the ball and miss out on something? I have put together some time management tips from experience and research to help you succeed (guaranteed!) as a college student. You would also see how software like killer-papers.com can help.
A lot of college students do more than go to college. Many have to balance work and family responsibilities with the already enormous demands of school. How do you come out on top despite all odds? Follow these tips.
Have a Written Plan
Take it from anyone who ever accomplishes anything – You need a plan! Start from the first day of school. Write down everything you need to get done; assignments, quizzes, test and exam dates. Copy important information from the college schedule. Now, plan how you can effectively carry out all these tasks.
You can draw out a bigtime table for everything the college expects from you and the actions you would need to carry out. You can also make use of sticky notes to remind yourself of the small things. However, don’t plan in your head. Ensure you write it out.
Limit your Device Usage
Your mobile device can be either your enemy or your friend. Learn how to make proper use of your phone and other devices to benefit your goals. There are apps and software that will help you plan your days. You will find sites that will help you make your workload more manageable.
On the other hand, you need to be careful of social media. You can get apps that help you freeze your social apps for a certain period. Another good strategy is to leave your phone at home when going to the library or class to avoid distraction.
Know Yourself
This tip might seem inconsequential to time management, but it isn’t. You need to know at what time you are most active. You need to know when it is easier for you to read and retain well. This knowledge of your strengths and weaknesses will help you allocate the right time to study, rest, exercise, and socialize.
Take Care of Yourself
Many college students make the mistake of wearing themselves out in the name of managing time. Your mind functions at it’s best when your body is well cared for. You should ensure that you make healthy choices. Eat the right foods. Junk foods will only reduce your mental capacities. Find time to exercise, at least once weekly. Sleep well. Your body requires not less than eight hours of sleep daily, whether you read best at night or early in the morning.
Stick to a Routine
Once you have set your written plan, get into routines. Cultivate habits of specific tasks. It will help you do those things, even on days that you have no motivation. Patterns will also save you from petty distractions.
Use your Friends and Family
This tip might seem a bit negative, but don’t see it that way. It is just to encourage you to see your friends and family as resources to help you achieve your goals. Learn to delegate tasks that don’t have time to do.
Beg them to wake you up on days you feel sleepy. Ask them to help you with those house chores you never have time to do. Ensure you don’t spend all your time talking with them, though. You can also join groups like manicreaders.com.
Go to Class
Classes are never a waste of time. It saves you the extra time you will take trying to make sense of a material that no one had ever explained. Won’t it be better for you to write your notes and learn from a reliable, experienced source than copy some illegible notes and take the watered-down explanations of classmates?
Don’t play with your classes. You can, however, schedule them if you can. It is best to have all your courses at one period in the day without long breaks in-between.
One Thing at a Time
Multitasking doesn’t work for optimal time management. It is best to focus on one thing at any point in time and get it done effectively. Research has shown that multitasking can cause a drop in productivity. So, decide on what is the most crucial at the time and do that one thing first. Once you make a habit of finishing one thing before you start another, you will discover that you have better focus and concentration.
Keep Everything Organized
Keeping all your stuff organized can seem like a lot of work when you first start. But, it can save you a lot of time and stress. Always put your notebooks and papers in order no matter how tired you are. It saves you from searching everywhere when you need to turn in a report or do an assignment. Keeping your apartment or dorm decluttered will also help you read and think better.
Have Fun
It is easy to get busy trying to get everything right when you get into a college that you forget to have any fun — schedule fun time into your time table. Try to do something you love just for the sheer joy of it every week. It will help you stay motivated to study and work.
College life can be super hectic, making twenty-four hours look like just one. However, with the above time management tips, you can make the most of your days as a college student and succeed as an A student.
Author Bio
Ogundiran Ayodeji is a copywriter who loves baking. He is a graduate of Applied Geology with a passion for reading and research. You can read some more of his writings on topicsbase.com.
