Time Management For Students

Do you remember that all-nighter you pulled senior year of high school because your essay was due the next morning? Or that time you crammed for a test, even though your teacher gave you weeks to prepare?

Managing your time wisely when taking four or five college classes is no easy task, even when you know that the simple solution is to start earlier. Most every student struggles with effective time management, and balancing a heavy class load and social life can be especially tough for those used to the structure of high school classrooms—namely, college freshmen.

It’s easy to let a heavy workload and busy schedule overwhelm you. But knowing how to manage your time can help even the busiest person stay on top of things. Time management is a fantastic skill to have not only for studying but throughout your whole life. Master these tips to help you become more efficient with your study time and able to fit more into your days.

Learning the skills to properly manage a busy schedule will benefit you in the long run. A successful time-manager will be less stressed, get more sleep and generally feel better about a job well done than those who procrastinate.

Different people work better at different times of the day, whether it be morning, afternoon or night. So do what works best for you. If you know you’re not a morning person, don’t start trying to tackle that difficult essay question at 8 am. Leave the most challenging tasks for your best time of the day and do something less demanding, like organising notes or writing the next day’s to-do list, during your least favourite time of the day.

Don’t feel like you’re confined to your desk if you don’t want to be. Studying in various work spaces can increase creativity and, in turn, productivity. Read notes in the local park, go to a library or do research in a cafe. At uni, many lectures are recorded so you could even listen to one whilst going for a walk. You may also find it helpful to talk through class notes or essay questions with a classmate or in a group environment.

It goes without saying that if you’re thinking about something else when you’re studying and not focusing on the task at hand, you are not going to be as productive as you could be. Often, distractions come from internal feelings that we can control, such as hunger or tiredness. So, ensure you get adequate sleep and have snacks nearby during a study session. You should also try to minimize distractions like social media while you’re studying. It may help to put your phone in another room so you’re not disrupted by messages, calls or notifications.

Leaving things to the last minute puts yourself under unnecessary pressure. Try to do some study on most days of the week – even if it’s only one or two hours – so you don’t end up with a mountain of work you have to catch up on. It’s also important to go over all your class notes each week to make sure you understand what was covered in class and to keep the ideas you’ve learned front of mind. As you progress through the term/semester/trimester this will require more time each week but when it comes to exams you will be immensely better equipped and able to reduce your exam study time. 

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The following mentioned are few tips to manage time for students as they can plan accordingly and gain success in their academics.

Prioritize

The initial basic characteristic any student can do is to line up and make a list of things that the student should execute. In this segment, make sure to put the most noteworthy tasks at the top of the list though they are hard-hitting to handle. Some tasks can wait and some can be detached too. Encourage as you do your task and you can also reward yourself for accomplishing tough tasks. Save them on tools such as reminders, appointment calendars, emails, answering machines and more. Though you forget these, gadgets are sure to alert you.

Choose your time zone

Whenever you’re enthusiastic to start your task, make sure that you’re in full swing to do it. Some may possess the habit of completing tasks in one shot in the morning; some may have the habit of doing tasks at late night and so on. So pick your right time zone and move on. 

Dedicate time

Have a dedicated time for studying and homework. During studying get rid of phones, texts and other distractions until your work is done. Also avert emails and web at time of reading, spend it only for studying and nothing else.

Budgeting time

Have a time table with events, tests, projects and assignments. Also make a list of extracurricular activities and plan ahead. Prepare a weekly schedule and find out the remaining time you are free. Before adding up any commitments, this free time can be referred and scheduled accordingly.

Set time don’t get sidetracked

Set time for each subject or each project you are handling, do not over do any work more than limited time. Remember that there are several subjects to be handled and do not waste time on one route. If you are unsure in doing it, seek the help of the teacher to clear the hassles.

Sleep. Be Healthy

Lack of sleep and stress are main factors which diminish performance and hence having a good sleep is mandatory to stay active and also to show faultless performance. It would also be a suggestion to walk and stretch at times to clear and reset mind while studying. Before sleeping, make sure to list out things that have to be accomplished the next day.

Stress reduces performance, as does lack of sleep. Be sure to get enough of both. Also, try walking or stretching between study activities to help clear your mind and reset your brain for new information.

Build in flexibility

An adult learner needs a flexible mindset and a flexible schedule. Build slack into your schedule to help manage unforeseen obstacles. Life happens. Plan accordingly.

Know when it’s celebration time

Celebrate milestones. Acknowledge a job well done. Give yourself and others permission to be proud of your hard work ­–­ and mark the progression towards your degree.

Compromise

At times, there will not be enough time to get things done the way you want. When those times happen, trade in excellence for efficiency. Sometimes, good enough has to be good enough.

Follow study techniques

Make your place a perfect study environment without hindrances. Break up large projects or units into smaller tasks and carry on. Make the habit of reading through the complete comprehension and avert jumping to the last questionnaire. When you have doubts, make sure to ask your teacher the next day rather than carrying it until the day of exam. Complete projects and homework at time rather than procrastinating.

Use all your free time

When you possess some free time like waiting for bus, sitting in a bus, walking, jogging and more, these chances can be assumed as opportunities and a review of your subject can be run over.

Review of the subject

When you’re in class waiting for the teacher, make use of the time to review or revise the previous lessons. This helps you to recollect and also use the minimum time in a productive manner.

Tests and exams

Consider each test and exam conducted as important and prepare with utmost care. Once you’re prepared, these portions can be revised again each time another test appears. This saves time which you can use it up on other subjects.

Plan for weekly reviews

Weekly reviews are considered important, each week it is mandatory to review your list and make sure you accomplished your planned tasks. Be aware of the exams and deadline that are approaching and make sure you are updated and have completed all studies till date.

Resources can help you

In order to complete your tasks by time and to avert wasting time, students can seek the help of teachers, tutors, keywords for online help and more. These sources can be the best solution to solve your queries and save time.

Reviewing after class

In order to be stable with the lessons taught, students can review or revise the lessons immediately once the teacher leaves the class. When such a revision is done, it fixes the taught lesson in mind and never forgets. By this way time is utilized on learning technique.

Do not procrastinate

The best way to be keep track of studies as a student is by avoiding procrastination. Once a student procrastinates, time is wasted and the work is again delayed. Whatever may be the task, it should be accomplished at the scheduled time.

Make up all classes

It is important to cover up all the classes if you’ve missed one as this is considered as an efficient task when a class or lesson is missed. It is good to learn the missed lesson as it compensates your absence.

Avoiding commitments at peak time:

When your busy with your test, assignments, exams, midterms and more make it clear to shed away certain commitments with your family and friends. Birthday party, Christmas preparation, or any other important event can be postponed to enjoy later. Make it a habit to dedicate time for studies first and the rest later.

One must be aware of the actual use of time that is available along with the busy schedule and timetable. Successful study can be achieved by managing time in the right way. The smarter and best students are ones who utilize their time in an effective way. Time management skill can be a bit frustrating, but once you’re mastered the same, then you can reap the best benefits from life. 

Be aware of how you use your time as one resource in organizing, prioritizing and succeeding in your studies.