Mastering the Art of Time Management in College: Tips and Strategies for Success
“ Time Flies, Its up to you to be the Navigator” – Robert Orben
In the university, one of the mastery skills that every student is required to master is how to manage their time in the best way possible. Trying to juggle the curriculum, hobbies, friends/family, and self-care can be rather difficult. But when it comes to the use of time, by following the recommended guidelines one can perform well in his or her academics, have less stress, and enjoy college to the fullest.
There are so many things that one can do so as to be well prepared and on time, and this is all about understanding the meaning of time management. Organisation, papers and assignments’ due dates and even family and extra-social life can be managed and achieved efficiently through good time management. It enables one to arrange his or her schedules in the right order that will help in the enhancement of his or her performance in a given class. Also, good time management eradicating stress and anxiety gives students ample time to take a break and rest.
Evaluating Your Present State in the Management of Time
To integrate the new strategies into the time management system, you should evaluate the existing time management styles. Ask yourself the following questions:
- Am I frequently overwhelmed by the amount of work I have to do?’
- Am I often late or do I postpone things?
- Have I felt that there are not enough hours in a day or weeks in a week for me to get personal things done?
- Am I happy with the results that my academic achievements and output provided?
If your response is ‘yes’ to any of these questions, then it becomes necessary top follow the below guidelines/strategies.
1. Set Clear Goals
The first step entails the development of realistic goals for every semester. Big goals should be split into small targets, and the ways of reaching these goals should be defined. It is possible to get direction and motivation by developing SMART objectives based on the items listed above.
2. Create a Schedule
Time management is impossible without a clearly defined schedule, which serves as the basis of the work. Utilise a paper or an online timetable, a weekly planner, a calendar to schedule your day, weekly and monthly plans. This should comprise the classes, study sessions, assignment, organisational activities, and free time. Try to be as punctual as you can but at the same time, keep in mind that emergencies could crop up and you may have to make some slight alterations to the time-tables.
3. Prioritise Tasks
All tasks are not equal, some are considered more critical than others. It is important to categorise tasks into four quadrants:
- Urgent and Important: Chores that need to be completed in the shortest of time possible.
- Important but Not Urgent: Work that is important but can be postponed till sometime in the future, if not done today.
- Urgent but Not Important: Work that requires immediate actions but does not qualify to be an emergency.
- Not Urgent and Not Important: Activities that can be significantly reduced or can even be done away with if possible since they are insignificant in terms of importance.
That is why it is recommended to concentrate on the implementation of the tasks belonging to the first two categories and leave all the others aside for the time being.
4. Avoid Procrastination
Laziness forms part of students’ vices, especially among college going students. Encounter it by further fragmenting the given task into simple subtasks that can easily be accomplished. Practice certain methods like, for the first 25 minutes you work and then you get a 5 minutes break. It also helps in creating specific and important goals which means that it can help in focusing and dealing with large projects more effectively.
5. Utilise Technology Wisely
Time management is one of the most common topics where there are many applications and programmes created for it. Consider using tools like:
a.) Trello or Asana: For project management and looking at the work that has been done and that which has not been done.
b.) Google Calendar or Outlook: This will be used for scheduling your important tasks or events and setting reminders for you.
c.) Forest or Focus@Will: This app will help in providing encouragement and encouragement only when the individual is straying from the books during study sessions.
Technological aid is a beautiful thing, but do not be drawn into the vortex of distractions. Minimise usage of social media and such platforms by using applications that will restrict the access to social media during study sessions.
6. Develop Effective Study Habits
Practical tips are useful for achieving high study results more efficiently.
- Find Your Optimal Study Environment: Find a good and comfortable environment for the body and mind where there is no disturbance.
- Use Active Learning Techniques: Interact with the content by even summarising it, asking own questions and explaining it to others.
- Practice Regularly: Retrieval practice means the active use in studying such techniques as quizzes, which enhances the learning process.
7. Prevent Them Before They Catch You With Fitness and Health Advice
Health and fitness are severally important when handling time. Take care of your health especially by ensuring that you get enough sleep, take your meals and do mild exercises. Relaxation methods like deep breathing and meditation should be done in order to avoid stress. Physical fitness together with mentally health may help in boosting your efficiency and concentration.
8. Learn to Say No
One needs to be sensible and avoid the tendency of extending one’s plates, taking up more than they can handle. It may seem difficult to refuse other tasks or invitations to another party; however, this is quite critical in managing ones’ time. Choose carefully and wisely which tasks and extra-curricular activities to accept or engage in so as not to overburden your time and/or affect your studies.
9. Seek Support and Resources
Do not be too proud to get help from professors or academic advisors as well as fellow students. A common institution characteristic is the availability of general resources like tutorial centres, writing points, and/or time management meetings. Use the resources above to improve the stated skills and or conquer the challenges.
10. Reflect and Adjust
It is recommended to establish a meta cognition procedure where you will constantly monitor and evaluate your timetabling habits and strategies. It may be easier to recognise specific areas for which are providing better results, and in which is necessary to work more. Do not oppose change and remain flexible in your working and thinking processes, in order to determine what is effective for you.
Applying Time Management in Daily Practice
Morning Routine
The first thing in the morning, aim to wake up with a definite plan for the day. Schedule your day and have goals for what you want to achieve and what activities you will focus on. As the morning breaks, so does the previous night; hence a good and productive morning can influence the rest of the day.
Academic Responsibilities
Devote certain portions of the day for going to class, for studying, and for doing homework among others. Utilise active learning methods and incorporate short breaks into the course to ensure scholars’ adherence and attentiveness.
Extracurricular Activities
Bear in mind that work and school come first and try to synchronously plan both academic and extra-curricular activities. Make certain that these activities relate to your goals and are satisfactory to you.
Friends and Leisure
Spend time with friends and family or favourite hobbies. Hobbies and maintaining relationships with other people also help in lowering stress and promoting health.
Self-Care
Observe the need to follow self-care in your daily life. Have regular and proper sleep, engage in physical activity and have the right amount of leisure time to ensure health.
Conclusion
Learning the right time management strategies in college is very crucial for one to excel in their studies as well as their overall health. Focusing on goals, organisation, task prioritisation, time-management, proper utilisation of emergent technology, getting rid of procrastination habit, proper study conduct, accentuating care about one’s own health, learning to reject time-consuming offers, seeking help, as well as proper evaluation of one’s practices would allow to become a true time-manager and achieve the college life experience at its best. Bear in mind that time management is a skill that has to be developed and possesses certain degree of demands, but its results will prove the fact that it is definitely worth it.
Authored By
Shikha Yadav
Assistant Professor
Department of Management & Commerce
The NorthCap University