Time Management: Academics

Time Management


Have you ever gotten into a rut where you've got so much going on that you can't sit down to study? What you need to do is develop your time management skills. Here I'll discuss a few steps you can take to manage your time better and make room for your academics.

🌾 Evaluate ðŸŒ¾

Step back and look at where your time goes. What do you invest your time in? Do you waste time between/after classes? Do you waste time talking excessively with friends/family? Is your commute to and from school/uni too long? Find out where most of your time goes.

🌾 Prioritise ðŸŒ¾

Now that you know where most of your time goes, you need to prioritise. What do have to do? What can you put aside/sacrifice? During your academic year, you will have to give up some hobbies that aren't contributing to your academics. Breaks are necessary but don't let a break from your work turn into hours of wasted time. Prioritise.

🌾 Make a Schedule ðŸŒ¾

Once you prioritise your tasks, make a daily schedule/to-do list. Plan out necessary tasks the night before or the week before. Make it realistic and flexible. Set yourself deadlines to motivate you to complete those tasks. Try your best not to deviate from your schedule/to-do list to avoid wasting time. By making a schedule/to-do list you're prioritising your time and preventing yourself from wasting time on unnecessary tasks. 

🌾 Take Every Opportunity ðŸŒ¾

After making your schedule you should hopefully be able to find little gaps of time in your day which you don't take advantage of. If there are 20 minutes before/between classes use that time to revise or get some work done. During your lunch break if there's time left over, use that to read over something, revise a particular (small) topic or catch up on assignments. If you have a long car journey use that to actively recall what you've learnt and test yourself. The time you waste on your phone could be spent doing something to further your academic career. 

🌾 Rest ðŸŒ¾

Getting 6-8 hours of sleep every night is important; it means that you'll be able to pay attention and get the most out of your work and the time you spend on it. After a long school day we all feel low on energy which is fine, but don't let that become an excuse for not doing your work. Take a short nap (30-45 minutes) and eat a light meal to get your energy back up. Walk around, refresh your mind and dive back into your work. 

BONUS: Here's an article with a bunch of useful time management apps. Have a scroll through it and download any apps that you think could help you

If you want to track your daily habits you can use the Habitica app which makes it very fun to get things done https://habitica.com/static/home  The best part is that it's free!

Conclusion:
If you're serious about your academic goals you will follow through with managing your time. Only you can push yourself to do something. If you really want to find time for studying, you will find it. On the other hand, if you're looking for excuses you'll find them. It's up to you which one you make time for. 

Summary:
  • Evaluate
  • Prioritise
  • Schedule/plan
  • Use every free moment
  • Rest
Good luck with your time management skills and keep shining ✨

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