Five tips to help you make the most of the time you have
Did you ever find yourself saying, “I wish I had just one more hour in my day to get things done”? Well, you’re certainly not alone. When balancing multiple obligations, including school, work and family tasks, it can certainly be a challenge to get everything done, and you may feel frustrated at the end of the day when that doesn’t happen.
However, there are some steps you can take toward better time management to assist you in prioritizing your tasks. Taking these steps can help you stay on track and also reduce your stress levels.
- Make a schedule – and stick to it: One of the best ways to improve your time management is by organizing your days and weeks in advance, preferably using a calendar or handy schedule you can keep with you. This ensures that you don’t miss any upcoming projects and can jot down any additional to-dos that can pop up during the day. Keeping a schedule can also help you identify patterns and recurring tasks.
- Prioritize: While this might be a challenge initially in developing your time management skills, knowing which projects and tasks are the most urgent and critical will help you use your time to the best of your ability. For example, it might make more sense to work on an assignment for class that is shorter in duration (but due next week), verses a class project that is more involved and won’t be due until next month.
- Address distractions: No matter what you do to keep distractions to a minimum, they will occur here and there. Keep in mind, not all distractions are bad: Set aside a few minutes to go for a walk, visit a friend or take a break outside to get some air. But be mindful of distractions that can undo your time management efforts, such as spending too much time on social media, constantly checking your emails or texting non-stop. Those distractions can eat up too much of your time, and you could find yourself getting behind on your classwork and other needed tasks.
- There’s an app for that: Use technology to your advantage. There are a number of time management apps available for Android and iOS devices to help you with time management, including Rescue Time (to help determine where you are using your time), Focus Booster (to help you stay focused and reduce distractions), and Google Calendar (to keep your calendar and tasks organized).
- Get enough sleep: Believe it or not, getting enough sleep is not only essential for overall good health, but to also ensure you have enough energy and concentration to complete assignments and other tasks. For example, getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep a night and consistently studying is better for overall time management (and your health!), verses pulling an all-nighter.
Taking these steps can help you ensure you are making the most of your time, resulting in less stress and increased focus and productivity.
At Dawn Career Institute, our Student Services team can help you with a variety of resources to help you manage your time, including housing, child care and transportation needs. Visit DawnCareerInstitute.edu for more information.
