Effective Time Management Tips for Students

As we grow older, our responsibilities seem to increase rather quickly. Having to juggle making time for work, school, friends, family and alone time can feel close to impossible. There are only so many hours in a day, and finding a way to use that time wisely is harder than it looks.  Having poor management skills is a trait that most can relate to. A few skills that can improve your time management are, writing everything down in a planner, being honest and realistic about your time, and having daily to-do lists. 

Coming from someone who has terrible memory and constantly forgets plans, getting a planner will change the way you manage your time. A planner is an affordable solution to a common problem. On most phones you can find a planner for free, and if  handwriting is more your style than you can find an affordable one at most supply stores. With it, you can see what tasks you need to get done and by when. You can also see what you can set aside for later and make new plans. Planning keeps you organized and can give you the opportunities to never miss deadlines and important dates. 

When learning how to manage your time you also have to be honest and realistic. You can’t try to juggle too many things at once because the most that it can do is give you stress and ruin your credibility.  There are only so many hours in a day and you must schedule your priorities before anything else. You can’t allow distractions and little white lies to affect your goals. If you know that you can't just watch one episode of your favorite show, then don't try to convince yourself that after the first episode finishes you'll get to cleaning or you'll start on your work. This also goes when you are making plans with other people. There are times when we simply can't make plans with others knowing that you won't give it your full attention.  Saying “No” is not mean or bad, sometimes there's just no time. 

Having daily  to-do lists can help you complete small goals that can help you achieve your bigger goals. It can help you feel productive and help you control your time better.