College can both be fun and stressful! The key to effectively handling your stress and organizing your workload is time management. Below are some quick and easy tips to follow.
- Use your calendar or planner. Schedule fixed blocks of time first, like class and work time. Don’t forget to include time for daily activities like sleeping and eating. Indicate important dates like test dates, project or paper due dates, exam periods, and your final exam schedule. Use your calendar to help you plan ahead so you don’t get behind!
- Set time for errands. It is easy to overlook the time we spend buying toothpaste, paying bills, and doing laundry. Plan for these errands so you don’t have to feel rushed during the week.
- Set realistic goals. Don’t set yourself up for failure by telling yourself you can do a four-hour job in two hours. There are only 168 hours in a week. If you schedule 169 hours, you lose before you begin.
- Allow flexibility in your schedule. Recognize that unexpected things will happen and plan for the unexpected. Leave some “holes” in your schedule; build in blocks of unplanned time.
- Avoid scheduling marathon study sessions. Three three-hour sessions are usually far more productive than one nine-hour session. When you have to study in long sessions, stop and rest for a few minutes every hour. Give your brain a chance to take a break.
- Schedule time for you. Exercise, go to cultural activities, build relationships, and don’t forget to have some fun.
- Have a tough task to do? DO IT NOW. Don’t procrastinate. If the task looks overwhelming, break it into smaller, more manageable parts.
- Learn to say, “NO!”