Time management is probably one of the most efficient skills that we all have to master. Whether you are a working individual, a stay at home mom, or even a student, it is necessary to manage time correctly to be productive. Doing one thing is already difficult; doing two things at once is strenuous.
Between 70%- 80% of college students are reportedly working while studying. For the past years, getting good grades is not the only passage to enter college, unless you get a full scholarship that is. Each year, the cost of tuition keeps on increasing, making the US one of the most expensive countries to study college. The average modest cost of in-state public college for a four- year course is $26,590 while $53, 980 for a private college. No wonder students chose to work part-time or even full-time jobs to sustain their studies.
Being a working student is not easy. It takes guts and a lot of organizing to be able to succeed. For that, we have listed tips for you on how to manage your time wisely to keep up with deadlines, work, and of course, your social life.
College Students Time Management Tips
1. Keep a Planner.
One of the things that will help you keep up with your schedule is by writing everything down. Making use of your phone is good however, you won’t be able to read everything in one place. Besides, it is prone to distractions and most likely you will end up updating or checking your social media sites. (See: Why Use A Paper Planner?).
Another reason why it is important to write everything down is writing leads to richer memory, helping us improve our ability to remember things.
2. Learn to Prioritize.
With all the crazy reports, projects, and homework you have to do, you have to learn to prioritize. After making your to-do list, identify which is more important than the other. We have different ways of prioritizing things, though. Other people prefer to do the easiest task first before moving on to the hardest one while others do it the other way around.
3. Multitasking doesn’t work.
That sinking feeling you get when you think of the exams you have yet to study and reports you need to finish at work. It’s draining. You can’t study while you are doing reports at work. You think you can, but multitasking doesn’t work at all. Our brain’s capacity doesn’t expand when we do two things at once. It will split our focus instead. The quality of our work will be compromised and studying won’t be as effective.
4. Do not forget to sleep.
Back when I was in college, pulling an all-nighter seemed like a normal thing to do. However, it didn’t do well for me at all. I had this exam on a subject I wasn’t a fan of so I decided to pull an all-nighter thinking it will help me understand the subject more. Nope, it didn’t. Not one bit. That is why never deprive yourself of sleep. When you do, the brain loses its efficiency and won’t be beneficial when you study.
Remember, when pulling an all-nighter, you will just lose more than what you earn, for it only activates short-term memory and not long- term.
5. Do not forget yourself.
Make some time for yourself. Once you have all your schedule laid out, don’t be afraid to take a moment and unwind. Make memories in your college days. When you look back, you won’t just remember the work and the exams but also those times you let yourself free and have fun.