There is a quote that says, "Time is money". It represents how important time is for everyone. Time is something that waits for none. You only get 24 hours to manage your daily responsibilities. Considering a student's life, we know how busy it is. They have many things to manage which includes their coaching classes, assignments, school, exams and other co-curricular activities. With planning and using time rationally, they'll be able to accomplish more tasks and get free time to enjoy as well. Here are a few time management tips and strategies for students to help them manage their time efficiently.
1. Identify Time-Wasters and Set Goals
Considering the vulnerability and innocence of students, it is easy for them to get distracted. All they need to do is pay attention to the things that draw their focus away from studies and assignments such as social media, mindlessly texting and calling, spending too much time on online gaming sites, etc. Students need to set a goal not to immerse in those activities during their dedicated study time. Instead, use the internet and mobile phones for finding educational and study related stuff to enhance their academic performance.
2. Tackle Small Tasks to Start
The large assignments and annual exams often trigger the anxiety level and nervousness in students. As a result, they tend to procrastinate a lot and get a heap of things to do at the last moment. Start with shorter and simpler activities and then move on to larger assignments or projects. Try to complete the easy ones first and then spend your effective hours on the complex ones with proper concentration. This will help them to build a base for bigger tasks.
3. Do One Thing at a Time
Doing multiple things at a time will affect your productivity. Try to focus on one thing at a time and don’t switch to another until and unless the one before it is completed. It will enhance the quality of your work. Multitasking is a skill that one develops with time.
4. Establish Routines
Setting a routine is the best way to complete your tasks on time. It will bring discipline and an organized set to your work. By following a routine, students can focus on all of their work equally.
5. Take Time Off
Continuous working hours will make you tired and often affect your productivity. Try to take some time off from your busy schedules. But that does not mean spending hours in front of mobile phones and screens. Give your mind some rest and meditate for a few minutes. Meditation will improve your concentration and productivity
Time Management Skills for Students
Efficient time management begins with the right set of skills. These skills take time to develop and often vary from person to person. Through exploration and practice, one would get to know the set of skills and what works best for their personality traits. Here are a few time management skills for students and how to develop them:
1. Plan Ahead by Creating a To-Do List
Look for the daily activities that students need to do and then spend time completing that task, so they don't panic at the last moment. This gives them a clear picture for the day. The list of priorities will guide them to ensure that they know what to do and when to do. It will prioritize their work according to their mood and help them to complete all their tasks on time.
2. Start Early
Start your day early to take full benefits of the whole day. Try to do some yoga and exercises for the well-being of mental and physical health. If you start early, you have ample time to think and plan the day. It will help to enhance your productivity and working caliber.
3. Practice Decision Making
Good decision making is one of the essential skills for time management. We often found ourselves indulging in activities that are not much required. Try to say “NO” to the tasks that are less important to you. It will help you to get time for the tasks that are of utmost importance.
4. Set Up Deadlines
Set deadlines to give yourself a clear picture for the amount of time you have left with. Try to set a deadline before your submission date to not panic at the last moment because of the constant pressure and anxiety.
Time Management Techniques for Students
1. Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique is one of widely used and effective techniques to manage time. This technique uses a timer to break down your work into intervals. Each interval is called a “Pomodoro”.
2. Parkinson’s Law
According to Parkinson’s law, “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” It means, the amount of time you give yourself to complete a specific task is the amount of time it will take you to complete that task.
3. Rapid Planning Method (RPM)
RPM stands for rapid planning method. It is a technique to train your brain to believe and focus on a vision of what you aspire, so you can turn it into reality.
4. Pickle Jar Theory
This technique will help to distinguish between what is important and what is not important in your daily life. It allows you to focus on the tasks that are of utmost importance and set priorities for the day.
5. Eat That Frog Technique
This technique is inspired by Mark Twain’s quote that stated, “Eat a live frog the first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” It means that one should start their day by doing the most burdensome tasks earlier and getting them cleared from their priority list. It will help them to get rid of the stress and focus on other things more calmly.
Conclusion
Time Management is one of the important skills for students. Their lives are full of responsibilities and have tasks to complete with alarming deadlines. These practical time management online learning classes will help them to manage their time efficiently and can lead to a happier and more successful life by completing tasks on time. It will help students to be disciplined and organized. With daily practice of prioritizing tasks, one will be able to develop these skills which is a path to a productive academic performance.