Until you have been in college, you can’t possibly comprehend how much of your time it will take up. But it doesn’t mean that you have to give up the important things in your life. You can still spend time with your family, indulge in your favorite hobbies, and even watch your favorite television shows. In fact, you should do all these things! If you do nothing but work, you will soon burn out and your studies will suffer. They key is to find balance between your college life and your personal life.
Here are a few time management tips that can help you manage your time while you are in college:
- Allot the time you need for each task. How much time do you need to complete an assignment? How much time is needed to study for a test? For reading? For reviewing class notes? For group projects. Set a time for each thing that you need to do and try to stick to that time as much as possible.
- Choose a time management system that works for you. Once upon a time people used day timers or similar books to write down assignments and things that they needed to keep track of. Some people do still prefer to use a physical book. But an easier option might be to use something you’re using every day anyway – your phone. If you have a smartphone it comes with apps for calendars or to-do lists likely. You can also look online and find apps that can be merged with a calendar that you use on the computer. Google Calendar and Lists is great for this because you can have all the information you need on your smartphone or iphone and it will instantly be synced with your Gmail calendar and list. The most important thing when you are using a time management system is that it is easy to use and all your information is in one place.
- Don’t forget about down time. It is important to get your school work done and have time to study but things like playing with your kids, watching your favorite show, going for a walk, or going out for dinner with friends is important, too. Give your brain time to relax so that it will work better when you need it to.
- Leave room to be flexible. Sometimes things happen that aren’t scheduled. Your dog needs to go to the vet or your computer breaks down and needs to be fixed or you get an opportunity to go see your favorite band in concert live. If you’re too structured you won’t be able to do these things or take care of unexpected situations and you’ll end up resenting school. Give yourself some room to breath!