Are you sleeping enough? Studying enough? Do you feel like you are doing everything you want to do in a day? Let’s face it — time management is not always easy to conquer. Being a college student is a full-time job that takes major planning, organization and commitment. Luckily, there are plenty of resources out there to assist college students in building an ideal schedule and prioritizing tasks like homework.
Taking a small portion out of your day to create your time management plan can do wonders for your stress levels and provide you with more time to enjoy the things you love most. Below, you will find some helpful time management tools that could and should be implemented in your weekly routine for maximized success:
- Create a schedule: This schedule will not only assist you in remembering when that class is, but it will also help you figure out when the best study times are, when to squeeze that gym session in and what days you are most available for social events. You can create your weekly schedule with the Office of Undergraduate Student Success to figure out an ideal routine that fits your lifestyle and needs.
- Prioritize tasks: If you have dozens of obligations on your mental to-do list, consider writing them down. What is most important and should be completed immediately? What can be put off until later in the week, and what can be thrown away in your imaginary garbage can? This small activity will help you zoom in on your tasks and feel so much more organized.
- Ignore the FOMO: “Fear of Missing Out,” that is. There’s a lot going on at NSU, and sometimes it can be hard to say “no” to an invite or event. Realizing that you can’t be in three places at once and that it is absolutely necessary to say “no” to some opportunities is a major key to your success. Consider your goals, and make decisions that will propel you forward in that direction.
- Use a calendar/planner: Whether it’s a planner you buy at the bookstore or the calendar built into your cellphone, use it. A planner will help you visualize all of your upcoming exams, meetings and other responsibilities. It will also help you avoid double-booking yourself, motivate you to finish tasks on time and assist you in feeling organized.
Remember, it is completely normal to feel overwhelmed at times. The key is to recognize when this feeling is getting out of hand so that you can take action to better organize your time and focus on priorities. Once you start using the tools listed above, that watch of yours is going to start slowing down, and you’ll have more time to do the things you weren’t always putting first, like sleep. On top of more rest and relaxation, you will have sufficient windows of time to study for classes and a stronger grasp of how to conquer your coursework — it doesn’t get any better than that.
