Five Ways to Manage Your Time Better
It’s that time of year again! Spring semester is quickly coming to an end! Before you picture yourself on the beach with a drink in your hand and your Ray Bans on, you have to get through the rest of this semester. With final projects piling up, internships still in full force, and part-time jobs sucking up any modicum of free time you have left, time savers and life hacks are more valuable now than ever. Improving your time management skills is a surefire way to survive finals (at least with less school-induced meltdowns). As a chronic time manager myself, I live by a few simple rules that keep me organized between school, work, and internships. Keep scrolling to see my top 5 tips to divide your time more effectively and finish the semester strong!
1. Make Weekly Lists
I know this step might seem like a cookie-cutter tip, but I swear by it. Making a list of my assignments allows me to visually see what my week will be like. Although it can be stressful to see all of your unfinished tasks in front of you, nothing feels better than crossing items off your list.
2. Plan Realistically (and Stick to It!)
Once you actually sit down and attempt to plan out your weekly assignments, you might get a bit too ambitious for your own good. If you have an hour or two free in between classes, you should plan to get some studying in, start a large assignment, or complete a small task. However, it would not be realistic to say that you are going to start and finish a research paper in that allotted amount of time.
3. No Amount of Time is Too Small to Get Some Work Done
Your quick breaks in between classes or before your shift at work are optimal times to get little assignments done. When I’m on my lunch break at my internship, I try to do a bit of homework while eating instead of watching Netflix or going out to lunch with my coworkers. Taking a few lunch breaks a week to work on an assignment allows me to finish my task by Friday without actually feeling like I took the time to do it.
4. Finish Assignments Ahead of Time
This one is annoying, but helpful if or when something unexpected pops up. Scheduling yourself to complete assignments or job tasks even one day before they are due gives you extra time in case of unanticipated conflicts. This way, if you get sick or happen to forget about an assignment, you can put your schedule on the back burner for a bit to focus on the most important things.
5. Reward Yourself
Successful time management leaves so much guilt-free time for yourself! Take the extra time to go out with friends, or stay at home in bed with Netflix and a pizza. After you kill your finals, hand all of your projects in on time (or early), and remain professional at work and your internship, you can get into summer mode!
I hope these tips help you to stay calm during these last couple months of the semester before summer is in full effect. Keep calm and plan on!
