8 Effective Time Management Tips for Students: How to Make Your Life More Organized
There are thousands of jokes about students waiting until the last minute to finish their assignments. Let’s be honest – we have all been there. There is nothing worse than feeling anxiety right before deadlines hit. Luckily, that can be avoided with effective time management strategies. Especially if you look closer into time management tips especially for students.
I will introduce you to some ways to improve your time management and give you tips on how to get your planning on the top level.
Create a detailed to-do list for successful Time Management
It might seem a bit too obvious, but often the main reason for not meeting deadlines is a lack of planning. So the first time management tip for students is creating to-do lists. It is important because then you can prioritize and see what exactly needs to be done. Try to make the list of your assignments as detailed as possible. Include information on when particular tasks are due and how much time you need to finish them.
Highlight assignments that are a priority – this way, you won’t get lost in the many responsibilities. If you do have time and deadlines aren’t lurking upon you, it is a great idea to do tasks according to your mood.
For example, writing an essay will be more productive if you are in creative spirits. Studying for an upcoming exam, however, may be easier if you are feeling focused.
Schedule everything
Sure, the idea of scheduling your life in minutes may seem a bit daunting, but it can really do miracles. The most successful people in the world have their days planned out in seconds. Did you know that actor Mark Whalberg wakes up at 2:30 every single day?
Now, you don’t have to go in such excesses, but creating an everyday routine can be really beneficial. However, writing to-do lists is great, but they won’t do you any good if you don’t actually follow them. Instead of checking your email every few minutes, schedule a couple of times in your day to process it.
If you need to make a call about a school project – put it in your calendar. Or – even better – create a recurring time block for this activity every day.
Avoid potential distractions when studying
Effective time management strategies are useless if there are many distractions in your life. Our lives without cell phones, social media, and friends would be unimaginable. Unfortunately, they make focusing that much harder. Who cares about school work when Rihanna has just announced her pregnancy, right?
But if you wish to boost your productivity, you have to learn how to stay away from distractions. Did you know that the average US smartphone user gets 46 push notifications every day? When we are constantly being interrupted, time management won’t help.
That is why it is so important to turn off your phone and sign out of your social media accounts when it is time to get to work. Alternatively, you can make use of apps like Forest. I uploaded a full Forest tour on my YouTube channel if you are interested.
Focus on one thing at a time
Say “no” to multitasking! Despite what was advertised a few years back, multitasking isn’t an effective way of learning because you have to split your attention between different assignments. Many studies have shown that our brain takes up to 40 percent more time to switch from one task to another.
So you could finish whatever you have to do more efficiently and effectively if you try to focus on your assignments one at a time.
Make use of time management tools
Internet is not only great for learning TikTok dances and watching make-up tutorials on Instagram. Nowadays, there are many free tools that can help with time management. Whether it is an app for your phone, a software program, or a digital planner, you can easily make your life more organized.
A great option is Outlook, a software program that allows you to schedule events in the future and also send you reminders when they are approaching. “Wrike”, “Remember the Milk”, “Todoist,” and “RescueTime” are other great examples of apps that can help with time management strategies.
Learn how to delegate
Let’s be honest – delegating tasks to others is one of the most challenging things in life, especially if you are a perfectionist at heart. But – to survive this complicated world – it is something one must learn to do. Delegating tasks is one of the best ways to improve time management.
If you are doing a group project, there is no reason for you to be responsible for all aspects of it. That just isn’t productive. Each person has their strengths. For example, one student can be responsible for the choice of literature, while another student can focus on formatting.
This way, each has a specific task they give their full attention to and make the most of the time they have.
Set time limits for specific tasks
Another excellent time management tip for students is to set limits for specific assignments. Sometimes reading e-mails or creating the design of a presentation can take up a lot of time. You shouldn’t let one task take over your whole day – that is, neither productive nor efficient.
Instead, think of a specific limit. For example, devote an hour to check your e-mail.
Last Time Management Tip: Use your time wisely
There is nothing more annoying than standing in long queues or waiting for appointments. However, you can always find something good within the bad. Use this time to do something productive. Thanks to technology, you can work and study from almost any place in the world.
Whether you need to read a book, plan out a project or a presentation or even fulfill a spreadsheet, it can be easily done from your smartphone or laptop. Even 15 minutes can make a big difference. So instead of scrolling through Instagram, complete the tasks you need.
There is no doubt having time management skills for students is crucial. Not only does it improve the overall work-life balance, but it can also increase happiness, reduce stress and benefit you in many other ways. What is the fun of working all day? If you plan your time wisely, you will be able to get more done in less time.
