Got a Minute? Make Room for School with Simple Time Management Tools
Do you find yourself at the end of the week feeling like you got nothing done? Think there are just not enough hours in the day? As beneficial as the evolvement of the Information Superhighway has turned out with virtual access to all kinds of information, online banking, shopping, chatting and dating, we’re no longer given much room for downtime. If you are a working adult considering or already attending distance education, it may seem overwhelming to find the extra time needed for studies on top of your already busy schedule. But there are a few proven tools that can help you get more value out of your time and improve the quality of your life. The key is to realize that you cannot possibly do everything that there is to do; instead, you must consciously choose how to spend the limited amount of time you have each day. Here are just a few tricks that are sure to help you in your professional and academic life:
- Begin with the end in mind! Visualize your long term picture of success and put it in writing. It could be you holding a diploma in hand, or having your graduate thesis done. Review your goal frequently. Your goal should be specific, measurable, achievable and compatible with where you are now. There should be an end date as well.
- Create a to-do list every morning. This gives you a) a roadmap of what you need to do at the beginning of the day, b) a reminder of what still needs to be done throughout the day and c) a place to check off your accomplishments at the end of the day. Use this time to review past accomplishments as well as future things to do. Include detailed items that can be completed, such as "Find 10 sources about social movement for Communications class ", rather than just "Work on paper."
- Concentrate on results, not on being busy. Many people spend their days in a flurry of activities, but achieve very little because they are not concentrating on the right things. Separate your to-do list into A, B and C priorities. "A" items are important to your long term success, "B" may be urgent but not as important and "C" are those that would be nice to do if you get the time.
- Check off items as you complete them to give yourself a sense of accomplishment. Do it by putting a line through each completed item – this way you will actually see the tasks that you have checked off.
- Be your own manager. Ask yourself if you have met your goals, and what changes you plan to make to achieve them.
- Always plan time for balance; include family, fitness, social and spiritual activities.
- Recognize the false and negative thoughts that may lead to anxiety. Will things really turn out to be as bad as you think? Probably not. When you look to the future, visualize success rather than failure.
- Avoid the escalator or elevator and take the stairs.
- Find opportunities to go for a walk. Ideally, get exercise for thirty minutes at least three times per week.
By applying some of these useful time management tips and skills you are sure to dedicate as much of your time and energy as possible on the high payoff tasks. By applying time management to your academic schedule you are bringing yourself one step closer to that higher degree. Also remember to enjoy the tasks at hand!
Time is at once the most valuable and the most perishable of all our possessions.
- John Randolph