Time is an abstract construct of our mind that exerts complete control over our lives and activities. Binds and guides all our thoughts & actions. It influences everything we think and do and is probably one of the most precious intangible resources for any sentient & intelligent living being.
The importance of time is evident from the events we witness and the experiences we gather. Therefore, proper time management is something every person must learn to get the most out of the time in their hand. Be it a professional project or oxford assignment help ace everything.
This article goes through some practical time-management tips for college students. So, let’s dive right in.
Potent Time Management Tips For College Students
Determine Your Priorities
Time management is all about taking the right decision and making the most of your time. Developing this crucial skill can help one not just in their academics but also in their personal & professional lives.
The best way to start is by setting goals & priorities and following a strict, disciplined schedule. Discipline is vital since nothing works unless you consistently stick to your time management plan. Begin by developing a weekly priority list and setting dates on the calendar.
- Prepare a weekly priority list and note all short-term & long-term commitments. Then, list everything that you need to & want to achieve throughout the week on a priority basis.
- Use the weekly list to break down long-term assignments into manageable chunks and monitor your progress using the list.
Using this system, you can identify the things you need to read, research, or write. In addition, you can also review test schedules & expansive assignments and prepare accordingly.
- List all critical dates in a calendar. These dates are your goals, so refer to them as necessary and sync your weekly priority list with the dates in the calendar.
Note when all assignments, coursework, reports, projects, and dissertations are due. And record all scheduled dates for mid-terms, semester, interviews, etc., on the calendar.
Demarcate Your Time
College students need to divide and set a specific time to create an effective time management schedule.
The following five steps may be of aid.
- Identify committed time: Take note of what you must do or will do and record the appropriate & approximate time taken. Classes, assignment writing, commuting, etc., fall under this category.
- Identify personal time: Record the time you need for your personal activities. Essential activities separate from academics and similar commitments make up this list, such as eating, sleeping, working out, family & house activities, hobbies & entertainment activities, etc.
- Now estimate the studying time: Use the two-for-one rule, that is, for every one hour of class each week, plan to spend two hours studying outside the classroom. So, if you spend 12 hours in class every week, try to delegate at least 24 hours of study time in your weekly schedule.
Try to allocate more time for difficult classes and less for easier ones. Eventually, you will realize and learn how much time you will need to master each subject.
- Establish A Specific Study Plan:
- Determine the high and low periods of concentration. Understand which subjects motivate & excite you—Reserve peak times for intensive studying and low periods for rewriting, copying, typing, etc.
- Schedule study times following class and course structures.
- Study in chunks for better effectiveness. Focus on studying hard for 50 minutes, followed by a 10-minute break. Use these breaks as a reward system for achieving your study goals within time.
- Set realistic goals. Understand your capabilities & limitations. For example, studying a subject for 2 hours on four nights is better than 8 hours at a single stretch.
- Work on complex subjects and assignments at first. This is natural as our mind is fresh and our focus sharp when we start studying. As a result, you can concentrate better and get things done faster.
- Practice distributed learning. Space your studies over an extended period.
Say you are studying machine learning in-depth. Then, dedicate a chunk of time for strengthening stats, understanding learning concepts, and another set period for solving exercises.
- Disconnect from social media! Silence your cell phone and resist the urge to do something else while studying.
- Keep yourself fit. Eat a balanced meal, try to get at least six hours of sleep at night, and rest quietly to relax your mind. Remember, your mental and physical aptitude is central to your performance and success. So, leave enough time to repair and rejuvenate quickly.
Revise Your Plane Accordingly
Apply the above-defined time demarcations and schedules and determine how it suits you & your work. Then, modify it as per your needs and purposes. Just remember to keep your plan sensible, flexible, and well-balanced.
As we round up, we leave you with some intuitive time management tips from a Massachusetts Institute of Technology student from his MIT Admissions blog.
Time Management Tips From A MIT Under-Graduate
Make a schedule
You will have more time in your hands if you jot down everything you intend to do in a week. Start by making a weekly schedule and note things that do not change from week to week, such as class times, coursework times, workouts, etc.
Use this schedule to delegate appropriate chunks of time to things that vary, such as studying and assignment writing times, etc.
Find time-management tools and instruments that work for you.
For example, Post-it or sticky notes, calendars, Google Calendars, Microsoft Outlook, smartphones, etc.- use anything that helps you keep track better.
What you use is entirely up to your discretion but should be effective enough. Make sure to have backups of the set schedule ready if you misplace or forget.
Stick to it!
No plans, techniques, or tools will be effective if you do follow & use them with diligence. Be consistent and persevere through all obstacles to make the best use of it. Resist temptations, avoid distractions, and focus on working hard within time.
The results will be truly remarkable!
Learn as you go and get things done in small chunks of time.
For example, if you are dealing with a complicated topic or having classes on a mind-boggling subject, try to study and master concepts as you go. Use notecards to review what’s being taught in class and what you have learned. Study in small portions within an hour and then move on to the next task. So, when you finally decide to study the subject at a stretch, you will get things done much faster and easier.
And, you can apply the same idea for completing significant assignments such as theses or dissertations.
Try to incorporate the above ideas into your management routine.
That rounds up this write-up. I hope the tips and points above help you manage your time better. Time and tide wait for none, so work hard and make the best use. And, if you are a college student who’s overwhelmed with too many assignments, a professional assignment help service can be great!
Author-Bio: Tina Hayden is an assistant professor of chemistry in a reputed college in Manchester, the United Kingdom. She is also a part-time tutor at MyAssignmenthelp.co.uk, a leading assignment helper in the UK.