How to Improve Time Management
Let’s face it, we’re back at college, and we all need a little help figuring out how to fit all of our responsibilities into one day. Sometimes, it just doesn’t seem humanly possible to show up for work, study for a quiz, and get Chick Fil A with your BFF all in one day. I can totally relate. But, plot twist, there is a way to get everything you need to get done all in the right time slot. It’s called managing your time wisely.
Step 1: Print Out a Blank Schedule of Your Week
It sounds corny and lame, but printing out a schedule and physically writing out the things you have to do may just save your life. First of all, it’s a way to force you to think about all the things you have to do and all the things you want to achieve for the week. Second, putting these things into time slots gives you a way to realistically do them all.
Step 2: Setting Priorities
Sometimes, life gives us so many things to do that it’s just not realistic to do them all. Therefore, we have to set priorities, or else we’ll get so stressed out by our responsibilities that we’ll end up giving up and binge-watching The Office on Netflix (not that I’ve ever done that before…). My biggest weapon is the simple art of making lists. Yes, you heard me. LISTS. It sounds so simple, yet, it’s so effective. Grab a pen and a piece of paper, and jot down a few things that are really important for you to achieve these week. Then, underneath that, list a few steps explaining HOW you will achieve those things. If necessary, make realistic goals that you can achieve each day of the week.
Step 3: Cut Yourself Some Slack
So, tomorrow is Monday and it feels like you have 100 things to do before tomorrow or else you will be a total failure. The best thing to do is… cut your self some slack. Take it easy. The worst thing to do in a high-pressure situation is to make your self more stressed out than you actually need to be. Chances are that not everything you are stressing out about needs to be done at THIS VERY MOMENT. So take a deep breath, make a few lists, and relax.