“Time is Money” - Benjamin Franklin.
Time is precious and hence has to be spent wisely, especially by the student community. Whether you have to attend a class, prepare for exams, present to the class or arrange a group study, time is indeed crucial. But how can students strike the right balance when they have to complete so many tasks? Here’s how you can effectively use the most expensive and valuable resource, ”time”.
Key highlights:
- Time Management Tips for Students
- Know Your Goals
- Start Early
- Know All Your Deadlines
- Right Use of Technology
- Pomodoro Technique
- Eliminate Distractions
- Prioritise Tasks - Eat the Frog Technique
- Focus on One Task at a Time
- Create a Schedule
Time Management Tips for Students
Know Your Goals
If you don’t know what tasks you have to achieve, you will not be able to plan your schedule. So start with identifying the goals you have to accomplish in the short-term and long- term. Begin by listing down all the tasks that need your immediate attention.
| Short-term goals examples | Long-term goals examples |
|---|---|
| Class presentation | Semester or final exams |
| Group study | Project work |
| Weekly test | Dissertation |
Start Early
This is one of the underrated and underappreciated methods of managing time. Imagine this - every student gets 24 hours a day and has similar tasks to complete in their academic life. Let’s say you start getting up at 6:00 am instead of your usual 8:00 am. You get two extra hours, which you can effectively utilise to study more.
Also, you can start working on that project or presentation early. For instance, if your assignment is due in the last week of the month. How about working on it from the start of the month? It’s fantastic, try it.
Know All Your Deadlines
How to manage time wisely for students in case of short deadlines? Multiple tasks to be achieved in a short time frame can easily stress you out, but not if you know all the deadlines and plan to achieve them one assignment at a time.
Here’s how to meet deadlines
- List your deadline
- Put them on the sticky notes
- Use checklists
- Start with small tasks
- Design a plan to achieve them one by one
Right Use of Technology
You can either let technology rob your time or save your time. If you often lose track of time on social media websites, you will have to limit your screen time. Although socialising is essential, you should avoid devoting the time allotted to studies to connect with your friends.
Here’s how to use technology for time management
- Utilise the calendar and timers to plan your studies and other activities
- Download time management apps
- Use an online task manager
Pomodoro Technique
It is one of the most powerful time management strategies for students that helps you break your habit of procrastinating and use your time efficiently.
Here’s how it works
- Identify the task at hand
- Allot 25 minutes for this task alone
- Devote yourself to this assignment for 25 minutes
- Take a breather for 5 minutes
- Repeat this until you achieve your goal by taking longer breaks as your progress
Eliminate Distractions
These days, students are distracted by social media apps, phones, TV, etc., which steal valuable hours. Effective time management is impossible without a dedicated focus on minimising interruptions. So, you can study space that is strictly television and cell phone-free. By intentionally removing these triggers, you can increase your productivity and focus on your studies.
Prioritise Tasks - Eat the Frog Technique
You need to recognise that not all tasks carry the same weight, so it is essential for you to categorise your workload instead of diving in randomly. By using the “Eat That Frog” technique, you can tackle your most difficult or complex assignment first thing in the morning when your energy levels are at their highest.
You can also use a prioritisation matrix to sort your tasks into three categories - urgent and important (do immediately), important but not urgent (schedule for later), and neither (delete).
Focus on One Task at a Time
While you might feel like you’re accomplishing more by juggling multiple assignments, splitting your attention is actually an ineffective way to learn. You should aim to give your full attention to one specific goal, whether it’s writing an essay or solving a math problem, before moving on to the next. By eliminating multitasking, you reduce the risk of errors and avoid the energy drain that comes from constantly switching gears.
Create a Schedule
You can use a digital schedule planner or note it down in your journal. In the planner, allot time for lectures, studies, socialising, sports, and so on. It’s also wise to remain flexible and consider small time buffers, as tasks can often take a bit longer than originally expected. Also, please don’t forget to assign 7-8 hours to sleep, which is essential to staying healthy.
So, these are some time management tips to boost your productivity. If you are planning your higher education, the best tip, in this case, would be to opt for an education loan to finance your education independently.
At Avanse Financial Services, we offer a student loan in India that covers the holistic cost of education, including tuition fees, accommodation costs, living expenses, cost of learning devices and other education-related expenses. If you have any queries, please feel free to connect with us.
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