How to Improve Your Time Management as a Student

Your day has 24 hours, 1,440 minutes, and 86,400 seconds. It sounds like a lot, but you still can’t seem to get everything done that you set out to do. Eventually, you need time to recharge your batteries as well.

Photo by: unsplash.com/@kyledevaras

What Takes Up Most of Your Time

According to statistics, you sleep for about 6 to 7 hours, spend 6 hours in school, and then about 2.5 to 3 hours on homework, studying, etc. You spend approximately 2 hours in front of the TV or PC and about 2.5 hours playing on your smartphone or tablet. You also spend about 1.5 hours eating. So, you have 2.5 hours left each day that you can dedicate entirely to yourself... if only you used your time wisely. ;-)

Still, it somehow seems like there’s never enough time for the really important things. If you feel the same way, you can reflect on the following statements:

Which of these could apply to you?

• “I get distracted very easily.”
• “I try to do too many things at once.”
• “I often look for my things.”
• “I tend to procrastinate.”
• “I have trouble concentrating.”
• “I’m always under pressure.”
• “I’m usually unmotivated and poorly prepared for tests.”
• “I do a lot of things at the last minute.”

Did you answer “Yes” to almost every question? Then it’s time to get rid of your “time wasters”!

Time Management – Here’s How to Get Started:

School, homework, studying, exams, training, and maybe even looking for an apprenticeship or university place – such a week can be very stressful. To avoid going completely crazy, it’s important to structure your days well.

Good time management helps you handle all tasks and appointments. Of course, you can’t manage time itself: A day has 24 hours, an hour has 60 minutes. That can’t be changed. What you can change, however, is your approach to time. How you use it effectively and consciously for yourself and your goals.

It all starts with one question: What goals do you actually have? Only when you know where you want to go can you plan the way to get there. To better organize your time, you should first reflect on yourself and your habits:

• Analyze how you spend your day. Document every step and write down how long each task takes.
• Do you work concentrated, or do you get distracted frequently?
• Also, consider your personal biorhythm. When are you particularly energetic? When does everything seem to be going wrong? Note down these times so you can make the most of your high-performance periods.

Once you know how you work, it’s time to set priorities:

• Which tasks are important?
• Which are urgent?
• Which are unimportant and can be left for now?

Organize your tasks accordingly. Now you can decide when to tackle which to-dos and how much time you should allocate for them. Be sure to leave room for breaks and unexpected events.

The Biggest Time Wasters:

An exciting series, a new app, or hours of scrolling on Instagram and TikTok – sometimes everything seems more exciting than doing homework. The notorious time wasters… They are sneaky and can mess up even the best time management. The most common culprits are surfing the web, watching TV, social media, and of course, being tired. Before you know it, it’s 3 AM, and you haven’t done anything you planned to do.

Pro Tips:

• Make a Not-to-Do list. Write down what you absolutely should not waste time on today. It’s like a priority list – but in reverse. This way, you’ll keep track of your time wasters.
• Use the “Salami Technique” and break down large tasks into smaller ones – this way, you’ll reach milestones faster, and it won’t feel like the big task is overwhelming you.
• Keep Calm! Don’t forget regular breaks! No one stays highly focused for two hours straight. So give yourself small breaks in between!

Author: Team scoolio

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