You may notice, within the first week or so of starting college, that managing your time is already one of the biggest challenges you have. You are going to have much to do and can probably already see that your college life and your productivity are going to depend on effective time management skills. You realize already that unless you take control of your time, you will not be able to take control of your life or college workload and this is a daunting thought. Here are some simple and practical tips to help you gain control of your time and life.
Focus on the results you are getting and not on how overwhelmed you are. So many people live their days in a flurry of activities with little to show for it; no wonder frustration and stress levels are sky high so much of the time and people feel immobilized. Stress and frustration will do this. Concentrate your efforts on the things that matter the most.
How long do you spend every day on unimportant things that distract you from your task at hand which is success in college? How often do you wish that the days were longer and that if you only had more time you could accomplish so much more? If this thinking is pervading your thoughts, then you need to start setting goals by keeping a schedule and making to-do lists. By doing this you will be much better organized, reliable and effective.
Procrastination can be a college student’s nemesis and should be avoided at all costs. Completing tasks at the last minute or always asking for extensions is very stress producing and emotionally costly. Always thinking that you will have time ‘later’ to complete a task could be your downfall. Try to figure out why you are procrastinating so that you can set new goals, refocus yourself and begin tasks promptly.
Prioritizing what you need to do and accomplish is especially important. Without prioritization, you may be working very hard and feeling like you are getting nowhere. This is where a “to do” list comes in. But it cannot be a random list, it must be structured for maximum effectiveness. Set your list up strategically in any way that makes sense to you (most important to least important, easiest to hardest etc.) so that when deadlines are approaching you won’t find yourself totally frustrated trying to get something critical done at the last minute.
Whatever you do, you need an organized system that allows you to handle your workload regardless of the pressures placed on you. Time management skills are the keys to your college success; get serious about effectively managing your time and you will never again have to worry about what needs to get done or where you are going. You will be on your way to knowing your goals, maximizing your effectiveness and winning control of your life and time.
Sue Behlmar writes eduaction related articles for the American Educational Guidance Center. Subjects of her articles include online colleges, financial aid and online degrees most likely to lead to career advancement.
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