Time can be a limited resource for college students. If your schedule is busy enough, time itself might become a source of stress. Layering your responsibilities back to back becomes exhausting. A few time management hacks can work wonders for the overworked college student.
Not only do you have to fit everything on your to-do list in your schedule, but you also have to find time for family, friends, and rest. To busy college students, this may seem impossible. However, there are ways to help you balance a heavy workload, a social life, and experience rest while maintaining your sanity all at the same time.
1. Identify time-wasters in your life and eliminate them during study time.
Reassessing what works and what does not work can lead to discovering what productivity looks like for you. Review what is working in your schedule and eliminate what isn’t. This can make a world of difference when you begin scheduling the tasks you need to complete.
Try to track what workflow works best for you and create a rhythm to stick to. Separating larger tasks into smaller ones can also prevent you from feeling overwhelmed so you can work more efficiently. Prioritize what’s most important and build your schedule accordingly.
2. Set the goals that you want to achieve and write them down.
Creating task lists every morning or at the start of every week can be a game-changer when trying to be more productive. There is something deeply satisfying about marking items off of your to-do lists. This small change is an easy way to push you that extra mile towards your goals.
3. Discipline yourself to work gradually instead of last-minute.
Disciplining yourself to work on bigger projects gradually makes a world of difference. Break up a larger project into smaller, bite-sized tasks so you can work more efficiently with your time. Doing this can be the difference between having a manageable workload and a giant source of stress. This practice will make that looming due date seem a lot less intimidating.
4. Know your limits and have a plan for when you have reached them.
It’s crucial to know when you are nearing burnout so you can rest. Overworking yourself leads to sloppiness and stress, which only hurts your progress when you need to work efficiently. Taking care of yourself helps you, and your work goes a long way.
Scheduling time for rest won’t compromise your productivity. It can become your saving grace for success in your college career. Countless studies show that lack of sleep leads to poorer performance. Keep this in mind when you think sacrificing rest will help you succeed.
5. Establish routines to utilize productivity and rest.
If you tend to work better in the mornings, waking up early to work before classes might motivate you much more than after classes. On the other hand, you may need a slow, restful morning to work more efficiently later in the day. Find the flow that works for you!
6. Make spaces for rest and work.
Differentiating between rest spaces and workspaces allows your brain to ease into the next task ahead. Set up areas in your home explicitly designated for rest. Try not to compromise your rest spaces with work projects so that your brain associates that space with the feeling of rest.
Similarly, designating spaces for work allows your brain to associate those spaces with productivity. This can help eliminate procrastination when you need to hammer down on your workload.
If you can learn what routines work for your learning and working style, your efficiency will skyrocket! You will run for longer periods of time without experiencing burnout because you have learned how you function in your work style. Remember- a little discipline, organizing, and rest can go a long way when it comes to efficiency!
If you aren’t in college yet and you don’t need time management hacks then check out the following article!
Don’t Have Time for College? Read This!