More on Time Management

The topic that I am going to talk about in this post seems to have perfect timing as the midterm point is coming up. For myself and some people I know, it seems as if we are having tests and quizzes all at the same time. The assignments are still being poured down our throats on top of exams and we are getting a little stressed out. And of course, Mother Nature is deciding to bring spring weather a little early this year. I find myself staring outside my window from my desk in my room sometimes just fighting the urge to go outside and do something instead of studying. If you haven’t figured out the topic by now, it is the art of time management.

Most of us have heard of the phrase, “Work hard, play hard” at some time in our life. Ideally, I would like to be able to work really hard and get a lot of quality work done when it comes to school. As well as working hard, I would like to enjoy myself a little bit too. College isn’t meant to be all work and no play. Sometimes I like to step away from my work for a little bit and go take a nap, or watch Netflix, or go for a run. Basically I’ll do anything that I find relaxing to take away the stress of school. Sometimes I step away from my work because I like to procrastinate, but that is more often than not because I need a mental break.

In high school, my time management skills developed a lot. I was on sports teams, in honors and AP classes, in the band, and in honor societies. Managing my time efficiently became a big thing as the work load started to get bigger and bigger every year. Leaving for school at 7 in the morning then getting back home after practice at 5:30 almost every night during the week was hard to do sometimes. I was able to find a good balance between time for school work and relaxation, but it didn’t happen overnight.

Time management is a skill that can be very hard to develop and get good at. I have met people that are very good at managing their time and I have also met people that are very bad at managing their time. I feel like I am a bit good at it, but that it is only because I have had so much practice with it. My goal is to challenge myself during my college years so that I can better my time management skills. For students that I know, they find themselves struggling because they are trying to balance their time between school and a job. Other students I know like to party a little too much and struggle to manage their time between partying and school work. With myself and most of my friends, I find myself struggling between athletics and school. Being on the track team takes up a lot of my time. I have been known to lay in bed on my phone or watching TV instead of studying. It is not because I am lazy, it is because sometimes I am just really tired.

The older generations of our society often look down at our generation and say that we are lazy. They see us glued to the TV or to our phones at times, but maybe it is because of different reasons other than that we are lazy. For some, it might be because it is relaxing, and it gives them a nice break from life, which can get kind of stressful at times. Finding a good balance between relaxing and working can be hard for some, but just because we want to relax sometimes doesn’t mean we are lazy. Being a student is hard sometimes.

If I had any advice to give to students of all ages, it would be to work on developing the skill of time management. It is a skill in life that will always be handy, and it will be very important in college. It may be hard to do, but you need to just keep trying and learn from the mistakes you make.

About the Author:

Joe D.
Class of 2019
Major: Intended - Business Administration
Blog Theme: Where I'm Coming From

Need Help Managing Your Time? Here are some tips from ASC:

• • Make a list of your responsibilities and map them out on a schedule like the one below from ATLAS (Academic Tools for Learning and Success) Click on the image for practical time management suggestions. 

• Use your resources!
  • See your academic advisor. 
  • Seek help from Advising Plus.
  • Ask a friend who has fantastic time management skills for tips
  • Attend time management workshops when you see them advertised.
• Set reminders for tasks and deadlines on your phone.
• Remember, even though you make the time to study, your study habits have to help you. You want to study effectively. Use the resources above to help you make the best use of your time
• Make sure to make time for you. You are not a machine!