Time Management Tips

Last term I completed the Leicester Award, which is a course you can do through the uni to improve skills like working to deadlines, self reflection, public speaking, and giving presentations. One of the skills I chose to focus on then was time management, and so here I am, ready to impart my knowledge on to you, my child.

• Plan

You know that calendar function on your phone? Use it. Or get a pocket diary. Either way, get something with time increments for each day. Write down every deadline you’ll have this term, then every social engagement, every weekend you want off. Then start filling in the hours you’re going to give yourself to get what you need to do done. Honestly, it reduces stress so much just to know you have time. Also it means you’ll never have to cancel anything or leave early just to get an essay done. Sidenote: Never underestimate the power of essay writing on trains. Other sidenote: Be generous with the time you give yourself. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

• Be prepared

Take being generous with yourself to a whole new level. Give yourself days to spare, because you never know what might go wrong, and you don’t want to add to your to do list whilst you’re trying to fix it. Also aim to conveniently forget about these extra days to avoid putting off work.

• Multitasking is a myth

This is a definite fact, by the way. What you’re doing when you’re multitasking is switching rapidly between a number of tasks which dramatically reduces your productivity, although it might seem fast. It’s far better to set aside an amount of time to go through them one at a time.

• Get an inbox

This might seem like something only done by people who wear suits to work, but how many random bits of paper or ‘things you’ll put away later’ are lying around your room? Get a box or allocated corner to put them in, and give yourself a set amount of time to go through them all. I’d also recommend having a section in your bag for stuff you pick up on the go, and do the same with that.

• Don’t be ashamed to give something up

If you’ve tried to manage your time effectively but you just physically can’t fit everything in, there’s nothing wrong with deleting something from the list. Maybe you’ve joined one society too many, or you said you’d do something you don’t have time for. One of the best tips I can give you is try to keep a clear head. You’re not failing by accepting the laws of time.

Hopefully these helped. Let me know in the comments whether you found them useful, or if you have anything to add. See you next week