5 Most Effective Time Management Tips for Students

If you are a college student, then it’s obvious you know what having an effective time management skill is. It’s what differentiates the top performers from the rest of the class, and nothing more. They know how to prioritize and make good use of the 24 hours they get each day.

So, if you want to perform incredibly well and be proud of your academic performance this semester, you must learn how to manage your time. But according to online helpers, learning the essential tips won’t work without discipline. Now, if you are ready to discipline yourself, then follow the practical tips below.

1. Eliminate distractions

Your distracters can be humans (friends, relatives, colleagues) or habits you have formed over time. It could be that you spend too much time on your social media accounts whenever you access the internet to research or read stuff. Or your friends always come around to keep you company even when you have work to do.

Now how do you eliminate these distractions? It’s simple. But you need to apply different techniques for the various challenges. If you always find yourself lost in social media whenever you visit the internet, then install an app that blocks access to social media. You will find a plethora of such apps out there.

Next, make sure your phone’s ringtone and the vibration are turned completely down. You should also learn to forget about your phone whenever you are studying. Many students are often busy checking their phones for missed calls, emails, and text messages, which is not the right thing to do.

If someone calls and you can’t answer immediately, you can always call back whenever you are through studying. Then as for your friends, learn to say no and stand by your word. Don’t let anyone control you. If your friends are asking you to accompany them for a party while you have plans to study, refuse their offer. You can create time to mingle with your buddies anytime, not when you have a large pile of books to read and a grade to hit.

So you can see that distraction is a broad topic on its own. It’s also one of the things that make most students perform poorly in their studies. But with the tips highlighted in this post, you can overcome distractions and soar high academically.

2. Learn to plan ahead

Being able to create plans and execute them is one of the crucial skills that can help you manage your time more effectively. But you have to plan. In other words, you need to draft your plans before the day’s activities start.

Creating plans is a simple task. Your goal is to wake up early in the morning and think about the activities you may likely have the entire day. You can also create weekly plans and give room for little adjustments when the need arises.

But make sure you spend time to think carefully and make a bullet list of all possible activities for the day, week, month, or semester before drafting your final plans. You can use an app or write it in a piece of paper, something you can revisit at will.

3. Get good night rests

Sleep is also essential when thinking of ways to manage time. If you don’t get enough night rests, you may find yourself spending more hours on tasks that should take far lesser hours. You will also not be mentally sharp to progress in the job at your desired speed.

So learn rest properly at night. You can choose to sleep early and wake up early. Now make sure you have at least 7 – 8 hours of sleep daily.

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4. Avoid procrastination

If you feel the task at hand is too big, confusion, or intimidating, why not break it down into smaller units? You might even be more productive and work faster when you do it this way, instead of procrastinating. You will still work on the task at the end of the day, even if you procrastinate. So why not get it done at once?

5. Manage stress

Being a student is not easy. You have to be ready to handle pressure from different angles. The fear of failing might also tempt and push you to work round the clock. But remember that you are not a robot but a human.

So when drafting your plans, make a plan for some downtime. You need to rest while studying to keep your mind refreshed and speedup assimilation. You can never perform at your best when you are tired or feeling sleepy.

Conclusion

These are simple steps to manage time effectively. They are tips every student needs to excel academically. Once you can manage time properly, you can control many aspects of your academics. You will have a better opportunity to secure your academic target too. So if you are struggling academically, go back to the drawing board and apply the tips on this post. You will see your time management skills improving, and the results you seek will start coming.