Time Management Tools
During my first two years of College, managing time was not my forte. school projects, exams, and work-study, made most of the year beyond stressful—so stressful that I would forget whether I even did simple things like eat dinner or brush my teeth. Of course, I have to be honest and say that it is not much better today, now that I am in graduate school and managing two businesses.
I know from experience that it’s not the time, or our perception of time. When it comes to school and time management, it’s about being able to meet the instructor’s expectations. Hence, the Rubrics and syllabus (these are your new policies & regulations). Almost like an insurance policy. One bad habit I took from semester to semester in my English classes was that I was taking my style of writing to every class, just like the military, it's all about uniformity. Knowing when to stand out and when to fall in line is a major ego check, but logistical wise, builds character and the law of neutrality. Super-beneficial.
I’m sure you know every professor is different. One habit I picked up at the beginning of every semester is “sizing up” or profiling my professors. Do a little background research on them. Check their linkedin, read their academic bio’s, any publications, etc.. I took a speed reading class back in the Summer of 04’ haha. Anyways, this class taught me the approach and necessary steps upon reading a new book. For example before reading chapter one, read: the front/back, inside sleeves, table of contents, forward, premise, bio, dedications, etc. Completing this checklist really allowed my mind to paint a picture and understand the author, their mindset, emotion, etc. and you want to be able to do this same concept with your professors. Regardless, registering for college courses is stressful enough, let's reduce some of that stress by peeling back some of that unknown territory. Simply by taking a little ownership of which teacher will be giving you an A at the end of the semester wink wink*
Managing time to accomplish goals can be challenging for even highly successful people. Consider how you work best, ask for assistance from others if you find yourself struggling to meet deadlines and balance work, school, and life demands. Learning how to become resourceful, builds great leadership and confidence skills naturally.
Ok back to time management, One study found that when college students believed they had control of their time, they performed better in coursework, reported less stress, and felt less “overloaded. So the big question to ask yourself is, How do I gain control of my time. Well this is when the inverse communication comes up. Knowing your self-worth and knowing when to tell people, bad habits, or distractions..NO! “Focusing means saying no” It took me a while to understand this quote, and I only understood this quote after learning more about myself. The biggest take-away from telling friends and family members “no'' is that it's only temporary. We need to make subtle/small changes, that's it, small hinges swing big doors. Trust yourself, trust the process, and be consistent especially those days when you see no wins, so to speak.
Share some Ideas here