Attending classes, managing extracurricular activities, hanging out with friends that you haven’t seen all summer–the start of the new school year is an exciting, but busy time! One key to having a successful school year is developing time management skills that will help you navigate all the different things you want to accomplish. Here are five time management tips to help you this school year:
Calendars & Planners: Use a physical planner or digital calendar (most common are Apple, Google, and Microsoft Outlook!) to map out what your day, week, and month will look like. Important things to include are classes, assignments, work schedules, extracurricular activities, personal commitments, and appointments. Digital calendars can also be used to set reminders for yourself about important deadlines and they have an added bonus - you can share your schedule with family or friends.
Prioritize: Start by writing down all tasks, assignments, and other important commitments. This might mean creating a daily to-do list or using a more extensive weekly/monthly schedule. Then group each item by high, low, or medium priority. Consider whether a task needs immediate attention or if it can wait to be completed until a later date. It might also be helpful to break down large tasks into more manageable parts. For example, when writing an essay, it could be useful to dedicate one day to doing research, one day to creating an outline, and another few days to write the paper.
Try a study method: When studying for quizzes and tests, it is easy to get tired and distracted. The Pomodoro technique is a common study method where students study for 25 minutes and then take a 5 minute break, repeating this for however long they plan to study. While you don’t need to follow these exact timings, using this method can allow you to maintain focus while avoiding distractions and becoming too tired. Another study method is called “time blocking”. This is when you divide your day into larger blocks of time. For example, you might block out 5:00 - 6:00 pm every night to do math homework and 8:30 - 9:00 pm to read.
Allow time for fun/relaxation: Make sure to schedule regular breaks and times for relaxation! Whether you choose self care, hanging out with friends or your family, picking up a new hobby, or even exercise, it is important to do things for fun in order to prevent burnout.
Seek support: If you feel like you are struggling, do not hesitate to reach out to someone. This could be a trusted friend, your teacher, a school counselor, or a mentor. The tutors at RISE Philadelphia are also here to help you navigate the start of the new school year.
Author: Lavanya Aluri
Medical Student, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
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