Time can be difficult to manage, especially when you balance being a full time student with jobs, extracurriculars, and friends. Life can just get overwhelming very quickly, and it’s important to implement better time management strategies in order to help cope with that.
- Use Google Calendar
Google Calendar is a tool that we take for granted at times, especially when in college. With so much going on all the time, it’s important to map out your day so that you aren’t forgetting anything important. Google Calendar is extremely easy to use and you can even make certain events different colors, so you can stay organized and consistent. Not to mention, it’s free and what’s better than a useful tool that is free. Do yourself a favor and learn how to use Google Calendar. It can be a true lifesaver.
- Don’t be afraid to say ‘no’
Your day can get busy very quickly, as more and more things start to pop up on your calendar. Not to mention, spending time with friends can also impact this. One of the most important things to note is that you are allowed to say ‘no’. Let’s say you’ve had back to back meetings from the hours of 1pm to 4pm and afterwards, someone wanted to hang out with you. You are allowed to tell them no, especially if you feel exhausted and burnt out. It’s better to feel at your best when hanging out with your friends than feeling not very good at all.
- Don’t overbook yourself
It can be super easy to accidentally overbook yourself during the week, especially if you are juggling multiple things at once. Make sure you are mapping out your time accordingly, so that you don’t overbook yourself. The second a meeting or event comes up that you have to attend, add it to your Google Calendar. That way if another event pops up at the same time, you can let those people know that you will not be able to attend. This is important, as it keeps you accountable with your time and will allow you to communicate a lot more effectively with others.
- Designate specific times to do things
Once you start using Google Calendar more consistently, you will be able to map out your weekly schedule with ease. With that being said, make sure you are designating specific times to do certain things. For example, if you have a lot of classes on Monday, make sure you are scheduling time over the weekend to do homework. Or if you are hosting a meeting on a Friday, make sure you are taking Thursday to prepare for that. Having a consistent schedule every week allows you to complete tasks more effectively with ease.
- Be honest about your time
One of the biggest things that you need to remember is to be honest about your time. Sometimes we all make mistakes and accidentally overbook ourselves. Did you accidentally schedule a hangout session with your friend during an important meeting? Let them know that. Take accountability that it was an accident. No one is going to be upset that you accidentally overbooked yourself. It happens to everyone at some point in their college career. The important thing to note here is that you are taking measures to make sure it doesn’t happen again and are remaining honest.
I hope these tips help in understanding time management a bit better. Remember, time management is a very hard skill to master, and not everyone is going to be perfect at it. Give yourself a break and don’t be super hard on yourself!
