TIME MANAGEMENT SKILLS FOR BUILDING HEALTHY HABITS

Steal my approach so you can get your work done faster

Good time management skills help students prioritize tasks so they are able to complete work and assignments on time. Becoming better at managing time allows students to become more organized, more confident, and learn more effectively.

During these times of covid-19 and lockdown we all are falling into bad habits and poor time management. This is a great opportunity to explore areas of our interest and make the best use of our time.

We all have 24-hours in a day. But, why does it seem that some people are able to get the most out of every minute of the day? They don’t have the power to slow down time. They do, however, know how to properly manage their time.

Check out these time management tips and learn how your student can start being more productive.

1. Eliminate Distractions

Between cell phones, social media, and friends, there are a lot of activities that can distract students from their school work. When it’s time to get down to work, have your child turn off his or her cell phone and sign out of social media accounts. Any time on the master schedule that is dedicated to working on school work should be cell phone and television-free!

Make sure to avoid surfing the web excessively. It’s easy to become distracted by the news or your favorite celebrity gossip site. Stay focused, and avoid Facebook, Twitter, and other social media tools when you need to concentrate on your studies.

2. Set Goals For Each Study Session

Help yourself setting specific goals for each day, like how lines of code to write or how many math questions to complete. The agenda and master schedule will help with daily goals so assignments can be completed on time.

3. Get 8–10 Hours Of Sleep

I cannot stress how important is for us to get proper sleep. Getting enough sleep is important to help us recharge our mind and have the energy for the next day. Recent studies outline the adverse effects of poor sleep among students with regards to their success in school:

Sleepiness and poor sleep quality are prevalent among university students, affecting their academic performance and daytime functioning.

Students with symptoms of sleep disorders are more likely to receive poor grades in classes such as math, reading and writing than peers without symptoms of sleep disorders.

4. Don’t multitask.

Avoid multitasking — which can actually decrease your productivity. Focus on one assignment at a time whether that’s studying for an exam, reading a textbook. Arrange your tasks in order of importance, and pay attention to four most important tasks that require the most effort.

If you need help staying focused, then consider creating lists using a management tool, such as Trello or Google Calendar, to help organize tasks. If you prefer a traditional to-do list, then look at digital notebooks like Todo list or Evernote.

Lastly, concentrate on what needs to get done in the present and avoid anything too far-off. If it’s an assignment that you don’t need for several weeks, put it on your calendar to focus on when the deadline is closer.

5. Do less.

This is a tactic from Leo Babauta. He started the blog Zen Habits and it’s definitely a must read. So, what does Leo have to say about doing less.

Doing less doesn’t mean “less is more.” It means “less is better.” This is achieved by slowing down, being aware of what needs to be done, and concentrating only on those things. Make every action count. As a result you’ll be adding more value instead of just fodder.

6. Reward yourself

It’s important to reward yourself after a job well done in order to avoid burnout. Else, it will be difficult to concentrate on even the simple projects.

You can reward yourself by treating yourself to something you truly enjoy, whether that’s watching your favorite show, anime or going out to a with friends and a movie. If you’ve been working on a project for several months in a row, then it’s okay to take a week off to travel.

7. If stuck in a RUT

Take some time off and find inspiration. When I’m slugging, I use inspirational sources like a TED Talk or biography of someone who does the same work as you, like the recently announced NETFLIX IIT documentary. It’s a simple way to reignite that fire to get yourself motivated and back-on-track.

By following the above methods one can avoid falling prey to bad habits. Don’t worry if you can’t success in first try, as Stephen Kaggwa quoted “Try and fail, but don’t fail to try.” Keep working everyday and be consistent, the effects of small habits compound over time. For example, if you can get just 1 percent better each day, you’ll end up with results that are nearly 37 times better after one year. The secret to getting results that last is to never stop making improvements.