Ready to set some time management goals? Read on to learn how to revolutionize your time management goals and crush your educational goals.
There it is, the overwhelming feeling of dread.
How did you let this happen again?
The assignment is due next week. It’s horrendously enormous and you haven’t even started yet. You’re not going to complete it on time, there’s too much to do.
However, the assignment must get done. But how are you going to do it?
Can you set the appropriate time management goals for the task at hand? Do you possess the time management skills necessary to finish the assignment on time?
Sure, you do, everybody does!
Let’s revolutionize your time management skills!
1. The Biggest Requirement for Time Management Goals
No matter what academic program or job you’re looking into, it takes some level of mental discipline to be there.
The only way to improve your time management skills is to improve your mental discipline. It is necessary for every other skill.
Now, we all know that grueling projects are not anyone’s idea of a good time. You’re not alone. It doesn’t make you a bad person, it makes you a regular person.
However, mental discipline is where successful people pull ahead of unsuccessful people.
Make yourself go to bed early so you can wake up early. Say no to going out with friends. Say no to taking extra long breaks to watch Netflix or play Xbox.
Demand better of yourself.
2. Goal Setting
First and foremost, you need to establish what it is you want to accomplish.
Make a list of goals both for the day and for the entire project. Each day should have its own list of goals, written the night before so you can wake up and immediately start crushing it.
Write your goals down where you will see them multiple times a day. Hang them on the fridge, the bathroom mirror, or right next to your work station. Constantly remind yourself of what needs to be done.
Write your goals as a numbered list organized by priority. Prioritizing is vital to getting everything done the way it should be. The most important tasks should be accomplished first.
Now that your goals are prioritized. It’s time to get to work. Begin with your big priority goals at the beginning of the day, when you have most of your energy and motivation.
Make sure you are working smarter, not harder. Only focus on one task at a time. Dividing up your attention can make you terrible at multiple things, rather than excellent at just one.
3. Make a Schedule and Stick to It
Now that you have your goals written down, its time to make a schedule. This is where you write and commit to your time management goals.
Keep in mind, this schedule is stringent. There should be little or no compromising here unless it is ridiculously unreasonable.
Within the schedule, you need to create deadlines for yourself. Adhering to these deadlines will make you work much more efficiently.
These ideas are especially important when building a dissertation writing schedule. Many college students mismanage their time and end up in a frantic rush in the last week to get everything done. You can avoid all of that with simple scheduling.
Don’t be a perfectionist. There is no slower worker in any field than a perfectionist. Don’t sweat the small stuff.
Work efficiently and let it flow. Come back once you are completely done and edit. Avoid editing while you are working, it will slow you down immensely and make it difficult to maintain focus.
4. Organize Your Clutter
Time management and organizational skills go hand in hand.
Remember that time you woke up late for class and had to get ready in five minutes? Remember wildly rummaging through your things looking for everything you needed for the day, only to end up leaving half of it at home?
That wouldn’t have happened if you were organized.
Being organized and operating in an organized environment makes everything run so much smoother and faster.
If you don’t spend valuable time looking for things, you have much more time to be productive.
Organize your paperwork, your writing tools, your desk, etc. If you primarily work on a computer or tablet, make sure your folders are organized so you know exactly where everything is.
5. Decision Making
Don’t overthink things.
An essential time management skill students need is learning to make good decisions but make them quickly. Choose a direction and go with it.
An incredible amount of time can be wasted just sitting around trying to decide what to do. Don’t be that person.
This is a vital skill for keeping to the schedule you set for your time management goals.
6. Get Control of Your Stress
Stress is a huge factor in productivity. Sometimes stress can be so overwhelming we find it necessary to stop everything and cry. Occasionally, we combat a robust to-do list with a rebellious nap.
It never helps us in the long run, but stress doesn’t make you think or act rationally.
Naturally, improving your time management skills will lead to less stress. However, there are some stressors that time management can’t help with.
Here are some quick tips for dealing with stress.
• Get plenty of sleep
• Exercise
• Eat healthy foods
• Meditate
• Give yourself time to relax
• As long as you keep your stress under control, applying time management goals should be no problem.
7. Focus
This one is a no-brainer.
Focus on what you are doing. Remember to only handle one task at a time. Put all of your attention into that one thing.
Block out all distractions. Make sure you have a quiet place where you can work in peace. Working around friends is generally not the best way to go about this.
If you have children and can’t get away from everything, try to delegate. Have a friend or your spouse handle the kids so you can get some uninterrupted work done.
If listening to music helps you, absolutely throw on some headphones and jam out. However, your music of choice should not distract you.
Additionally, if you are a control freak and find it necessary to change the song every five seconds, maybe music isn’t the best choice for you.
8. Wake Up Early
You know the saying, “the early bird gets the worm”? Well, it’s true.
Early risers of the school scored a full grade point higher on average than those who preferred their late-morning to mid-afternoon beauty sleep.
Wake up and get yourself ready to work. You are most productive during the early part of your day, so this is the time to get it done.
Sleeping in late after a long night makes you feel lazy and foggy all day. Keep in mind this is not to say that you should sacrifice a good night’s sleep just to wake up by 6 a.m.
Adequate sleep is still important.
9. Take Appropriate Breaks
At a certain point, no matter how mentally disciplined you are, you will not be able to focus.
It’s okay to take breaks! Just make sure they are reasonable.
Every time you take a break, you have to settle in and get refocused. On the other hand, if you don’t take breaks, your focus will be running on fumes. It’s a vicious cycle.
Your only time management goal for breaks is to learn how often and how long to take them.
Studies show that you should take a break from big projects every 50-90 minutes. During that time, it’s important to walk away from what you’re doing. Stand up and walk around, get the blood flowing again.
Your breaks should be around 15 minutes or so, maybe 20. Don’t milk it. No one ever got a good grade for being the best at taking breaks.
Your College Experience Is What You Make It
Setting and achieving your time management goals allows a lot of extra room in your life for other things. In college, for example, many students enjoy the clubs and organizations their schools offer.
This is a great way to meet new friends and build onto other skill sets you’ll need in life.
College is meant to be an experience you will never forget. Don’t waste all of your time being stressed out and worried about getting your work done on time!
