M.A.S.T.E.R. Schedule: Manage. Accompaniment. Succeed. Time. Evaluate. Rest.
Do you ever find yourself putting off an assignment saying, “I’ll do it later. I still have time before the deadline, which is in 24 hours?” If this sounds like you, keep reading. As a college student, I know how troubling it is to balance deadlines and a social life. At the start of my Freshman year of university, time was quickly slipping further and further out of my grasp until I no longer was able to hold it. I was adjusting to life on campus, difficult Honor courses, and trying to get involved on campus. It didn’t take long for me to realize that I needed a better method of keeping track of time; something more than just my usual planner. That’s when I taught myself to make a master schedule using an online template.
M: Manage
This template has been incredibly beneficial, not just to my academic life, but to my social life as well. I started with entering my class schedule. This brought me to my first step: manage. Manage means to begin with the basics. Write down time slots that are already occupied in your life whether it be a work and/or class schedule or extracurricular meetings. If you have commitment to something, it should be recorded first.
A: Accompaniment
Each class is neatly color-coded. A study tip I follow is to write in the same ink color that is assigned to the class; the brain likes structure, and this helps secure the information. Color-coding is actually a part of the second step, accompaniment. This is a crucial process and typically the hardest for beginners. Now that the bare curriculum is sorted, it is time to add in the rest of your day. Things like studying, socializing, sleeping, eating, bathing, housekeeping, and free time should be accounted for in this section. This really puts into perspective the time it takes to do just simple tasks such as allowing 20 minutes for a shower. It never seemed to matter before, but when it’s on paper and accountable, it sticks out. Planning can even be scary for some people because it is marking time that you’ll never get back. No pressure or anything. So now that your whole week is planned, you can go in and organize by colors and fonts if desired. To not be confused with class colors, I make accompanying subjects a simple gray, except for study blocks which match classes, but further color-coding would work just as well!
S: Succeed
My next goal is to have my weekends filled in as well. I have been able to follow this schedule with ease, and believe I could do the same on the weekends. Succeed is the third ingredient. Making a MASTER schedule is a great starting point, but is rendered useless if not utilized. Start small. Going to classes and/or work everyday is a given, now try to make other daily things repetitive. Such as always waking up at 8 AM. Begin with doing a few of the same things at the same time everyday, then it’ll start to feel more natural to follow the schedule. As long as you are following a schedule that works for you, you are successful. It felt almost foreign at first, until I started settling into the routine. I’d get discouraged if I messed up a block of time or missed something, but mistakes are a stepping stone. I kept reassuring myself that I would eventually become accustomed to it, and that since I was trying, I already succeeded.
T: Time
Time is clearly the central subject of a schedule, the goal being to manage time. Time is also infinite, it will always be here. Everyday, thousands of people beg for more time or state that time got away from them, but that is just an excuse for poor time management. The time invested in developing a schedule should have a return. You should be saving time by following a schedule. If you find yourself wasting more time than before or running out of time to complete tasks, then you need to reevaluate.
E: Evaluate
Evaluation is the second to last instruction. If the schedule just is not working, it can be changed. Also, surprises and hiccups happen. For example, on my campus, I have been attending Open Mic Nights which take place on Wednesday evenings during dinner time, so I have been adjusting my schedule to that activity. I evaluate my schedule weekly just to ensure it is efficient and entertaining. Keeping a schedule is important, but it doesn’t have to be dull.
R: Rest
Lastly is rest. Scheduling can be exhausting, but following it through can be just as trying. The bed time slots are NOT free time. I used to treat it as free time, and it left me more tired than I had ever been. My schedule is so packed during the day, so I need that time to rest, especially if I’m waking up to another busy day. You need to rest. It takes up the most room on the schedule for a reason; it is vital.
Now you know my secret to success. If you’re a busy person who likes to stay organized, then a MASTER schedule is for you! Planners work well for smaller tasks, but if you have events happening everyday and a schedule you have to follow, then this planning technique is the way to go. Don’t be scared of mapping out your time effectively, just dive in and give it the old college try! Remember to invest your time, and get a return on it. Time is never an excuse.
