Time Management Hacks

After reading multiple articles on time management, I have compiled 5 “hacks” that are useful and can be applied to any situation in regards to managing my time efficiently.

1. Schedule your day or week
   An important step of managing your time effectively is to schedule and plan out your day or week. Listing everything from the most important to least important will help you keep track of what should be prioritized first. Whether it’s an app, planner, or calendar, these items are all practical and necessary for assisting you on managing your time well.
2. Declutter and Organize
   If your workspace is messy and cluttered with unnecessary items it can be a huge distraction as well as additional stress when working on a task. Instead of working in such an untidy space, organize everything and throw out anything that is inessential. Working in a clean and organized space will help you focus on the task at hand.
3. Don’t Multitask
   Although multitasking helps you address several assignments or tasks at once, it can actually produce less quality work because you have your attention on several different tasks instead of one. Focusing on one task and getting it out of the way and completing the next one is more efficient and effective at completing quality work.
4. Maximize your time
   Make the most out of your day by working on assignments during times when you’re just waiting around. Whether it’s in between classes, on the bus to class, or work breaks those are all times that you can use to do some work. By working on tasks during times where you may usually go on your phone or take a break, you are maximizing your time and have the ability to complete it faster.
5. Wake Up Early
   Getting out of bed before everyone else is not the easiest thing to do especially when you wake up still feeling extremely tired. However, by doing so you are able to tackle the day before everyone else and would have less distractions because everyone else is still asleep. You can take it easy and target the smaller tasks in the morning to get it out of the way and focus on the more important tasks throughout the day.

These 5 vital steps have improved my time management immensely. I would schedule my week in my planner just to get an idea of what needs to be done over the week. After doing so, I would plan my day in detail of what needs to be done and prioritize which tasks should be done first. Re-organizing my desk has improved my focus immensely and made me feel less stressed. Moreover, I stopped multitasking because I realized I wasn’t producing the quality work that I wanted to due to not focusing on one task. Also instead of being lazy and taking breaks in between classes, I try to finish up some homework or assignments in order to get a head start. By sleeping earlier and waking up earlier I found myself to be quite productive by getting small assignments out of the way and giving myself the whole day to focus on studying for exams or working on projects. My thinking has definitely changed because prior to following this procedure, I would be too lazy to plan, wake up early, organize, and work during breaks. But now I realized I have to work with time instead of going against it.