Step Four
The chart below from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows us how the average college student manages their time.
As you can see from the chart, sleeping is the most time-consuming activity. But, none of us can go without sleep, especially if we want to manage our time while not sleeping, wisely. All the other activities must be planned, but as Thomas Oppong (This is How to be Productive Every Day without Losing Your Mind, Dec. 6, 2016) said, “It’s very hard to concentrate and be productive when you are constantly distracted. An organized mind can get most things done in a short time because you lose yourself in the process of work.” With planning, you also must learn to be productive. You may plan everything you need to do, but does that necessarily mean you’ll get everything done? No. If your mind wanders and/or you are thinking about other things, then the task on hand either won’t get done or will take much longer than expected to complete.
Steering Away from Distraction
While I am sitting here writing this post, I know I’m not 100% focused; I’ve checked my phone quite a few times and am thinking more about the weekend, rather than the homework I have to complete. It’s much easier said than done, but in order to be productive and have an organized mind, you have to free yourself from all distractions. Your phone is the biggest one; we all know to well how distracting it is (I just checked it again). But, you have to remember your priorities; the less distracted you are while working, the faster you’ll complete tasks, which in turn, means more time for yourself.
Nobody wants to sit and do one task for hours on end, which some assignments may require. David Kilian (Time is of the Essence, Sept. 21, 2017) stated “Completing assignments little by little throughout its duration, this way, it will never feel like I am too overwhelmed with work. It may also deceivingly feel like assignments are perhaps easier than they truly are.” By splitting up tasks that may take longer, gives you more time to process your thoughts and think about the content of the assignment clearer. By doing this, your grades could improve, as well as your time management skills.
I have some experience with this; personally, I cannot write an entire paper in one sitting. By splitting up long-term papers, such as research papers, I’ve found that I edited the papers more and spent time deliberately thinking about how to compose said papers. If you give yourself more time to finish important tasks, the more likely you are to do well on them. Also, by giving yourself more time, it will actually give you a chance to follow through with your planning, rather than just giving up.
Oppong, T. (2016, December 06). This is How to be Super Productive Every Day Without Losing Your Mind. Retrieved September 28, 2017, from https://medium.com/the-mission/this-is-how-to-be-super-productive-every-day-without-losing-your-mind-aa8baa1977a7
Kilian, D. (2017, September 21). Introduction “Time is of the Essence” Medium. Retrieved September 28, 2017, from https://medium.com/time-is-of-the-essence/introduction-778b12fa2f0a
