Ever walk into class 45 minutes late, knowing exactly what everyone else in the room (including the teacher) is thinking about you at that very moment? For years I had horrible time management skills. I lacked the ability to get anything done, or arrive at a specific place ON TIME. It had nothing to do with laziness or lack of ambition, I just wasnt managing my time correctly. It started in junior high school when my video game/computer craze was at its peek. I'd find myself fighting to put the remote control down and get sufficient rest knowing I had an essay or a test the next morning.
It took me a long time to break out of that habit but eventually I did. I began putting my daily activities and errands on a list and put the most time into what were my biggest obligations for the day. Not only were my main priorities taken care of, but I found myself with more time to do all the things I liked doing anyway. Organizing my time helped me to fall into a pattern of responsibility that I had searched for my whole life. It's amazing how much we can and cant get done in 24 hours, depending on how well you manage your time.
It took me a long time to break out of that habit but eventually I did. I began putting my daily activities and errands on a list and put the most time into what were my biggest obligations for the day. Not only were my main priorities taken care of, but I found myself with more time to do all the things I liked doing anyway. Organizing my time helped me to fall into a pattern of responsibility that I had searched for my whole life. It's amazing how much we can and cant get done in 24 hours, depending on how well you manage your time.
Theres nothing worse then feeling like time is against you, looking back at the clock constantly, elevating your panic with every passing minute. Believe it or not, there are ways to make time work to your advantage. Here are a few tips I used to break out of the habit of poor time management. Hopefully they will work for you.
1.Never put off for tomorrow what you can do today: Many students put off projects and other important things until last minute, forgetting the sufficient time needed to complete such tasks.
2. Organize: Nothing is worse then going scatterbrain in your own compiled mess of confusion. Keep everything in neat sections and in places of immediate availability.
3. Prioritize: Make a list of your duties for the day and spend a sufficient amount of time on the most important first. Make sure to be thorough, mistakes are one of the biggest time consumers.
4.Consistency: Be consistent in your daily routine, its easy to break a good habit faster then a bad one.
5.Be honest with yourself: Don't try to squeeze a hundred things into one day. You'll end up on the tailspin of a burnout. Give yourself enough room to get things done at a reasonable amount of time.
MOST IMPORTANTLY: Remember to get PROMPT REST. The human body can only take but so much before it shuts down, with or without your permission.
