Its happened to all of us. You come home from school or work, and all you want to do is relax, which is perfectly fine. BUT you know that you have a ton of homework to get done. So you turn on your computer telling yourself that you'll only check your email, and that it will take five minutes. Then you get a notification on your computer letting you know that the latest season of New Girl just came on Netflix, and after the day you had, you need a good laugh. Next thing you know four hours went by just like that, and you haven't even touch your backpack.... *Sigh* been there done that. I have gotten a little better about it now, but it took me a long time to get a handle on my time management skills, Don't get me wrong, I slip up (a lot), but I find that when I use these tips I get a lot more done which lessens my stress levels. So, for all of my fellow procrastinators out there that need a little more guidance, I'm here to help. With out further ado, here are 5 EASY ways to manage your time. 1. Write everything down In this day and age everything is digital, although I'm not as tech savvy as most millennials are I prefer to use pen and paper. I always keep a little notepad and pen with me just in case I need to remember something so that I don't forget. When I have to write something out, it helps me remember, but if you're not a dinosaur like me any smart phone has a notepad that does the same thing. So go ahead, write down anything and everything that comes in your mind so that you can stay on track. 2. Keep a calendar/daily planner If you are in college right now, this is the ultimate life saver. Take your syllabi, and record all the dates for your assignments, exams, group projects etc. Once you have all of these things in one place, it will be much harder to miss an assignment that is coming up. Keeping a calendar keeps you on track with what you need to do, and it gives you time to plan for all of your assignments and when you need to get things done. you:1 procrastination:0 Even if you are not in school this is super helpful as well. If you are super forgetful (see #1) write down any plans with friends, doctors appointments, or any events coming up that are important to you in a small daily calendar that you can keep in your purse or backpack. This saves you from that head slapping moment when you accidentally scheduled more than one event on the same day with overlapping times. 3. Make a To-Do list everyday I know this may sound pointless, but making a to-do list everyday will show you what you need to get done instead of trying to put it off. What a satisfying feeling it is to physically cross off miscellaneous things on your to do list. This doesn't mean you need to do all of it in one day, that can be discouraging if you can't get it all done. The method that I use when making to-do list is called the: Good, Better, Best method which basically ranks the things on your to do list from the lowest to the highest priority. This is just to show you the things that need to get done right away, and what can wait till tomorrow. 4. Make routines & stick to them! This is probably one of the best tips, especially if your trying to set a certain time to wake up and go to sleep. Making a set routine is so helpful because it's really hard to waste time when you have a schedule for something. And it may be hard at first, but when you do it enough times it will become a habit and then it will feel normal. So try to start with a simple routine that you can do everyday. For starters, like what you need to do when you get home from school or work. 5. Make time limits for tasks This has been the most helpful for me so far. I set up time limits for everything. Like taking a nap (a must!), studying, taking breaks, and yes even blogging! Setting time limits helps you to not overwork yourself so that you're not spending all your time on one thing. And (bonus!) you will feel like you're getting a lot more done when you do at least a little bit of everything instead of focusing all your time on one thing. I hope these tips helped you manage your time better. Or gave you a push in the right direction to start! It won't be easy at first, but it will be worth it. ~Steph
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Hi, I'm StephanieI am an undergraduate psych major who enjoys creative writing, collecting stationery, and watching The Walking Dead. Connect with me on social media!
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