Proven Time Management Tips and Strategies for Students

In a student's life, time is a crucial factor. Effectively managing your time will not only reduce the stress of the day but also provide you with clarity of thought. Time Management will help students prioritise important tasks such as completing schoolwork, assignments, and preparation for exams along with some leisure time after all, “All work and no play, will make Jack a dull student”. 

Time Management skill is one of the important skills for college students pursuing any degree be it a B.Tech degree, BBA degree or MBA degree.

Not only students but professionals as well can take advantage of time management, be it in engineering, medical personnel, and even business. Time Management has proven itself as a wonderful technique for success.  

What is Time Management?

Sometimes as students, we wonder how some of our classmates can complete their assignments before submissions, score good marks on every test, and also have fun as if they have all the time in the world. Well, they know the trick of time management that helps them in organising and planning their task list. It is one of the important skills to develop in college years in order to have a smooth and successful professional life.

Time management involves identifying your priorities, setting goals, and scheduling your time effectively to achieve your goals, and effective time management skills can help you to be more productive and achieve a better work-life balance. 

To be better at management skills, one can also opt for BBA course, which is a three-year undergraduate course that focuses on management and entrepreneurial abilities. BBA syllabus and subjects include Business Economics, Business Mathematics, Principles of Management, Statistics and more.

Why is Time Management Important?

Time Management is an important skill for any individual be it a student or a working professional. It will allow you to do more in less time and increase your productivity. When you will be able to manage your time effectively, you will less likely to feel overwhelmed by the demands of schoolwork and other responsibilities, and professionals will feel less overwhelmed by their workload.

Students who manage their time effectively are better able to prioritise their studies or work and meet deadlines, which can lead to better grades and academic success. When professionals manage their time well, they are better able to meet project deadlines, which can be critical for success in many industries.

With good time management skills, students can make time for extracurricular activities, hobbies, and other interests while still meeting their academic responsibilities. While professionals can make time for personal interests and family while still meeting their professional responsibilities.

Time management requires self-discipline and helps students develop this important trait, which can benefit them in all areas of life. 

When students are able to meet deadlines and achieve their goals, they gain confidence in their abilities and feel more motivated to continue working towards their objectives, while professionals gain confidence in their abilities and feel more in control of their workload.

How to Improve Time Management 

By far, we got the insight into what is time management and its importance, but how to manage time? Given below are some strategies, tips, and tools that will help you to improve your time management skills. 

Strategies To Improve Time Management 

Given below are the proven strategies that will help you to effectively manage your time:

Pomodoro Technique:

The Pomodoro Technique is a time-management technique that involves breaking down work into intervals, typically 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks. The technique was developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s, and it has since become a popular method for improving productivity. Here's how the Pomodoro Technique works:

1. Choose a task you want to work on and set a timer for 25 minutes.
2. Work on the task until the timer goes off. 
3.  Take a short break of 5 minutes. 
4. Repeat steps 1-3 for a total of four Pomodoro.
5. After completing four Pomodoro, take a longer break of 15-30 minutes.

The 80/20 Rule:

The 80/20 Rule, also known as the Pareto Principle, is a productivity principle that suggests that 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts. The principle was named after economist Vilfredo Pareto. To apply this rule in your own life, start by identifying the areas where you can make the most impact with the least amount of effort. This might involve analyzing your work habits or tracking your productivity. Once you've identified the 20% of activities that yield the greatest results, focus your time and energy on those activities and delegate or eliminate the rest.

Getting Things Done (GTD):

David Allen's Getting Things Done (GTD) method is a popular productivity system that focuses on capturing all of your tasks, ideas, and commitments in a trusted system so that you can free up mental space and focus on taking action. The system involves the following steps:

    -Write down all your tasks and make a to-do list.

    -Process your list by clarifying and organising tasks that need to be done first.

    -Keep track of the progress of tasks to ensure that you are on the right track.

    -Take actions on tasks, one by one, focusing on the next action that needs to be taken to move  each task forward.

Eat That Frog:

This technique is a productivity strategy that encourages individuals to tackle their most challenging or important task first thing in the morning. The idea is that by completing this task early on, you'll feel a sense of accomplishment and momentum that will carry you through the rest of the day. This is helpful for overcoming procrastination and increasing productivity. By getting the hardest task out of the way first, you can free up mental energy and focus on the rest of your to-do list with greater ease.

Tips to Improve Time Management

Given below are 6 time management tips for students to follow during their school and college life. 

• Create a plan: This will help you focus on the most urgent and essential tasks first. To create a plan, write down all the specific tasks that you need to complete for the day and include any deadlines, meetings, or appointments. Prioritise these tasks by numbering them in order of importance. Assign a realistic time frame for each task. This will help you manage your time better and ensure you can complete all the tasks you need to do. Review your progress throughout the day and make any necessary adjustments to your plan, and focus on what you can do and keep moving forward.

• Limit distractions: To stay focused on your work, limit all distractions. Start by identifying the most common sources of distraction for you. These may include your phone, social media, email, or other notifications. Create a schedule that allows for specific times to check your email or messages. Set a timer for 30 minutes or an hour and check your email or messages during that time only. This will allow you to stay connected without being distracted all day long. If you are still struggling with distractions, try using productivity tools such as time management apps or website blockers. 

• Establish a personalised routine: To make the most of your time establish a routine that suits your productivity style. Start by identifying your most productive time of day, and accordingly, schedule your high-priority tasks during that time. Be realistic about the amount of time each task will take, and build in extra time for unexpected delays or interruptions. Try to establish a routine that you can stick to. Consistency is key when it comes to effective time management.

• Take a break:  Allow yourself time to relax and recharge, which will ultimately help you to be more productive and focused when you return to work. Try to take a short break every hour or two, even if it's just a few minutes to stretch or take a quick walk. It's important to give yourself time to unwind and do things that bring you joy.

• Focus on one task: Focusing on one task at a time, will help you to produce better results. Prioritise the tasks based on their importance and urgency. If you find yourself getting distracted, try using a productivity tool such as a website blocker or noise-cancelling headphones to help you stay focused.Once you have completed a task, cross it off your list and move on to the next one.

• Be organised: Organising both your physical and digital workspace, you'll be able to minimise distractions and reduce stress, which can ultimately boost your productivity. Start by decluttering your physical workspace. Get rid of any unnecessary items, file away paperwork, and organise your desk drawers. A clean and tidy workspace can help reduce distractions and make it easier to focus on your work. Organise your digital files and folders. Create a system for saving and categorising files on your computer or cloud storage. This will make it easier to find what you need and avoid wasting time searching for files.

Tools to Improve Time Management

By utilising these time management tools, you can improve your productivity and reduce stress. Given below are some tools that can help you manage your time more effectively:

• Calendars: Calendar apps, such as Google Calendar or Apple Calendar, can help you schedule and organize your time, set reminders for appointments, and view your schedule at a glance.
• Note-taking software: This software is a digital tool that allows users to create, organise, and store their notes electronically. Using note-taking software can help you keep track of important information, stay organized, and easily access your notes from any device. 
• Productivity apps: Using productivity apps such as StayFocused, Remember the Milk, and 2Do, can be an effective way to manage your time and stay focused on your tasks. 
• To-Do List Apps: To-do list apps, such as Todoist or Trello, can help you keep track of tasks and deadlines, and organize your tasks by priority, due date, or project.
• Focus Apps: Applications, such as Forest or Freedom, can help you stay focused by blocking distracting websites or apps for a set period of time.

Conclusion 

Effective time management is essential for students to succeed academically and personally. It can help them to balance their responsibilities, reduce stress, and achieve their goals. Time management is a skill that can be learned and developed over time, and its ultimate purpose is to help individuals achieve their goals and be more productive. With practice and patience, anyone can develop effective time management skills that will help them achieve their goals and live a more balanced, fulfilling life. 

For students wanting to learn soft skills like time management should register with colleges powered by Sunstone.  It offers skill development and training programs to help individuals acquire job-ready skills. It also offers 100% placement assistance and interview guarantees to its students, which can be helpful in securing job offers.