Photo courtesy of Essentials of Business

Everyone’s lives would be so much easier if we had all the time in the world, but unfortunately, that it not the case. We try to keep a balance between schoolwork, extracurricular activities, jobs, sports, family, friends, volunteer work, and the list goes on and on.

But as all of these obligations continue to arise, we become increasingly stressed out. Why? Because we have yet to master the most important life skill: time management. Below are the best tips to follow to stay productive.

1. Make a To-do List

Sometimes, we are so stressed that we forget all of the things we have to do, and instead waste time trying to remember them. An easy solution to this is to write to-do lists. These are a perfect way to stay organized and on task. Another technique is to number the tasks in order of what is most important, so you do those first.

2. Put Down Your Cell Phone

Yes, this may be a challenge for everyone, but spending less time on your cell phone can save so much of your time. Even though we feel we can look at just that one Instagram post, one turns into twenty. Before you know it, you will have wasted twenty minutes, thirty minutes, or even hours on our phones. If you have a lack of self-control, try downloading an app that locks your phone for you.

3. Take Advantage of Small Moments

Often times, we do not realize the small opportunities we have to get work done. Think about your ten-minute car ride to school in the morning, or those five minutes you spend waiting for your mom to pick you up from school. Instead of wasting that time, you could start homework, or complete something on your to-do list. It might not seem like a lot of time, but those minutes add up.

4. Work In Advance

Try to make a schedule ahead of time. If you know that you have an assignment due in a week, complete a little each night, instead of procrastinating. This has multiple advantages. First, difficult assignments seem less overwhelming if you complete them in pieces. You might end up with a better grade because you are putting more effort into each part of the project instead of rushing at the end. Second, when spur of the moment things come up, you will not feel stressed because you have been completing your other assignments all along.

5. Be Willing to Sacrifice

Even with great time management skills, you have to understand that with many responsibilities, you might not have time to go to every party or see your friends every weekend. It is an important skill to be able to realize what is most important to you, and prioritize so those come first.

With these tips, you should be able to become an expert at time management!

By Emily Koehne’18, Assistant Editor-in-Chief