Time Management Hacks for University Students
All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” — J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
College students are a busy lot. Their schedules are chock-a-block with classes, co-curricular activities, theatre workshops or band practice, lectures in chosen Majors, research, some time on social media, gym workouts, and more. Cool, isn’t it? The beauty and fun of University life lie in the freedom and flexibility students enjoy doing the things they want, at their time and pace. But it is this very freedom that can be so tough to manage, especially after a highly structured, non-negotiable High School schedule. Smart timetable management could be the saving grace for students who want both the freedom to live life on their terms and a decent degree at the end of their University years.
Here are some time management hacks for university students to help them survive University. They can thus have the best of all possible worlds — with some coffee breaks thrown in for good measure!
Create a to-do list before going to bed: Make a habit of this. After all, to-do lists are decisions on “what to do with the time that is given us”. They also serve as a gentle, helpful nudge to lost souls who tend to drift or chill instead of putting their noses to the grindstone. Moreover, they help us set goals and prioritize tasks. What is in black and white and pinned or stuck up on your front door or your laptop cannot be forgotten. When done before going to bed, you make the effort to sleep early, maintain good sleep hygiene, and wake up with a sense of purpose.
Cut out time-eaters: The majority of cyber addicts are, in fact, social media addicts. As they scroll down their Facebook or Twitter posts, they lose track of time, they forget their responsibilities and to-do lists. The instant gratification that those “Likes” and cute emojis offer them is nourishment for young hearts starved for attention and consideration. But when you lose track of time, you also lose time. So going off social media for a while would be a good idea, at least for hours earmarked for study or research.
No multitasking — This is where good timetable software could come in handy. The “one-task-at-a-time” principle is the most effective when it comes to accomplishing a string of jobs. And a smart time management tool is usually part of any good university erp software. Research shows that cognition and focus diminish when you undertake too many tasks at a time. Focusing one’s body and soul on a single predetermined activity will help you achieve it faster and better. Time-table management software displays the day’s schedule in advance, giving you a heads-up on what to expect and when on an hourly basis. Scheduling your day in hour-tight compartments with the help of the timetable system will help you plug in any gaps in the schedule while ensuring that you are not piling too much into one hour.
Plan on a weekly basis — Weekly plans are medium-term plans. Since most school and college homework is assigned on a weekly basis, and lectures are also scheduled per week, most students can expect to have their weekly timetables when they receive their timetable notification on their student app. If your university has invested in an advanced education ERP, the timetable organizer will be equally advanced, giving you the flexibility to enter or work with variables such as co-curricular activities, remedial classes, special arrangements, varying timings, and period lengths. You can then schedule activities that are not mentioned in the official timetable around the mandatory lectures and events.
See the larger picture — You would like to attain your goals and have prepared your to-do lists. You have broken up your day into mini-segments. But you still feel something is missing in your schedule. If you don’t have the larger picture, what you probably are missing out on is long-term goals. You don’t want to just be busy. You want to be productive. This is why only the larger picture can give you the insight to plan your days and weeks and year so you can actually go for your larger purpose in life. Also, examinations need long term preparation. Every semester has a different schedule. The time tables appearing on your student-teacher communication app will doubtless display the annual schedule of events and examinations. The University Examination Management System will also give you real-time updates on examination schedules and seating arrangements. When you plan with the larger picture in mind, your days don’t just have structure. They have meaning and value. And you do not lose sight of what is important while busying yourself with the urgent.
Meditate — Surprised to see meditation as a time management hack? But it is, in fact, the most effective means of managing your time better and even using your time optimally to achieve your goals. What does meditation do? It clears up the cobwebs in your mind — past hurts, anxieties for the future, events that may have traumatized you, the irrelevant information overload, and much else. It helps you think peacefully, in an organized manner. As thoughts come to the surface through your meditation session, you keep releasing them…till you discover a serene, calm, and open mental and emotional space within. From this space — entire, healed, wholesome — you will see the time ahead without anxiety and stress. In this space, you are safe.
The ERP for university management that your institution utilizes must certainly have some interesting and useful time management tools. Don’t hesitate to use the schedules you receive on your student dashboard to improve on your scheduling skills.
And do remember that these time management hacks are, in fact, timeless. Every one of them is certain to contribute to your betterment and progress, as you move into the future with enough time on your hands to lead a fulfilling and successful life.
