Exam season is always a stressful time of year but having good time management skills can reduce that stress and give you more confidence. It is very easy to become overwhelmed, especially if you are applying to jobs at the same time so it is important to slow down for a second and use your time wisely. Below are a few tips that you can do to help with time management.
1. Use a to do list and calendar to organise your tasks
Using a to do list and/or a calendar will help you to visualise what exactly you need to do, how long you have and when a task needs to be completed by. This can be done electronically or on paper so use a method that works best for you.
2. Prioritisation
Being able to prioritise tasks is not easy and is a skill that you will develop over time but it is key in time management. It can be daunting doing the biggest task first especially if you are unsure where to start however, it is better to start than to do tasks that have a later deadline. Take a step by step approach and break those harder tasks into smaller ones. This applies to job applications too. If you need to do a cover letter and an application, start as early as possible so that you don’t feel the need to complete everything in one day. Check out our KEATS page that will help you with preparing for jobs.
3. Goal setting
When you are making a list of what tasks you need to do and when they need to be completed, set yourself some short term and medium term goals. Goals are meant to be challenging but realistic so ensure that they are attainable. This will help you feel good every time you complete a task but also acts as a great way to keep track on how hard you’ve worked and the progress made.
4. Avoid distractions
Social media is easily accessible and can create a big distraction when trying to do work (especially tik tok!). It is important that you resist the temptation of clicking onto these apps to avoid falling into the rabbit hole of endless strolling. Many phones now allow you to set specific timers on how long you can spend on a particular app each day. This is a good way to limit how long you spend on your phone. Another method is to reward yourself when you have done a certain amount of work e.g. for every hour, you get a 10 minute scrolling break. This could then motivate you to do work as you know there is a treat is at the end!
These are just a few tips you can implement in your life to ensure you are making the most of your time. If you want success, whether that be academically or in your career, strengthening your time management skills will significantly help. Be organised and be intentional but always remember to take a break too as you don’t want to burn yourself out.