In our day and age, distractions are everywhere and this is why time management has become so hard to master. No living soul can avoid them. You set out a to-do list and next thing you know, you spent half your day on social media or watching your favorite show on Netflix. While no one can avoid distractions, there are ways to keep them out of your life for some time and, as a student, it’s crucial that you know how, because time management is the most important skill of all if you want to complete your tasks on time.
1- Stop multitasking
It’s an obvious one, but it needed to be said. How many times did your parents tell you to stop watching Tv and sit at the table to do your homework and you said that you could do both? Probably a lot. The thing is, if you pay close attention, you will realize that you learned less and did your homework way slower when simultaneously watching Tv. Same goes for your cellphone or another project. (The cellphone is an easy one so I won’t cover it.) While it can be mandatory to work on two projects at the same time, you should try and avoid it as much as possible, as it divides your attention and thoughts in two.
2- Set deadlines
Do I need to say anything here? Maybe.
Ever realized that you work better and faster when on a tight schedule? (This might not apply to everyone, feel free to skip it) If so, do exactly that. If you don’t have a specific deadline for a project, set one for yourself, challenge yourself to see how far you can go. For example, if a project is supposed to take 2 weeks, try to do it in 1 1/2 weeks; your boss will be impressed and it will be rewarding. Also, that way, you will have more time for yourself after.
3- Remove distractions
Easy and a little repetitive, but sometimes forgotten: get rid of any distractions. Getting distracted by the Tv? Turn it off. Your cellphone won’t stop vibrating? Don’t throw it out, please! Just put it on “Do not disturb”, or leave it somewhere far from you.
If a distraction can’t be solved by turning it off, find a way to get rid of them. For example, if your mom (or kids, bf, gf, etc. depending on your situation) is home all day, go somewhere else (i.e. go to a café).
4- Work when most productive
Too tired to work on that project at 8pm? No problem, start earlier! Seriously, it’s that simple. Whenever I write an article, it’s around 1pm, as I do my homework before that and I am “too tired” later to focus on my computer. (Tbh, my eyes are tired, but I usually binge-watch Gotham after 6pm) So experiment a little; try different times to work on your tasks and you will eventually find the most appropriate one. Once that is done, make it a habit, a routine.
5- Manage your stress
While this can seem weirdly placed: “In an article about time management, really?”, you ask. Yes, really. Stress is very energy and time-consuming. Especially you’re stressed out about nothing in particular (i.e. anxiety). If you stress too much, you’ll most definitely end up daydreaming and that’s the last thing you want when trying to be productive.
To get rid of this “distraction” (aka stress), all you have to do is take 5 to 15 minutes to meditate and relax. I know how it sounds, and you’re probably calling me crazy right now, but trust me, it works! And if you’re saying thing like: “You’re supposed to teach us to manage time, not waste it by meditating!” You’re wrong! It’s an investment: you will save yourself a lot of time after having spent 15 minutes meditating and will have long-term positive effects as well.
There are many ways to be productive and manage your time and those tips are only some of them. In my opinion, the most important ones, but that’s up to you to decide. I hope you liked this article and if you did, make sure to like it and share it. Also, come back next week for another one! To end on a good note, here are the best meditation apps (for IOS and Android) of 2019.
Broke Pupil 