For college students, a common struggle that many endure is developing time-management strategies. Between school, work, and social activities, students are constantly bombarded with new challenges and tasks that build up. It is their responsibility for maintaining all aspects of life to create a healthy balance. Many students are required to take 15 credit hours a semester, while also integrating themselves into school organizations, working to gain extra money, and making time for friends and family. These schedules tend to overlap, which can raise anxiety because of the pressures that come with managing time properly. There are three pieces of advice that I suggest can benefit college students to increase their time-management skills.
1. Develop a routine
Entering a new day or week without knowing what needs to be completed on your personal agenda can be a heavy stressor. Creating a routine can help decrease these uncertainties. Each day will never look like the last; however, developing a routine that is unique to you can help create adjustments for understanding how to balance each aspect of life.
2. Create a unique way to stay organized
There is never one specific way to stay organized. Students can create a variety of ways that are unique to themselves. Staying organized suggests ways to keep on top of school/work assignments, make sure the environment you live in is organized to boost motivation and keep a schedule. These can be accomplished by meeting deadlines early on, making sure you are keeping your home/workspaces clean, and recording notes, dates, and deadlines properly. Staying organized can help relieve anxieties about being overwhelmed with tasks and avoid burnout.
3. Set SMART goals for the different aspects of life
SMART goals are specific sets of goals that pertain to achieving larger objectives. SMART is an acronym that stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. Making SMART goals can assist in developing strategic goals that are effective in reaching objectives that better lifestyles. These goals can be set for work-life, school, or simply how we live life. Key factors of SMART goals are, being clear and not too vague, being trackable to meet the timeline, being sustainable and not unrealistic, and finally, SMART goals should have a reasonable time frame.
Maxwell Burton is a sophomore studying journalism – strategic communications and pursuing a minor in marketing at Ohio University. He serves as the Vice President of Public Relations for Scripps PRSSA. Connect with him on LinkedIn here.