What-to-Know Wednesday : Time Management Necessities

Hello all!

Now that our October break has come and gone, schedules are really starting to pick up here at St. Mike's. For me, several exams, projects, and presentations are beginning to converge into a two-week span, and my time management skills are being put to the test.

While you hopefully started to hone in on these skills through your high school years, college requires a whole different kind of time management in that you're now living at school. In other words, it's up to you to separate your personal life from your school life, and that can be a little difficult when your busy schedule requires sacrificing time from one for the sake of the other.

Thankfully, there are a few tools that, when put to good use, can go great lengths in helping you manage your time on a college schedule.


1.) Your Planner

I've said it before and I'll say it again...your planner is THE number one tool in staying on top of your schedule in college. Use it to your full advantage, making note of every assignment, meeting, event, to-do list, etc. Putting your schedule in writing relieves your mind of the burdens of remembering everything, organizes your thoughts, and is the first step in building your time management skill set.


2.) Phone Reminders

This is a tactic I employ pretty frequently in my weekday life. If I'm out and about and something comes up that I know I'll need to take care of later after class, I immediately take out my phone and set an alarm labeled with said task. That way when I get out of class and start heading back to my suite, my phone will go off and that will be the first thing I take care of when I get back.

This is another way of getting relieving yourself from the responsibility of remembering and the risk of forgetting. When I set that alarm, I know that I'll be instantly reminded when it goes off and I'll be able to get right down to the task at hand.


3.) Lists

The most important parts of making a to-do list are writing down something the second you think of it (so as not to forget), and keeping it in a place that you'll be constantly seeing it. That can be on your bulletin board in your room, your phone, whatever works for you.


And above everything else, stay calm and collected. Even the best time management tools are rendered useless if you're carrying around the burden of a cluttered mind. Keep everything in writing, set up reminders for yourself along the way, and you'll be on your way to a well-managed schedule!



Interested in other posts like this one? Check out...

Keeping it Cool Through Busy Weeks

Keeping the Perfect Planner


...and be sure to stay tuned for the next Sum-It-Up Sunday on the 25th!



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Instagram: @claire_cavanaugh
Twitter: @CavanaughClaire
E-mail: ccavanaugh2@mail.smcvt.edu