They claim that we each have 24 hours per day to accomplish our goals.
In writing, absolutely. What about the time spent travelling and during school hours? Then there are things like projects, homework, rest, etc. After deducting all of this time, the remainder is typically used for hobbies and self-study.
There are many time management strategies available, but it's important to select the one that's appropriate for you and realistic.
We have included some advice to assist you better grasp time management and develop the skill.
Create a time budget first.
Make sure you have reasonable expectations for what you can do in the time you have available when creating your time budget. Then, this budget serves as a roadmap for your daily choices. The goal is to divide your time allotment into manageable weekly and daily schedules.
But is a time budget really necessary? Yes! Because we frequently feel as though we have a shortage of time and are unable to fit in critical duties or even hobbies we enjoy. Additionally, we often underestimate the time we waste on diversions.
As a result, we must do a time audit to determine where our wasted time is and what we can do with it.
Make a time audit.
A time audit is nothing more than a series of questions you ask yourself to find out how and where you spend your time. Understanding where you can make improvements will help you better utilise your time. To get you started, consider these 6 inquiries:
1. How long do I spend studying?
2. How much time do I spend doing things that are distracting? Reckless scrolling is a clue.
3. After school and my academics, what do I do in my spare time?
4. How much time do I devote to tasks that advance my objectives?
5. How many of my hours are devoted to tasks that are connected to my well-being?
6. What are a few of the things I want to accomplish?
The next step is to distinguish your true priorities from those you listed in response to question 6. You'll always have a to-do list that is very long. Nothing becomes a priority if everything is prioritised. And you're disoriented and overwhelmed. Limit your priorities to three at a time to find a solution. To prevent burnout, make sure one of your objectives is related to your health or passion.
Learn to set priorities.
Determine your most critical objectives and the most effective steps that will help you attain them before setting priorities. Simple objectives like achieving above 85% on board exams can be your main focus. To accomplish this, conceptual rigour is required. Therefore, your most effective course of action would be to spend a few hours a day self-studying.
Plan your days and weeks.
You need to plan properly in order to be able to prioritise effectively. Adding more time to your day is the key to effective planning. No, you won't need to extend your day by an additional 25 hours. Simply optimising your time is all that is required. This is how:
Plan Ahead: Your days and weeks can always be organised around your ambitions. Set goals for each day as it begins. You will be able to accomplish your goals more quickly as a result. Keep the following in mind when you arrange your time:
1. You should allocate 20 minutes per day and 60 minutes per week to planning.
2. Allow extra time in case something unexpected happens.
3. Be adaptable and willing to rearrange things if necessary.
Plans don't need to be rigorous or flawless. They are intended to serve as a guide and aid in time management. You can always start doing weekly reviews, when you reflect on the previous week and pose questions to help you make better plans for the weeks ahead. The inquiries might be along these lines:
1. What did I fail to complete this week?
2. What kept me from setting priorities for my tasks?
3. How do I make these regions better?
Focus Task: You might have discovered during your time audit that an activity that might have been finished in two hours took you four. You often checking your phone every 20 minutes is the main cause. By putting your phone aside while participating in the activity, you can prevent this distraction.
Discreet Hacks:
- To keep concentrated, create the optimal workspace or study environment.
- To cut down on distractions, utilise site blockers or focus mode.
- Single-tasking is preferable whenever you can because it saves a lot of time.
In addition to these methods, you can attempt time blocking, Pomodoro, and other methods to get things done.
Try task bundling and time blocking.
One of the simplest methods for making the most of your time and accomplishing tasks is time blocking. Your to-do list can be written down on any piece of paper. Next, set aside time blocks beginning with the morning's first activity. Add your tasks in one column, then time blocks for each task in the subsequent column. They can be anywhere from 15 and 2 hours.
For instance, reading before bed from 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM and dinner from 7:00 PM to 7:30 PM. Don't forget to budget some extra time for jobs that might take longer than expected.
Attempt task bundling as well. It isn't similar to multitasking. By combining related activities, it helps you make extra time in your day. For instance, it can be quite beneficial and productive to listen to a science podcast while driving to school. Or you can head to the store and assist your parents with their grocery shopping. This will enable you to look for your well-being and assist at home.
