Are you struggling with juggling your priorities in an unprecedented time where we’re completely virtual? Our college experience looks completely different this year but none the less, we must adapt to these new challenges.
Of course, time management is always a challenge we deal with, but can be even more difficult as “zoom fatigue” sets in and our work time, school time, and personal time all begin to blend into one seamless schedule. This can be detrimental for our mental health as well as keep us from compartmentalizing the tasks in our day.
It’s important that we find structure and balance so that we can control one aspect of this completely unknown time we’re experiencing. Keep reading to find out how I cracked the code on time management during this virtual semester.
Here are the 3 most important steps to successful time management.
For me, these are listed in the order I like to accomplish them in, but to each his own.
· Know your end goal
· Have a timeline
· Create accountability
1. Know your End Goal
Surely you didn’t start this semester without an end goal in mind. If you did, no worries, take a brief moment to decide what you’re wanting to accomplish. This can be the “big idea” in which we can discuss the “little ideas” later.
My “big idea” or end goal is to finish the semester with all B’s or higher. This goal would normally be set too easy for me but given we’re in a global pandemic I am willing to give myself some grace.
Whatever your goal may be, you must bring it to fruition by stating it out loud, writing it down, and even telling your friends or family what you hope to accomplish. This is the first step toward tackling time management.
2. Have a Timeline
We’ve got our goal, now we need a deadline. When should your goal be accomplished by? I like to space mine out in academic semesters as that’s the easiest way for me. You can do it monthly, yearly, whatever works with your lifestyle.
Once you’ve established your deadline, you can now work backwards to figure out what all needs to be accomplished in order to meet this goal. My goal is surrounded around my academic schedule, so now I will align my timeline with due dates for classes.
A trick I always like to use when creating this timeline is giving yourself some cushion room in case something goes wrong. Believe me, something always goes wrong.
Set your due dates in your timeline a few days in advance so you’ve got room to go over your tasks and revise them should you need to before turning them in. If your goal is more serious than meeting academic deadlines, maybe a project for your career, you can even think about setting your deadline a few weeks in advance, so you have time to get proper approvals.
Once you’ve got your timeline, you can now begin working toward your goal! This is the fun part for me because I get to check tasks off my list throughout the semester as I complete them.
3. Create Accountability
This is the most important part if you want to follow through with accomplishing your “big idea” or goal.
We all have these big dreams of being successful and staying organized and being early, but this is nearly impossible without creating accountability.
To successfully manage your time, set up ways to keep yourself accountable as you’re working through your newly created timeline to accomplish your end goal.
Accountability can be done in many different ways. You can create a vision board, a mood board, or even a dream board. Any visual can help you see your goal through.
I’ve found that the most successful way to hold yourself firm when managing your time is by having an accountability partner that checks in with you often.
This partner can help remind you of your end goal, the deadlines you set in place for yourself, and can even remind you why you started in the first place.
Bottom line, when managing your time, have a partner you trust that can help you reach your goal on time.
Give yourself some Grace
I mentioned this briefly before, but it’s true. We’re facing new challenges and experiencing emotions of loneliness, burnout, and hopelessness. The best we can do is keep pushing forward.
As you’re struggling to manage your time in a global pandemic, the fact that you’ve acknowledged your need to improve and are actively working toward getting more organized means you’re headed in the right direction.
Give yourself grace and press on.
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