Hey, what’s up? Johnny here. For a long time, I’ve struggled with multitasking, and it ate me up entirely. Now, I’m a student, a husband, a parent, and a supervisor at my job. Time management skills for students are essential if they want to survive. Life’s gotta be hard for us to like it for real. But I’m not here to tell you about the beauty of fatherhood and hard work. If you’re reading this, you probably need a few time management tips and some good old inspiration to motivate you to move forward.
Beginning of a New Life
I won’t tell you that I’m a pro at time management, but I guess that I’ve done pretty well with the little time I’ve got on my hands. Still, I’ve had my share of trouble and know what to do to get out of it.
I didn’t always have an interest in studying; in high school, I could barely wait to get out. My parents were the type of down-to-earth people who knew that the best thing a person could do was get a good job, do it on time, and count your green. I’ve been working since high school, helping my folks out with their small business, and that’s where I started to learn time management skills.
After that, I decided to save some cash before making any advancements in my life. My family wanted me to get a higher education, but we couldn’t afford it, and I’m not a fan of loans of any kind; the recession hit my parents hard, and I learned my lesson. I decided to go from job to job and earn enough money that would do in time for my bachelor’s degree.
At age 20, I moved to NYC, full of hopes and dreams and ready to enter a better time in my professional life. My key goal now is quite multifaceted: I want to be a good husband, parent, and student. I’m earning my bachelor’s degree, and it’s been quite a challenge to maintain all my tasks and time manage. Still, it’s a cool thing as well. I want to graduate from uni and invest in my future. My favorite classes are Principles of Management, Business Communication, and Business Ethics. However, I need to make time to study Financial Accounting and Microeconomics, which are more complicated for me.
Tips for Studying Parents
I love being a parent. My wife Dina is the most perfect person I could ever have imagined, but when we only became parents did we realize that everything we knew about time of management was a lie. Here are some tips for time management that helped me a lot.
- Be there for your partner. Seriously, guys. It goes without saying that both people are parents. If you’re a dude, don’t slack off. This way, you can give your partner some time for themselves and be a good father. Or mother. Doesn’t matter.
- Be active in short but efficient bursts. I work in waves of activity, so when I plan for time management, I allocate short periods of time to my most complicated tasks. It’s important of time to adapt to your personality.
- Have organized communication. You can forget a lot of stuff just because of poor preparation. Decide on a place where you can have everything important delivered. Find a place for fast communication exchange. Does your online conversation count? Nope. It isn’t time efficient, and you need a place to leave a message for your spouse. We use a fridge magnet to leave messages and write things that we need to do or buy. It helps a lot.
- Automate what you can. The easiest time management tip you’re probably gonna ignore is this: when possible, let the machines do it. If you can afford it, buy a dishwasher, pay people to clean your car, and find a child care center if possible. Come on, we’re, like, heavily industrialized. Why do you think electricity and child care were invented?
- Use a timer. If you feel that managing of time has become more difficult, think about a simple but probably easy way to keep on track. Whenever you begin a new task, make sure to do it with the help of a timer. You’ll see it do wonders with your life; the stuff that you did for quite a long time, such as chores or writing down a lecture, will be much shorter once this tool begins to manage the time for you.
Photo by Mick Haupt on Unsplash
Adding a Job to the Problem
It isn’t enough to invest in timing management without considering your professional tasks. Most of the time, I have to keep my job in mind. Between Dina and I, we don’t have a lot of money, and with the second child coming soon, I can’t afford to do nothing.
- Write everything down. I like Evernote or even simple Apple notes if a new task comes to mind. Sure, there are plenty of time managers out there, but my favorite one is Todoist. At first, I had to spend more time on remembering to use it. However, when I realized that I could barely keep in mind all the stuff I had to do, it became indispensable to my management time.
- Use cross-platform software. You can manage time better if you can access all your information from any platform. The easiest way is to use Google Drive and have everything stored there. Maybe those Excel sheets aren’t aesthetically pleasing, but they do wonders for time management for college students.
- Make sure to talk. Your employer, unless they’re a very difficult person, can help you with time management at work. If you tell them that you’re studying to become a better professional, chances are they will be nicer to you.
- Try hybrid work. A great thing that’s important of time management is to know that “classic” doesn’t relate to you. I wouldn’t survive on a typical schedule. Ask your manager to assist you in managing the work; maybe you can delegate it while studying, or perhaps you can avoid certain meetings for the sake of efficiency of time. Unsurprisingly, the same goes for your college professors. Sure, some might only tell you to “focus on learning” when they propose time management for students, but most will be understanding if they know that you’re working and learning at the same time.
- Mix your responsibilities. A great thing in time management college students can learn is that it’s vital to do different activities. For example, don’t write three case studies in a row; do something for your work and something for your study. This way, you’ll see the progress in both cases and won’t feel stuck in one place. People get tired after some time.
- Have a support network. I’ve only recently learned this secret of how to manage time. Dina and I are parents who want to be the best. We try to be adults whom our children will be proud of, but I’ve discovered that it’s impossible to do everything with just two sets of hands. Invite your parents or friends and ask them to help you out. Question them about tips on time management. It takes a village to raise a kid. Don’t be afraid to admit that you’re tired.
Remember what’s important
Yeah, I want to include this one, too. Remember that your family comes first. To me, the whole problem isn’t about being a perfect worker or learner. I want to manage life in a way that will make me hold my “#1 Dad” mug proudly.
- Prioritize. Don’t know how to time management when there’s just too much to do? Don’t fret. Just do what’s most important. For example, your kid’s football match is, but your meeting with a professor who doesn’t even know you’re there isn’t. This is the key time management technique: sometimes, things just have to be let go. Simple as that.
- Make your responsibilities kid-friendly. Whenever you reflect on how to time manage, check whether you can invite your kids and spouse to it. Ask your family to make a game out of chores, for example. Time management planning requires you to experiment and do something unexpected!
- Take days off. Effective time management is all about trying to make your life better, so if you’re starting to dread waking up, you may be pushing yourself too hard. As a father, I’ve realized that having a good time is a thing I can’t deny myself. I try to be with my family and pay the most attention to them. Sometimes, there’s no need for a time management plan. It’s just your life. Your time.
Concluding remarks
My time management skills were never perfect, and I don’t think that things have changed. Just remember that time organizing can save your life when you want to drop one of the balls that you’re juggling. I hope that you know how to plan your day now. Find the balance between doing everything and taking your time. Good luck!