Four steps to boost your time management skills

By Ava Chard

Considering how you manage your time in an academic setting can benefit your health by reducing stress and boosting confidence.

There are four dimensions to understanding time management; finding a balance between these can make or break your semester/project.

1.       Evaluate your study spaces and how you treat your time: are you messy and distracted? Is there a better location you can study, or a block of time when you may be more focused (i.e. after coffee or after a nap?)

2.      Consider how you prioritize your goals: are you aware of what needs to be done and how much time it is going to take to complete the task at hand? Do you identify differences between wants, tasks, needs, goals, and projects?

3.      Use of tools: are you using tools available to you in the correct way? Consider using a planner/monthly calendar or to-do list to help visualize, identify, and organize your goals.

4.      Perception of time: the most successful people are usually the ones who actively think about and try to achieve their success. Don’t spend your day bored, and recognize how self-motivation and determination can factor into your accomplishments. Don’t forget to reward yourself as you meet your goals, and don’t be hard on yourself if you miss a check mark - time management tools are supposed to help you, not hurt you.

A note on procrastination:
Don’t do it! Break big projects into smaller, more easily achievable chunks. Reward yourself as you accomplish parts. Do a little bit every day. Keep in mind that something has to be done last, but there is a way to detach the stress from deadlines.

About the Author
Ava is an undergraduate student earning her Bachelor's degree in Chemistry and Physics through Northern Arizona University. She relies heavily on organization and planning to make the most of her education, focused on exploring the intersection between Astronomy and Chemistry. Not only is she passionate about her own science education, but also seeks to increase access to the field for children at a local level. She believes her role in breaking down barriers is sparking an early love for science, advocating for a greater representation of all voices, and taking her own steps to increase international scientific communication; she practices American Sign Language and Spanish by immersing herself with communities of learners. When she's not in the library studying, she'll be on a mountain practicing yoga, or poolside spending time with her family.

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