Time Management Hacks for Efficient Work and Continuous Learning

There isn’t a student who hasn’t felt overwhelmed by everything they must do in college. It is essentially a battle with time. What should you finish first? Will you have time to hang out with your friends? 

From writing papers for different subjects and learning how to start a persuasive essay to attending classes and doing homework, it all comes crashing down if you don’t have proper scheduling skills. Of course, you can elevate some of these tasks by looking up time management essay samples online. This way, you catch inspiration and learn how to write your own piece. But that is just one part.

When it comes to tackling everything college throws at you, effective time management is key! So, let’s see why you need such skill and some tips and tricks to help you improve it.

Why Is Time Management Important in Education?

Planning is a skill that, as the name suggests, helps you manage your time in a way that enables you to create a balance in life. But how does time management help in education? 

For college students, in particular, effective time management means they are able to create a state of equilibrium between their studies and personal lives. In general, this skill teaches them how to organize their schedules, focus on more important tasks, and finish their school assignments on time. It, in turn, opens the path to an improved learning process and self-development, resulting in good academic (and future life) achievements. 

Time Management Statistics

It has been present since the dawn of time in one form or another. But the definition we know today showed in 1911. Plenty of statistics exist now that point out why productivity is important, how many people use and work on this skill, etc. Here are several of them:

Tips for Time Management in College

If you want to learn how to have good time management, then you need to get out of your comfort zone, be willing to learn new things, and, of course, stick to them. Below, we’ll give you several time management tips that you should use to refine your learning process.

Learn to Prioritize

When in college, you have plenty of tasks that are due on the same day or back to back. Add to it some extracurricular activities and a bit of free time, and you’re packed. That is why prioritization is important. 

Hence, do the assignments that are with a closer deadline as soon as possible. Even if these are due next week, it’s better to have them wrapped up now than worry about what to do first when the time comes to hand them in. Try to do it by using to-do lists, making weekly/daily schedules, and setting reminders. 

Use Planning Techniques & Tools

Today, you don’t have to do everything on your own—there are plenty of online tools and methods devised specifically to help you build on a skill. The same goes for time management. 

You can use tools like Google Calendar to keep track of your events and school assignments, Structured to set up your daily activities, Evernote to take notes, etc. But aside from the tools, some well-known techniques have proven useful when creating effective time management. 

A good method to start for any student is the Pomodoro technique. With this method, you study for 25 minutes and then rest for 5 minutes. The cycle goes for 4 times, after which you take a longer break of 15–30 minutes. An anonymous college student did a self-study on the Pomodoro technique and showed that it helps boost productivity. 

Another technique (more connected to prioritization) is the Eisenhower Matrix. It is based on one simple sentence: what is urgent is rarely important, and what is important is rarely urgent. 

Focus Mode ON!

Scheduling also includes focus. If you want to finish a task in a given time frame, then you have to keep all distractions at bay. Luckily, today, all devices come with “focus mode,” which will keep social media notifications off. Another option is to turn off your phone/laptop/tablet or put it in a different room while you’re learning.

No Is an Answer Too

Managing the schedule in college means saying no to other (sometimes fun) activities. Whether you’re asked to go out or are offered the option to take up a new hobby, know the limits, prioritize, and understand that saying no is OK—don’t fear the FOMO!

Put a Stop to Multitasking

Multitasking is the foe of time management. Sometimes, doing too many things under the pretense of multitasking harms you and the learning process in the long run. 

Of course, multitasking is helpful, but only if it fits your time management skills and works together with, not against, them. So, until you create an effective time management schedule that fits your needs, avoid multitasking.

Final Words: Time Management Improves the Learning Process

Scheduling is the pillar of balance between your social and school life. It helps you work effectively and create a continuous learning habit. It can help you expand your knowledge and skills, helping you fit within the digital landscape of today and thrive in any field you choose after college.