By: Fajr Zahid, Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences Well-being Leader

Time management refers to the utilization of time in an efficient and productive manner, often resulting in better outcomes related to academics, work, interpersonal relationships, and even health. While it is easy to get side-tracked or procrastinate upcoming tasks and assignments, improving your time management skills can be highly beneficial in your daily life. Below are some tips and strategies that may help you manage your time better, and in turn help you lead a more stress-free and productive life, especially during the school year.

1) Creating a calendar: This allows you to remember dates of important events or appointments you must attend to. By visualizing these on a calendar (whether it is online or physical print), you can create a better sense of what your schedule looks like on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Additionally, you can have a better understanding of which days you tend to have more free time and which you can dedicate towards any hobbies or relaxing activities.

2) Using an academic planner: Academic planners, similar to a calendar, are a great tool for organizing your school-related tasks specifically. Here, you can write down upcoming homework assignments and exam dates, which can help keep track of what you need to get done for each one of your courses. It can also help you determine the best time for you to complete your assignments and study for your exams, instead of cramming it all in one day.

3) Prioritization: In instances where you feel as though you do not have enough time to complete required tasks, or to submit assignments before their deadline, it is important to learn how to evaluate your priorities. Working on tasks or assignments that require little time and effort first can help to relieve the overall burden and workload, and will allow you to dedicate your ultimate focus on any bigger tasks you need to complete. However, if you do not think you can fit everything into your schedule, it may be best to push aside these simpler tasks and focus on bigger priorities that hold more weight or value.

4) Making time for self-care activities: While it is important to be able to manage your time effectively in order to complete work or school related tasks, it is just as important to make time for yourself throughout each day or week. Make sure you are engaging in activities for yourself, and making your health and well-being a priority in the midst of all of your workload and responsibilities. This may look like hanging out with friends or family, reading a book, playing a sport/going to the gym, watching your favorite TV show or taking a nap.

5) Reaching out: Don’t hesitate to reach out to someone if you feel that you are not able to manage your time as effectively or efficiently as you would like, or if you find yourself feeling under pressure as a result of this. Time management is not an easy skill, and it takes practice to learn what works best for you! Remember, there is always someone willing to help and support you when times get tough, including myself! Feel free to set up an appointment with me using my Calendy link: https://calendly.com/fajr_zahid/30min. I am more than happy to assist you in improving your time management skills, or any other aspect of your health & well-being that you would like to discuss!

Be sure to join me in HSS 107 on October 3rd from 12-1pm for a Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences Time Management Workshop!

Resources:
https://summer.harvard.edu/blog/8-time-management-tips-for-students/