Keys to Creating More Time

Over the last year, I had to learn how to better my time management and be more independent because of the pandemic. Most of my work became independent and there wasn’t as much supervision over the assignments, just a deadline. Additionally, my days became less structured without commuting and the cancellation of many extracurricular activities. As the term went on, the workload began to pile up and without better planning, it became overwhelming and stressful very quickly. Especially this last term, with an accelerated timeline for all of my courses, I had to make sure that I was keeping up with all of the new assignments.

Time management has helped me find more time for myself because I can be more efficient and was more focused while doing my work. I found that three steps helped me organize and manage my time better.

The first step was planning. It was easier to manage my time once I understood what I needed to accomplish. At the beginning of each week, I would start by writing out all of the tasks and assignments I needed to complete during the week. I broke each assignment into tiny steps, which helped make it less overwhelming and made me think of exactly what I needed to do. Then, I had to prioritize all of these tasks. I assigned three priority tasks for each day. I scheduled my time for each task and made sure to plan for breaks. Taking breaks was very important in making sure that I was focused while working.

The second step was creating a workspace. It was easier to focus when I had a dedicated space for working. I eliminated all distractions by blocking all social media apps and distracting websites, as well as turning on do not disturb mode. I made sure that all the supplies and materials I needed were there so that I was very prepared to work and wouldn’t have to move around trying to find things that I needed. This helped me create a mindset that whenever I sat at my workspace, I would be doing work and nothing else.

The final step was avoiding procrastination. There were many times when I felt quickly distracted and wanted to work on easier tasks. My procrastination was often triggered by large projects that I felt overwhelmed by and scared to start. To combat this, I would ask myself what the easiest and simplest task was. I then started with an easy and simple task, such as writing a title or just coming up with a topic.  Once I got into the flow of doing work, I would be able to complete many tasks. While doing this work, I would check off the things that I did, and this gave me a sense of accomplishment and encouragement to do more of that assignment. I also resisted procrastination was by asking a friend to hold me accountable. For example, we would set a deadline for each other to peer edit and this forced me to complete my work before the real deadline. I would also study with someone, which gave me a set time for my work. However, it can easily become a form of procrastinating if both of you distract each other!

Finding a system that works for you is the most important aspect to better organization and creating more time for yourself. Time management has been an important part of balancing my own time, my school-work, and other commitments.

It has helped me deal with many weeks where I have felt stressed and overwhelmed. Having a loose structure has helped me stay on track and keep myself accountable during a time when I feel that I have to rely on myself to set my boundaries. It is very easy to get distracted in online school and not use that time well. Once I started taking the day step-by-step, I felt a lot better and more intentional with my actions.