5 ways to helps students manage their time

By Mia Bradford

Let’s face it, we as college students do not have a lot of time on our hands. According to
research done by Georgetown University, over 70 percent of college students in the United States
work on top of going to school. Not only that, but we shuffle around socializing, family and
more, and time tends to not be on our side. Below are some tips to help manage time:

Have your assignments written down and on display
Homework and projects can sneak up on you and you can find yourself scrambling the night
before to get it done. Having all of your upcoming due dates written down can definitely help
keep you on track and prepare your schedule accordingly. Keeping a day planner is great to
write down your assignments and other items that will take up your time. For me, I use the
“stickies” on my laptop and write all my assignments and due dates there. That way, I have a
constant reminder of what I have coming up.

Find your routine and stick to it
Between classes, work, social lives and sleep, there can be little time to fit anything anything else
in. It is important to organize your schedule and find the right routine for you. Consistency is
key, and once you’re able to set yourself to your routine, it’s easier to manage time and be able to
get stuff done.

Put your phone away. Just do it.
Our phones are a blessing and a curse. We have access to worlds of information, can talk to
anyone at anytime and just have fun on our phones. But, our phones are an addiction and it
distracts us from what we need to do. According to eMarketer, U.S adults spend on average
around 3 hours and 35 minutes per day on their phones. I am guilty of this as well as I find
myself consistently distracted when I have my phone nearby. But in all reality, they are not
helpful for when we need to get our stuff done. Put your phone in the other room, or tuck it
away in your backpack. It can wait. Instagram and Facebook will still be there when you get
your assignment done.

Make sleep a priority
Studies have shown that over 60 percent of college students are not getting enough sleep. That is
not good. Lack of sleep has detrimental impacts on a person, so we need to make sleep a
priority. Below are some of the negative effects that lack of sleep can do to your body:
• memory issues
• trouble with thinking and concentration
• mood changes
• weakened immunity
• weight gain
• high blood pressure
• risk for diabetes
• risk for heart disease
• poor balance

Sleep is so imperative and we need to make sure we get enough sleep so we can be our best and
succeed.

Accept sacrifices and value your rewards
If you’re friends are inviting you out for Taco Tuesday, but you have an exam you need to study
for, you know which one you need to choose. The FOMO (fear of missing out) definitely gets
real in college, but you need to accept that these sacrifices will make up for it in the future.
Giving yourself the time you need to pass your classes will be a greater reward than partying
every weekend. Now, there definitely is room for balance, so you don’t have to miss every
social gathering or time for yourself, but you need to know your limits. Education is so
important and it doesn’t last forever, so work hard now and you’ll value the reward so much
more.
​
We work so hard as college students and sometimes it can be very overwhelming. Hopefully
these tips will be able to help you through some tough times and push you toward success!