Effective college students have essential personal time management skills in place. Students with these essential skills are usually high achievers not only in school but also in life. Good use of time management all but ensures that you will be able to function and handle your college workload even under some of the most intense pressures. Work overload may be a thing of the past once you hone your time management skills and take control of your college responsibilities; therefore, learning some practical time management methods should be at the top of your list.
Just because you are busier now than ever in your life does not mean that ‘being busy’ should be your focus. In fact, this will detract from your effectiveness. You must shift your focus from constantly dwelling on how busy you are to what tasks actually need to get done. Figure out what matters the most and start there; this shift in focus is crucial to your workload accomplishments.
You need to be able to take control of your time by eliminating the areas that are wasting your time and energy. The best way to do this is to set short-term goals in order to accomplish the bigger, long term objectives. You would do this by scheduling your activities in order to take control of your workload and personal life.
Overcome procrastination from the outset. Procrastination can become a way of life and will only stymie and frustrate you. Learn to start projects promptly , set objectives and keep a check-off list as you accomplish each task. This will help prevent completing tasks at the last minute or constantly asking for extensions.
Prioritize tasks in your workload. This is similar to scheduling except that when you prioritize you are putting a value on your tasks. Are they low, medium or high in importance and value? When you are given a new assignment, learn to analyze it for it’s importance and prioritize it accordingly.
Whatever you do, you need an organized system that allows you to handle your workload regardless of the pressures placed on you. Time management skills are the keys to your college success; get serious about effectively managing your time and you will never again have to worry about what needs to get done or where you are going. You will be on your way to knowing your goals, maximizing your effectiveness and winning control of your life and time.
Sue Behlmar writes eduaction related articles for the American Educational Guidance Center. Subjects of her articles include online colleges, financial aid and online degrees most likely to lead to career advancement.
Filed under Time Management by Sue Behlmar

