1. Relying on memory
Relying on "memory" for important deadlines is a surefire disaster. Get in the habit of writing down deadlines in a day planner, or enter into your smart phone or electronic calendar. Review the course syllabus the first week of class and then jot down due dates for important assignments, tests and quizzes in your planner.
2. Procrastination
Putting off until tomorrow, what you can accomplish today leads to last minute problems. Get started early and you are on your way to successful time management.
3. Underestimating time
College students, (unlike high school students) complete most of their coursework on their own time. Open schedules may be misleading for first-time college students. At our college, for every credit hour, there is 1 hour in class and 2-3 hours expected outside of class in studying and preparation per week. Its best to overestimate preparation time until you get a feel for your own study pace and the instructor's expectations.
4. Break down
Students may feel overwhelmed with large term papers and projects when they focus on the magnitude of the end product. Practice partializing assignments (breaking them down into smaller steps). Give yourself due dates for the short-term steps (actions) you need to accomplish that lead to completion of the larger project.
5. Making everything a priority
When everything is a priority, nothing is a priority. Sometimes students "feel" pulled in too many directions. Consider how many hours you truly have to designate towards school and studying each week. Ask yourself which areas of your life you might choose to cut back, delegate, or eliminate all together. Schedule study and preparation time. Create daily to-do lists and rank the list in order of most important to least important tasks, to help you maintain focus on immediate priorities.
6. Unrealistic expectations of self and or others
Setting unrealistic expectations on yourself or others leads to burn-out. Consider the reality that there are only 24 hours in a day and presumably people need time to sleep, eat and other life activities. Expecting 110% everyday is not realistic. You will likely be very busy, but also need to consider how to keep balance in your life. If that means cutting back to part-time work or school, then consider education as a life-long learning process. Its not a race, and everyone has a different pace.
7. All work and no play
Shorter concentrated study sessions with reasonable breaks, gives your body and mind time to renew and regenerate. Reward yourself for achievement of short-term tasks, goals and deadlines with enjoyable activities. This can be as simple as 30 minutes playing guitar, a yoga class, walking around the block, or playing a video game.
8. Unhealthy lifestyle
Practice wellness. Starving yourself, or living on junk food and caffeine is not only unhealthy, but it also leads to exhaustion. Keep healthy snacks accessible and ready for your power study hours (such as carrot sticks and apple slices). Stay hydrated by drinking water. Take a quick walk outside in the fresh air to re-energize yourself during breaks. Making healthy choices, gives you stamina for the long haul.
9. Falling into temptation
Removing ourselves from temptation may be our best defense when we are faced in time-management crunches. If you enjoy Facebook, for instance, but find it "sucks" you into a time void, then choose not to log-in until after you've accomplished the task at hand or set a timer. Or consider asking a partner, roommate or spouse to remind you when your designated "break" time is over and then get back to the books.
10. Little or no support network
Develop supports who will help you maintain your focus, accountability and priorities. Create study groups or partnerships that support your priorities. Discuss your schedule and priorities with family members, roommates and friends. Arrange agreements around times you need to study without interruptions.
~Keri Podell
