Written by Mahanum Rafiq Panjwani
Hey everyone! Today I will share my ‘time management’ journey as a university student. Let’s be real, somewhere in life we have all experienced and faced this problem. Classes, assignments, crazy schedules, spending quality time with friends and family, and little “me” time – it isn’t easy to balance everything. With some trial and error, I have discovered strategies to balance and manage my hectic life and to organise my schedule.
Two years ago, when I started university, I felt that time was running out, and I couldn’t meet the everyday tasks. From attending the lectures every morning, to preparing for exams, participating in educational clubs and societies, and hanging out with friends – I was stretched thin. I still remember that there was this one week when I had 3 assignments due, one group project meeting, and a very important family gathering to attend. Getting a good sleep became a luxury and my stress levels shot up. This is when I realised the importance of taking time management seriously and working on it.
Time management, like any skill, takes time to develop. best online tools and techniques that can help me better organise my routine. I found the following strategies that have helped me improve my productivity.
Firstly, I went to Rayman, the stationary shop, and bought a ‘paper planner’ – what could be better than an old-school technique? I straight away started to note down all my tasks and deadlines in it. This helped me to have a visual schedule with all my responsibilities listed, this really assisted me in prioritising my tasks – what to do when! This little adjustment made a huge and positive impact on my life because after this I never missed or found it difficult to meet deadlines and schedule conflicting appointments. If you prefer using digital tools then go for Google or Outlook Calendar, the latter is provided by the university. They can be just as helpful.
Secondly, I use the ‘time blocking’ technique. This has literally transformed the way I used to manage or schedule my day! I started to break down my day into small time slots, where each slot defines a certain task. For example, I will only study a chapter on psychology from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM, and from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM, I will attend a lecture, and so on like that! This method has helped me to stay focused throughout the day and has also developed the skill to minimise procrastination. The biggest advantage of this practice is that I am now able to allocate time for each task, which has made it easier for me to handle my workload. I apply this technique on my paper planner as well as on my Google Calendar. It has surely made me an organised person.
Applications like Google Calendar and Trello have become essential for my daily schedule management! I also use Outlook Calendar, but only for lectures, seminars, and tutor meetings. I depend more on Google Calendar to set reminders for deadlines and events. Whereas Trello helps me to organise project progress tracking. The only drawback of its free version is that it doesn’t allow you to have more than 10 boards, so you must get rid of your old work from time to time. I have attached pictures below to provide glimpses of how I use these tools.
These tools can also be helpful for team projects as they help to keep everyone on the same page. Personally speaking, I like to rely more on Google as compared to Outlook as it is easy to integrate it with other Google services like – Google Drive for sharing and storing files, Google Docs/Sheets for creating collaborative documents, Gmail for communication and calendar invites, and sometimes I also use Google Meets to directly schedule meetings. Overall, I find its interface quite user-friendly.
One of the most memorable and unforgettable moments during my journey of time management was the examination period. I had multiple exam submissions within 2 weeks, and I was under lots of pressure. Here I decided to use the time blocking techniques. I created my timetable, assigning different time slots to each subject.
Initially, I faced some difficulties and challenges in following the plan but eventually, I could feel less stressed and more prepared as the exams approached. I even found ample time to relax my brain – which is great for mental health. When the results came out, I was delighted to see how my hard work paid off! My performance was way better than what I expected it to be, and it was all possible because I was able to effectively manage my time.
During my journey to master my time management skills, I came to the conclusion that this is not just about my pursuits. It is about striking that balance between professional commitments and personal enjoyment, which is particularly essential. Let me share some methods with you that I use to maintain this balance.
The most essential is – Self Care. After a tough routine, I always find some time for myself. I either go jogging, read books, catch up on a TV serial, walk to the harborside, or do anything that refreshes and keeps me motivated.
Next is to – Set Goals. I always set some goals and targets to achieve in life. Life is not a marathon, so I don’t believe in running after perfection or success. Instead, I focus on putting in my best efforts. This approach has emotionally strengthened me, made me manage my stress better, and kept me focused.
Lastly, learn to – Say No. This was a little challenging for me because, during my past experiences, I used to accept all the opportunities that came my way, thinking that they would help me in my growth and development. Eventually, I realised the consequences of overcommitting – it had only left me exhausted and burned out. Now I am cautious about my commitments, focusing and prioritising on what is important to me.
As I mentioned above, time management is a skill and definitely a process that is achieved with practice! Yes, there are some hectic days too, but with these tips and tricks, I have learned to organise my time and stay on track. It is all about identifying which techniques suit you well – not just to accomplish the academic deadlines, but also to strike a balance to enjoy your student life.
I hope that all the insights and experiences that I have shared with you will help you improve your time management skills as you go ahead in your journey of growth and development. Please share your experiences and suggestions in the comments section. Let us come together to encourage and support one another to achieve a successful life!