Mastering Time Management:  A Guide for Student Success

Hi,

I’m Alix and it’s my mission to help as many of the next generation as possible work in jobs that meet their passion and purpose, making them happy and fulfilled adults. Taking them by the hand to provide support with hints and tips along the way.

With no support myself. I know my life would have been very different if some kind of mentor had been around. Now I want to offer you my experience and be your ‘virtual mentor’ with advice on hints and tips for facing life’s challenges as you face them.

So, to start, grab a snack and in today’s article we’ll explore valuable insights and practical strategies to help you master the art of time management, using all the tools that you need and have access to.

Introduction…

Time is a precious resource, something which you only really appreciate when you are much older than you are now. But how you use it is critical – always.

As a student, effective time management is a master key to achieving academic success, maintaining a healthy work-life balance, and reducing stress.

In this fast-paced world, with its constant distractions:

vibrating phone saying you’ve got a call;

beeps to say you’ve received a text;

alerts that a new video’s been uploaded by someone you’ve subscribed to;

a pop up showing you’ve received an email;

it’s crucial for you to develop skills and habits necessary to block all these out to make the most of the time you have.

Right now, if you’ve started your GCSE timetable, take control straight away and build up a realistic study schedule – you’ll be grateful later-on I promise.

Set clear goals…

Effective time management begins with setting clear goals. By defining what you want to achieve in the short and long term, you can prioritise your tasks and allocate time accordingly.

Whether it's completing assignments or studying for exams, just knowing your objectives will provide direction and motivation.

If you don’t know why you need goals or fully grasp what they can do for you, or, perhaps not even know how to set them in the first place, read my article on goals, imaginatively called ‘Why, How and What Happens When you Set Goals’.

Create a schedule…

Once you’ve set your goals, create a well-structured, realistic (perhaps the most important aspect mentally), schedule. Being realistic means factoring in breaks, leisure time, and sleep to maintain a healthy balance.

Utilise tools such as digital calendars, planners, or time management apps to allocate specific time slots for different activities.

NOTE: In my experience, something that I think will take half an hour always takes way longer than that, so be careful to allow an extra bit of time at the end of every block of time so that you do not feel under the added pressure of believing you’re not meeting your schedule. Also, be flexible only where absolutely necessary. This does not mean bend the schedule just because you want to, but when emergencies happen, it’s not beneficial to beat yourself up about them.

Your schedule is to help you visualise your commitments and make it easier to stay organised.

The internet…

With the rise of the internet, emails, cheaper and cheaper access to mobile phones and the access these give everyone to the instant recall of facts, articles, news and social media, the world has quickened up. People no longer expect to wait a week for a response to a letter or popping out to a phone-box to make a telephone call in the hope the person is in when you call.

This has had a harmful impact on everyone’s lives, with the expectation of instant response time.

However, the good news is that, when studying for exams, this instant access to videos explaining subjects and tricky equations that you can watch and re-watch until that lightbulb moment when all becomes clear is invaluable.

And now you can even ask AI to explain things to you in a simple way that’s easy to read and, more importantly, understand.

However, when not using the internet for this purpose, turn everything off and put your phone in another room so you’re not tempted just to check that one message(!)

Prioritise and delegate…

Not all tasks are created equal. Learn to prioritise by identifying urgent and important tasks.

Focus on high-priority activities to ensure you accomplish critical work, say a project, within the given deadlines.

Tackle difficult tasks first – the sense of achievement (and sometimes relief) you’ll feel when you’ve cracked those will inspire you to attack the rest of your schedule with added confidence.

Additionally, don't be afraid to delegate non-related tasks where possible. Agree with your parents that chores can be picked up by others – especially when leading up to, or in the middle of, your exams.

And don’t hesitate to seek support. This could involve working with classmates, seeking assistance from teachers or attending additional classes for subjects – make particular use of these – they’re held for you.

Remember everything you do towards achieving good grades now opens door further on and everyone wants you to do well, so take advantage.

Avoid procrastination…

Procrastination (stalling) is a time thief that can work against you by slowing down your studying as you look for more and more reasons not to start. The only result from this is that you’ll increase your own stress levels as you go further along the course, and revision of information shortly after learning it will help it stick in your mind.

Beat procrastination by breaking tasks into smaller, manageable segments and setting deadlines for completing each part. One option is to work for short bursts of time followed by brief breaks.

By taking consistent, small steps, you’ll overcome the tendency to put off tasks. And you’ll be pleased with yourself when you do beat it into submission and, definitely, when exam time comes and you realise your schedule worked.

Minimise distractions…

And remember to silence your phone, close irrelevant browser tabs on your computer, and designate specific time slots for checking emails and engaging in social media.

Get a snack (cake – I love cake!) and focus.

Optimise productive study techniques…

Developing effective study techniques that suit your easiest method for learning can significantly improve your time management skills.

Experiment with different methods such as active reading, note-taking, and summarising to improve your understanding and retention. We learn the alphabet by using repetition. There will be many detailed studies (I’m sure) that this was the best way to learn and, as you’ve learnt it that way too, this may be your easiest method. See more on my article ‘Mastering Revision’.

Additionally, find the best learning environment for you, whether it's a quiet library, the kitchen, or a bustling café.

Efficient, structured studying, rather than the haphazard type, saves time in the long run and will increase your overall productivity.

Learn to say no…

While it's important to take part in activities, like football from a health angle, learn to say no when your plate is already full.

Overcommitting yourself can lead to burnout and will affect your performance. While agreeing to meet your friends for football in the park can be beneficial for a break, I’d suggest arranging it at the end of your study time, so you’re not encouraged by friends to stay when you’ve planned a study session next.

Consider your priorities and work out what the impact of new commitments will mean to your overall schedule.

Remember, it's better to excel in a few areas than to spread yourself too thin. And your study schedule should be high on your priority list right now.

Conclusion…

Effective time management is a skill that will serve you throughout your life, not just right now.

By setting clear goals, creating schedules, prioritising tasks, avoiding stalling, minimising distractions, optimising study techniques, and learning to say no, you can unlock your full potential and achieve academic success while maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

Remember, time is a limited resource, but when you manage it carefully, it can become a powerful tool in reaching your goals.

I’d love to hear how you’re getting on and, where possible, if we can help more.

Lastly, I wanted to both wish you luck and say that I know you can do it.

Success is within your grasp - good luck!