• Are you often late to class, practices, and appointments?

• Do you finish assignments at the last minute?

• Do you often feel like you have too much to do?

• Do wish you had more time for the things you want to do?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you might want to work on improving your time management skills.

We all have the same amount of time:  24 hours a day / 168 hours a week.

How we use our time is time management.

When you use your time wisely, you have time for the things you need to do, and you still have time for the things you want to do.

“Time is the most precious element of human existence.” ~ Denis Waitley, writer

Time Management

With good time management, you have less stress and more free time. You also fell more in control of your life.

Be organized

Being organized is a tremendous time saver. When you’re organized, ou know what you have to do, and you have the information and materials you need. To help you stay organized, use a planner to keep track of assignments, tests, and appointments. Use a wall calendar for major events and project deadlines.

Make To Do lists

1. Each day make a list of all the things you need to do.

2. Rate each item as an A (must do today), B (should do today), or C (want to do today, but it can wait.

3. Take all of the A’s and rank them in order of importance (1, 2, 3…) do the same with the B’s and C’s.

4. Re write you list with the A’s at the top (in order of importance), followed by the B’s and C’s.

5. Cross things off as they get done. At the end of each day, take the tasks that didn’t get done and put them on the next day’s list.

Use a weekly schedule

A weekly schedule like the one below will help you organize your time.

When filling out a weekly schedule, first write in classes, practices, appointments, and meals. You will then be able to see when you have blocks of time for homework and studying – and when you have time for relaxation and social activities.

Each Sunday night, take time to plan out the coming week. Make sure that you have enough time to do everything that’s scheduled.

Time – Management Tips

• Combine tasks. For example, study while you’re doing laundry, review your notes while you’re waiting for a ride, study riding the bus to a sporting event, review notes while riding the bus to school.

• Look for chunks of time during the day that are wasted. Think about how you can use these times more effectively.

• Have routines. A good morning and nighttime routine will save you time, and help your day run more smoothly.

• Learn to say “no”. Don’t let anything get in the way of your chores and schoolwork.

• Don’t overschedule, and don’t give up sleep to get everything done. If you feel that you’re doing more than you can handle, look for activities that can be eliminated or postponed.

• Control time wasters. Social media, TV, video games – these can all be huge time wasters. Schedule small chunks of time for these activities, and stick to your schedule.

• Set aside time to relax. It’s important to take time to recharge your batteries.

How Do You Spend Your Time?

On your phone notes, a notebook, or a computer, list four activities you like to do.

After you’ve written in your favorite activities, do the following for each:

In column, 1, write an A if it’s an activity that you primarily do alone; write and F if it’s an activity mostly done with family or friends.

In column 2, write a $ if it’s an activity that costs money. Write an X if it’s free or costs very little.

In column 3, write an M if it’s an activity that involves movement or action. Write an S if it’s a sedentary activity requiring little movement.

In column 4, write an I if it’s an activity that’s generally done inside. Write an O if it’s an activity mostly done outside.

What does this exercise show about how you spend your time?

For me: I enjoy surrounding myself with family and friends, doing activities outside that require interaction and movement, which is relatively monetarily inexpensive.

“If you want to make good use of your time, you’ve got to know what most important is and then give it all you’ve got.” ~ Lee Iacocca