Time Management
By David Hill, North Tama Superintendent
We all have access to the
same 24 hours each day, yet it seems some people can get so much more done than
others. Are you often late to school, work, appointments, or class? Are you usually the last one to arrive at
practices and meetings? Do you typically
finish assignments at the last minute?
Do you often feel like you have too much to do, and do you wish you had
more time for the things you want to do?
If you answered “Yes” to any of these questions, now is the time to work
on improving your time management skills.
The beginning of a new
school year is an ideal time to think about effective time management. The new school year started on August 23, and
this year will provide our students with numerous opportunities to practice
their time management skills. Learning
to master time management will give you more time for everything you NEED to
do, which will hopefully leave you more time for the things you WANT to
do.
The following ideas are
provided by the National Association of Secondary School Principals. You’re likely to see a difference even if you
implement just a few of the tips below.
The result will be reduced stress levels and a greater feeling of
control…which may lead to your best school year yet! Consider implementing as many of these ideas
as possible:
MAKE TO-DO LISTS: Each
day, make a list of all the things you need to do. You may consider prioritizing the list or
categorizing each item as to whether it needs to be done today, in the next few
days, or someday. Cross things off as
they get done, and revisit the list often.
PLAN: Use a planner to
keep track of assignments, tests, appointments, and due dates. You can use digital planner on your smart
phone, a Google calendar on your computer or tablet, or an old-fashioned paper
planner…just select one and use it faithfully.
PREPARE: Get everything
ready for the next day before you go to bed.
Once each week – perhaps each Sunday night, consider your schedule for
the week. If it doesn’t look like you
can realistically get it all done, think about what items are the lowest
priority and arrange for those things to wait until a future time.
COMBINE TASKS: For
example, study while you’re doing laundry or review your notes while you’re
waiting for a ride.
LOOK FOR WASTED TIME: Social media, TV, and video games can all be
huge time wasters. Schedule smaller
chunks of time for these activities and stick to your schedule. Think about how you can use the time you gain
in a more effective way.
CREATE ROUTINES: A good
morning and nighttime routine can save you time and will help your day run more
smoothly.
William Penn once said, “Time
is what we want most, but what we use worst.”
I hope the information and ideas provided in this column will help you
to use as least some of your time in a more effective way. It is my hope that these tips will help the new
school year be your best year yet!
I encourage your feedback
on this column, along with any questions you may have. You are welcome to visit
my blog at http://redhawksupt.blogspot.com/ where you can read all of my columns
and leave comments if you wish. You are also welcome to follow me on Twitter,
where my handle is @DavidRobertHill.
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