We’re almost there! It may be hard to believe, but the semester is almost over, which means your courses are probably increasing their work loads, and you may be feeling more stress about completing all of the assignments.
Time management is a key skill to help keep things manageable and help reduce stress. Here are some tips to help you out!
Keep a record of all your assignments and when they are due. This may seem self explanatory, but it helps you keep track of what you need to do, when it is due, and helps prevent assignments from slipping through the cracks. It also helps you prioritize what needs to be done. If you have an assignment due at the end of the week, and another due in two weeks, you should be focusing on that first assignment first!
Set a timer for how long you will focus on an assignment, then take a break. This means set a timer for yourself for 5-20 minutes, and take that time to focus exclusively on the assignment. When your timer is up, allow yourself a break for 5-10 minutes before continuing back. This gives you a deadline to focus, prevents distractions, and gives your brain a break between moments of heavy focus.
Set a routine for yourself. This will help your sleep routine, with your nutrition, and help you set aside specific time slots to complete work. Our bodies love routine, and it can help to have a deadline of when and for how long you are working on assignments. It’s important to have some flexibility with this, but trying to keep things consistent will help!
Prioritize work when you’re particularly overwhelmed, and even set time-limits of how long you will spend on an assignment. Towards the end of the semester, work can really pile up. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, prioritize what is most important. If one assignment is only 5% of your grade, and another is 25%, you should spend more time on the more significant assignment. Additionally, budget how much time you think an assignment should take, and then try to stick to it. Set a limit of how many hours you will work on an assignment, and try to stick to it. Remember: anything worth doing is worth half doing, and it’s better to turn in an ok assignment than to not turn it in at all (of course, in an ideal world, it would all be great! But college if overwhelming and sometimes we can’t do that).
Break large tasks into small steps, and set specific goals for when each step should be completed. Many teachers do final projects in place of (or in addition to!) final exams. These tend to be large, all-encompassing assignments with many parts. Break it down into manageable pieces, and then set goals of when each piece should be completed. This helps it not be so overwhelming, gives you mini-deadlines, and prevents you from procrastinating the entire project!
These tips have helped me, especially when I get overwhelmed by work, and I hope they’re able to help you. Remember to balance these with self-care and the other skills you’ve learned and developed earlier in the semester!
And, if you’re truly overwhelmed, reach out! College can be difficult, and there are lots of people (including myself!) who are available to help in any way we can!