As school starts back up again, students, teachers and administrators begin feeling the pressure of the new year, which the effectiveness of time management entails.
However, many students tend to struggle with managing their time. It can become difficult to manage school with jobs, sports and other extracurricular activities.
“Just because I have learned time management doesn’t mean that I don’t get overwhelmed and cry, because it is normal to,” senior Van Kong said.
There are many ways students don’t manage their time. Procrastination is one of the biggest problems students face. It may overall affect how they function in society due to this.
“I see a lot of procrastination,” counselor Patrick Clark said. “So, I see people who could just get stuff done and either they push it off ‘til it is too late, or they work harder making excuses not to do it than what the actual assignment would be.”
Although time management can be hard to develop, there are many methods to help make it easier.
Making a schedule can be a largely beneficial solution for time management. It helps someone stay organized and on task to help them get everything done.
“Schedules are very helpful (for) using my time effectively and trying to think a couple of weeks ahead so nothing gets too backlogged,” PLTW teacher Anthony Stanich said.
Another way to effectively manage time is to use self-discipline. By using this method, one knows exactly what it is they need to do in order to stay organized, and they can hold themselves accountable for what they need to get done.
“I use self-discipline,” Kong said. “I usually finish my homework during school or complete it as soon as I get home.”
One final way to get better at time management is to use a reward system to keep oneself motivated to start and complete work, which helps you get a sense of accomplishment.
“Reward yourself,” Clark said. “If you have all A’s at the end of the week, or if you have no missing assignments, get yourself that Starbucks or whatever you use to reward yourself.”
Time management remains a challenging thing any student can face, but using effective strategies, such as making a schedule, employing self-discipline and using a reward system, can help ease some of the stress of time management.
“If you can’t find more time, then change the way you use your time now,” Kong said.
