photo credit: Robbert van der Steeg
After four years of balancing two jobs and a full course-load, I have become the queen of time management. My time management skills have only been more helpful as graduation is looming and the job search is in full force.
Time management is a skill not achieved by many, but those who have mastered the art know the benefits. Managing your time not only allows you to get more done, but also has health benefits. Follow the tips below to reap the full benefits of beating procrastination and managing your time well.
Be Realistic
There is only 24 hours a day, and that will never change (or so we hope), so it is important to realize that you can never have more time in a day. You must learn to work with those 24 hours and make them count. We can only learn to manage the time we have.
Make Lists
To-do lists can be very beneficial for managing your time—even a daily planner can help to keep track of deadlines. Break down large tasks into small steps—instead of “applying to jobs” break that down to to “tailoring your cover letter.” Make a list each day—you will feel accomplished as you are able to cross things off of that list.
For the job search, to-do lists can be helpful, too. They don’t need to be daily; they can be for that month or even that week. Make a list of the top places (within reason) you would like to work, then begin applying to them, tailoring your resume and cover letter for each.
Prioritize
Put the most important task at the top of your to-do list and tackle that first, get it over with. Beyond prioritizing your tasks, it helps to figure out when you are more productive and prioritize your work at that time of the day. I know I am more productive in the early morning, so I try to wake up early and tackle the large projects then. I am more likely to come back to it later once I have started it.
Set realistic goals when it comes to prioritizing as well. Schedule breaks into your day, take that time to go for a quick walk or just get your mind off of work.
If you beat procrastination and begin to manage your time better, you will find yourself more relaxed and more productive—and maybe even employed!
How do you manage your time? Tell us!
