Time management skills that improve student learning (2023)

In today's busy world, time management skills for students are becoming more and more important. While you might wish for a simpler era, when time seemed to pass more slowly, the realities of participation in contemporary Western society demand that young people have skills in efficiency and productivity.

While the ACC does not advocate an obsessive micromanagement approach to a student's daily life, we believe it is important for students to set goals and learn to manage their time effectively. In this article, we'll discuss why time management is important and list several techniques to help students learn to prioritize and manage time effectively.

ACC also advocates a balanced approach to time management, considering God's desire that we rest in Him and trust Him to supply all our needs.

What is time management?

Just like our energy and money, time is a finite resource and as such must be managed effectively. Time management is about planning and controlling the amount of time you spend on specific tasks.

Some of the important skills students need to manage time effectively include:

1. Definition of goals

It's almost impossible to use time well if you don't know what to do with it. Students can benefit from having short-term and long-term goals. For example, a short-term goal might include doing homework early each day so they have plenty of time to practice music. Your long term goal might be to play in the school or church band, or the Australian Youth Orchestra!

2. Prioritization

When assessing what needs to be accomplished in a given time period, tasks can be ranked based on their importance. Setting priorities for each day, week, month, and year can help students achieve their goals. It also helps ensure that activities that are vitally important but not urgent, such as personal devotions, adequate sleep, and exercise, take precedence. Some people like to prioritize easy tasks in the early hours of the day and use momentum to keep going. Others prefer to tackle the bigger jobs first.

3. Organization

Once priorities are established, it's important to have a plan to achieve them. Some people are naturally well organized and others need help. Strategies like keeping an up-to-date calendar and keeping an organized study environment help. there are many usefulsoftware programs and applicationsto help the organization.

4. Manage stress

No one performs best under excessive stress. Students need healthy ways to deal with study pressures while remaining productive. Getting enough sleep and exercise are great ways to keep stress at bay, and in fact,make learning more efficient.

Many other ways to improve time management will be described later.

Why are time management skills important?

Effective time management allows students to complete more in less time because their attention is focused and they don't waste time on distractions (such associal media, For example. Efficient use of time also reduces stress as students check off items on their to-do list. It can also provide a sense of accomplishment when reaching goals. For example, they might plan to complete an assignment on Friday so they can see their friends over the weekend.

Also, by using time efficiently, students are able to complete their work on time, stay engaged in their learning, and have more free time for activities that are important to them, such as sports, hobbies, youth groups, and hanging out. with other people. .friends and family. .

Good time management allows students to make the most of their skills and enjoy the satisfaction of achievement. It is also one of the most desirable job skills.

The Bible also has a lot to say about managing our time. Christians have a different perspective on time than the world: we know that we are part of God's eternal plan of salvation through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:4).

As a result, we must ensure our priorities are right by seeking first His kingdom and righteousness (Matthew 6:33). We are told to use our time wisely (Ephesians 5:15-17) and to seek God's wisdom on how best to do it (Psalm 90:12). We are encouraged to make plans for the future (Proverbs 21:5), but keep them in balance knowing they are not guaranteed (James 4:13-14).

Keeping our eyes fixed on the eternal perspective (2 Corinthians 4:18) will lead to time management that glorifies God and helps us live His will.

Tips to improve time management

Fortunately, there are many ways students can improve their time management. Here is an extensive list, derived from sites that includePower Learning DegreeyDeakin University.

• Start with a planner: On your own or with your help, have your child record the dates of all upcoming assignments and tests in an online or paper planner (such as a school journal or an online calendar). Also schedule important activities and free time. You can even set deadlines a few days before the actual due dates to allow room for emergencies.
• Create a master schedule – From this schedule, block out periods of time for studying or doing homework. This will help your student prioritize their projects and keep track of due dates. You can start by estimating how much time each project will take, then figure out how much time you should allow on a daily or weekly basis. Try to schedule some study every day of the week, even if it's short. Color coding different subjects can make the schedule easier to read.
• Start tasks early – Leaving tasks to the last minute is stressful. Instead, encourage your child to start working on them long before the deadline.
• Make Project Plans – When studying or homework feels overwhelming, procrastination often ensues. Help your child break their study plan or project into smaller, more manageable chunks. You can assign each segment its own due date to help them feel good about achieving small goals.
• Avoid multitasking: Divided attention is an inefficient way to learn. Focus on one task at a time for maximum productivity.
• Reduce Distractions: During scheduled school hours, ask your child to put away unnecessary devices like cell phones and turn off social media notifications. Distractions can also come from internal feelings like hunger or tiredness, so make sure they get plenty of sleep and have snacks and water on hand.
• Take regular breaks: working on something for too long can cause you to lose focus. Short breaks every half hour can help them recharge. Consider taking a change of scenery, like a short walk or a drink in the backyard. Just make sure they don't stray and don't go back to school!
• Be an early riser: Encourage your child to start their homework as soon as possible after school. This gives them more time to complete it while they are alert and reduces the risk of staying up late. Also, people vary when they are most productive, so allow your student to handle challenging tasks during their peak and leave easier ones (like organizing their books or lists for the next day) when they are not. Some may prefer to wake up early and work before school hours, for example.

And here are some more useful tips frompsychiatry center,life hackybalance races.

• Set time limits such as "finishIntroduction to the Humanitiesrehearsal at 3:30 pm. This prevents tasks from consuming time allocated for other activities.
• Use time tracking apps and software such aslisted here on Lifehack.
• Keep a watch well positioned in front of you to keep track of the current time.
• Avoid perfectionism and worrying about small details: Trying to do your job perfect, especially the first time, is frustrating and a huge waste of time. Instead, put something on the page (or the brain). You can go back and improve it later if needed.
• Put your downtime to good use; For example, students might be practicing their multiplication tables or practicing an oral presentation in the car on the way to and from school. On public transport, they can study or think about their plans for the day. However, this advice should be used wisely and in moderation, as time for relaxation and rest is also essential.
• Reward Achievement: When your child reaches important milestones, don't forget to celebrate. It doesn't have to be something big or expensive. Preferably it should be something healthy. Possibilities include some extra gadget or TV time, a visit to a favorite beach, park or activity, a small gift or even a contribution towards something they're saving up for.

Time management tips from highly successful people

Clearly, some people have a talent for time management and they use it to great effect. These are some of your tips.

Author, teen mentor, and gifted lifelong student Daniel Wong lists45 tips for managing student time. Some of his great ideas include:

• Set a timer for two minutes if you're feeling unmotivated: there's a good chance that once you start, you'll keep working after the two minutes are up.
• Track time for a few days: Have your child record time spent on each activity. This will show them places where they can use their time more effectively.
• Make checklists of everything you need to do – writing things down helps you remember and prioritize tasks.
• Unfollow everyone on social media except the people you really like. Wong reports that he has saved hundreds of hours since doing this. He also advises unsubscribing from YouTube channels.
• Learn to say no. With endless ways to spend your time, Wong recommends saying no to activities that don't fit your priorities.

Entrepreneur and Virgin Airlines founder Richard Branson joins amorning and night routine, which he says helps him focus and achieve what he needs. He gets up every day around 5 am. before doing some exercise (such as tennis, walking or cycling), eat a high-fiber breakfast such as muesli and fruit.

According to this article ofAsia Pacific Entrepreneur, the most successful entrepreneurs have some sort of morning routine like Branson's, which typically includes waking up early, working out, eating a healthy breakfast, and doing the most challenging task first.

They also point out that successful people, including Warren Buffet and Bill Gates, don't overload their schedules. Instead, both men reportedly attribute successful time management to leaving lots of blank spaces on their calendars. This allows for flexibility in dealing with unexpected circumstances. It also gives them space to focus on their passions.

Is it possible to be too obsessive about time management?

Encouraging kids to manage their time well is wise, but obsessive time management can also backfire. The continual search for ways to use time more effectively can make children feel more anxious and stressed.

According to thisBBC article, available evidence suggests that time management tools and strategies work for some people in some circumstances, but not for others. report aboutsurvey 2017, point out that the continuous search for better time management becomes a self-destructive strategy, in which people can initially complete more using these tools, but forget that productivity has limits.

A more serious consequence occurs when people lose sight of their true motivations. This is one of the main reasons these techniques fail, said Christine Carter, senior fellow at the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley. Many of them rely on willpower for success, but "you're really not motivated by willpower as much as emotion."

Brad Aeon, one of the authors of the study, notes that people today have much more freedom to organize their time and juggle multiple projects, which creates a lot of pressure. “Freedom comes with a responsibility: you have to think a lot more about how you manage your time,” he says.

He had something of an epiphany after he considered that we are all going to die, and it transformed his time management philosophy. Now he wakes up every day at 9am. after sleeping nine hours, he works four hours a day, goes to the gym andread daily. You use various time management strategies, including to-do lists, calendars, and timers, but not to fill your work life. Instead, he says, these tools "should allow you to take control of your life and then structure your work around that."

In a culture that often idolizes the hustle, this is an important reminder about life's purpose and priorities. God asks us to trust that He will supply our needs, not fill our days with tireless struggle (Matthew 6:25-34).

He promises to supply all our needs according to His riches in glory (Philippians 4:19), and since God calls us to be coworkers with Him (1 Corinthians 3:9), we must remember that He promises rest for the weary. (Matthew 11:28-30).

Perhaps most important in our era of extolling hard work and success is the Bible's warning against selfish pride in our accomplishments (Proverbs 21:4). Rather, God calls us toenter your wonderful rest(Hebrews 4:1-11). Although he worked hard, Jesus didn't spend his days rushing around obsessed with managing his time. Instead, he only did what he saw the Father do (John 5:19). Christ is our perfect example of time management.