Tips & Strategies To Improve Time Management For Student Learning
Time is a finite resource. When you are working against the clock to meet deadlines, feeling like you don’t have enough time can cause stress and panic.
That’s why, at Medowie Christian School, we teach the importance of setting goals and targets that help students become better time managers.
By planning ahead and using their time wisely, students can accomplish more while also having more free time to spend with friends and family.
In this blog post, we discuss what time management is and why it’s important, and outline some tips on how to improve time management for students.
What is time management and why is it important?
Time management is the process of planning and controlling the time you spend on specific activities or commitments to increase productivity and effectiveness.
It is an important skill for students who need to allocate adequate time to meeting deadlines, attending school, and keeping up with extracurricular activities. Some important benefits of good time management for students include:
- It reduces stress and increases confidence
- It allows for a better work-life balance
- It leads to greater focus and attention span
- It encourages higher levels of productivity
- It reduces procrastination and distractions
- It leads to greater academic accomplishment
- It is a valued skill among future employers
How to improve time management skills:
There are several practices students can introduce to their routine to improve time management skills. Some steps include:
1. Have a good sleep schedule
Sleep is an important time management strategy. Getting enough sleep ensures students are alert during the day and are able to process and store new information. Encourage your child(ren) to get up early and go to bed at a reasonable time so that they can maintain a healthy sleeping pattern. Unhealthy sleep schedules can induce stress in children who feel as though they don’t have enough time within the day to complete all their tasks and responsibilities.
2. List commitments
Have students list all their commitments and any upcoming assignments or exams. Make sure they account for activities in their school diary, social calendar, and extracurricular involvements. Doing this allows them to gain a clearer picture of what deadlines they have and which ones they need to prioritise.
3. Create a schedule
Create a schedule based on the listed commitments. To increase productivity, allocate the morning to more important, urgent tasks that require more energy and brainpower. Leave less work-intensive activities – such as reading or revising – until the afternoon as a form of winding down. Within the schedule, ensure students allocate time to starting assignments early while also scheduling in some much-needed free time too.
4. Break assignments down
Break assignments down into manageable chunks to avoid becoming overwhelmed by a large project or deadline. Give each segment its own due date so that they can monitor their progress and remain ahead of their deadlines. Doing this also allows students to prioritise more important parts of assignments that are likely to cause stress if left too close to the deadline. Remember to schedule breaks in between each segment to avoid information overload.
5. Prevent and reduce distractions
It’s easy to be led astray by distractions when feeling stressed or overwhelmed as a form of escapism. Reduce distractions by putting away any unnecessary devices such as mobile phones. Ensure the student has access to water and snacks to avoid becoming distracted by feelings of hunger or restlessness.
6. Avoid multi-tasking
If your brain tries to manage too many tasks at once, it can lead to anxiety. Dividing attention between tasks can also lead to students not putting forward their best work. Stick to segmental study to avoid the need for multi-tasking.
7. Reward achievement
Awarding students is important to help them stay motivated and engaged. Upon accomplishing goals, allow your child to celebrate and immerse in some much-needed downtime.
Reach out to Medowie Christian School for more information on how we encourage time management and other important skills within students.
