Time management skills that improve student learning (2023)

In today's busy world, time management skills are becoming increasingly important for students. While you may yearn for a simpler era when time seemed to slow the pace, the realities of participation in today's Western society demand that young people possess efficiency and productivity skills.

While the ACC does not advocate an obsessive approach to micromanaging 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 discuss why time management is important and list several techniques students can use to learn to prioritize and manage time effectively.

The ACC also advocates a balanced approach to time management, recognizing God's desire that we rest in Him and trust Him to meet our every need.

What is time management?

Just like our energy and money, time is a finite resource and must therefore be managed efficiently. Time management is all about planning and controlling the time you spend on specific tasks.

Some of the important skills students need for effective time management include:

1. Definition of goals

It's almost impossible to make good use of time 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 be to do their homework early each day so they have enough time to practice music. Your long-term goal could be to play in your school or church band or the Australian Youth Orchestra!

2. Prioritization

By evaluating what needs to be accomplished within a given time frame, tasks can be ranked according to 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 vital but not urgent — like personal devotion, getting enough sleep, and exercise — are prioritized. Some people like to prioritize simple tasks at the start of the day and use the momentum to move forward. Others prefer to do larger jobs first.

3. Organisation

Once priorities are defined, it's important to have a plan to achieve them. Some people are naturally well organized and others need help. Strategies such as keeping an up-to-date calendar and maintaining an organized learning environment help. there are many useful onessoftware programs and applicationsto help with the organization.

4. Stress management

No one performs at their best under excessive stress. Students need healthy ways to deal with the pressure of studying while maintaining productivity. Getting enough sleep and exercise are great ways to keep stress at bay, and indeedmake learning more efficient.

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

Why are time management skills important?

Effective time management allows students to get more done in less time because their attention is focused and they don't waste time on distractions (egsocial 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 goals are met. For example, they plan to finish a task by Friday so they can see friends over the weekend.

By using time efficiently, students can get their work done on time, stay engaged in their studies, and have more free time for activities that matter to them, such as sports, hobbies, youth groups, and spending time with friends and family. .

Good time management allows students to make the most of their abilities and enjoy the satisfaction of achievement. It is also one of the most sought-after professional skills.

The Bible also has much to say about how we are dealing with our time. Christians have a different view of time than the world—we know that we are part of God's eternal plan of salvation through Christ Jesus (Eph. 1:4).

As a result, we need to make sure our priorities are right and seek his kingdom and righteousness first (Matthew 6:33). We are instructed to use our time wisely (Eph 5:15-17) and seek God's wisdom on how best to do so (Ps 90:12). We are encouraged to make plans for the future (Prov. 21:5) but to balance them, knowing they are not guaranteed (Josh. 4:13-14).

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

Tips to improve time management

Fortunately, there are many ways students can improve their time management skills. Here is an extensive list derived from sites includingPower Learning DegreeeDeakin University.

• Start with a journal – have your child, alone or with your help, record the dates of all upcoming assignments and exams in an online or paper journal (e.g. a school journal or an online calendar). Also plan important activities and free time. You can even set deadlines a few days before the actual due dates to allow for emergencies.
• Create a master's schedule - Use this schedule to plan periods for coursework or assignments. This will help your students prioritize their projects and hit due dates. You can start by estimating how much time each project will take, and then calculate how much time you should allocate daily or weekly. Try to learn something every day of the week, even if it's only for a short time. Color coding different topics can make the timeline easier to read.
• Start tasks early – putting off tasks until the last minute is stressful. Instead, encourage your child to start working on them early.
• Create Project Plans – When learning or tasks seem overwhelming, delays often occur. Help your child break down their study plan or project into smaller, more manageable pieces. You can assign each section its own due date to make him feel comfortable in accomplishing small goals.
• Avoid multitasking - divided attention is an inefficient way of learning. Focus on one task at a time for maximum productivity.
• Reduce Distractions – During scheduled school work hours, ask your child to put away unnecessary devices like cell phones and turn off social media notifications. Distractions can also stem from inner feelings like hunger or fatigue, so make sure they're getting enough sleep and have snacks and water on hand.
• Take regular breaks – working on something for too long can lead to a loss of concentration. Short breaks every half hour can help them recharge. Consider a change of scenery, like a short walk or a drink in the garden. Just make sure they don't get distracted and don't go back to school!
• Be an early riser - encourage your child to start homework as soon as possible after school. This gives them more time to get it done while awake and reduces the risk of sleep delays. Also, people differ in when they are most productive, so let your student tackle challenging tasks at their best and give up easier tasks (like organizing their books or lists for the next day) when you're not in your class . . Summit. For example, some prefer to get up early and work before school.

And here are a few more useful tips fromPsychological Center,life hackeThe Career Balance.

• Set time limits – like “DoneIntroduction to the humanitiesEditorial at 3:30 p.m. This prevents tasks from consuming time dedicated to other activities.
• Use time tracking apps and software such aslisted here on Lifehack.
• Keep a watch clearly visible in front of you - to know the current time.
• Avoid perfectionism and worry about unimportant details - trying to get your work perfect, especially the first time, is frustrating and a huge waste of time. Put something on the side (or brain) instead. You can go back later and improve it if needed.
• Use your free time wisely - for example, students practice their multiplication table on the way to and from school in the car or practice an oral presentation. They can use public transport to study or reconsider their plan for the day. However, this tip should be used with care and in moderation, because time for relaxation and recreation is also essential.
• Reward achievement - when your child hits important milestones, don't forget to celebrate. It doesn't have to be big or expensive. It should preferably be something healthy. Opportunities include extra device or TV time, a visit to a favorite beach, park or activity, a small gift or even a contribution to something they are saving for.

Time management tips from highly successful people

Obviously some people are gifted with time management and have used it with great success. Here are some of their tips.

Author, teen mentor, and lifelong A-student Daniel Wong lists45 time management tips for college students. Some of their excellent ideas are:

• Set a timer for two minutes if you're feeling unmotivated -- there's a good chance you'll continue working after the two minutes have passed once you've started.
• Keep a time log for a few days - have your child record the time they spent on each activity. This shows them places where they can use their time more effectively.
• Make checklists of everything you need to do - writing them down will help you remember and prioritize tasks.
• Unfollow everyone on social media except the people you really like. Wong reports he's saved hundreds of hours since then. He also advises unsubscribing from YouTube channels.
• learn to say no With endless ways to fill your time, Wong recommends saying no to activities that don't align with your priorities.

Businessman and founder of Virgin Airlines, Richard Branson maintains amorning and night routine, which helps him focus and get what he needs. He gets up around 5 a.m. every day before exercising (like tennis, hiking, or biking) and then eats a high-fiber breakfast like cereal and fruit.

According to this article inEntrepreneurs in Asia Pacific, most successful entrepreneurs have some sort of morning routine like Branson's, which usually involves getting up early, exercising, eating a healthy breakfast, and doing the hardest task first.

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

Is it possible to be overly obsessed with time management?

It's smart to encourage kids to manage their time wisely, but obsessive time management can also be counterproductive. The constant search for ways to use time more effectively can make children more anxious and stressed.

consequentlyBBC-Articles, available evidence suggests that, in certain circumstances, time management tools and strategies work for some people but not for others. reporting aboutSurvey 2017, they find that the constant striving for better time management becomes a self-destructive strategy where people may initially get more done with these tools but overlook the fact that productivity has limits.

A more serious consequence occurs when people lose sight of their true motivations. It's one of the main reasons these techniques fail, said Christine Carter, a senior fellow at UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center. Many of them rely on willpower to succeed, but "You're not really motivated by willpower as much as your emotions."

Brad Aeon, one of the study's authors, points out that people today have much more freedom to organize their time and juggle multiple projects, which causes a lot of pressure. "With freedom comes responsibility: you have to think a lot more about how you manage your time," he says.

He had something of an epiphany after thinking that we're all going to die and it changed his time management philosophy. He now wakes up at 9 a.m. every day after nine hours of sleep, works four hours a day and goes to the gym andread daily. He uses various time management strategies, including to-do lists, calendars, and timers, but not to fill his work life. Instead, he says, these tools should "allow you to take control of your life and then structure your work accordingly."

In a culture that often idolizes work, this is an important reminder of life's purpose and priorities. God asks us to trust him to meet our needs and not to fill our days with tireless effort (Matthew 6:25-34).

He promises to supply all our needs according to His glorious riches (Philippians 4:19), and while God calls us to be co-workers with Him (1 Corinthians 3:9), we must remember that He promises rest to the weary . (Mt 11:28-30).

Perhaps most important in our day, when hard work and success are celebrated, is the Bible's warning against selfish pride in our achievements (Proverbs 21:4). Rather, God calls us to do sostep into its wonderful stillness(Hebrews 4:1-11). While working hard, Jesus did not rush through his days 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.