There is an end in sight for the 2020-2021 school year at Dixie State University, as there are only six weeks left in the spring semester.
Here are five life advice tips to keep a more organized schedule:
Create a Weekly Schedule
By creating a schedule and having a layout of your day or week, you can easily see what needs to be done and when it needs to be done. There are several printable weekly schedule templates online.
Simply do a Google search of “weekly schedule template,” and you will find pages upon pages of templates to choose from and create a schedule that works for you.
“Sit down and create something you can see visually to see how you spend your time,” said Jonathan Morrell, director of student support services.
When having a tangible display of your schedule in front of you, you are more likely to stick to that schedule.
Morrell said when you can visually see your week written out, it is easier to look at how much time you have throughout the week to go to school, do work, and have fun.
Do Everything with a Purpose
Why waste precious time on things that in reality do not matter and will not benefit you in any way?
“Don’t spend time doing stuff that doesn’t really matter,” Morrell said.
For example, instead of just hanging out with friends in your living room, go to a park and play pickleball to get some daily exercise in, or serve someone by making them cookies.
Schedule Time for Fun
“I think [students] need a break and time to destress, but it needs to be balanced and you will actually do better if you have some downtime scheduled,” said Bryan Jacobs, senior academic adviser for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Think about the activities in your life that increase your happiness and are considered a destresser for you. Schedule time in your day or throughout the week to do these things.
This could be going for a walk around the neighborhood, spending time serving others, baking, and even watching a little bit of TikTok. We tend to forget the importance of taking time out of the day to take a break from schoolwork.
Jacobs said to keep in mind that scheduling time for fun does not mean playing video games for four hours each day, it means giving yourself time to destress and rejuvenate so you can put your full effort into your school assignments.
Prioritize Your Education When Possible
Morrell said you cannot do your best work if you are not giving yourself enough time to do your best work. If you are spending more time focusing on your job than on school, your schoolwork will suffer.
“I started out fall semester with a job and quit a few months in because it was impacting my ability to do my best in school,” said Camille Saunders, a freshman sociology major from Portland, Oregon.
School should take priority over a job because your education will allow for a successful future with a job that you love, Morrell said.
Keep in mind most jobs will be more than willing to work around your school schedule. Communicate with your boss and let them know what your school schedule is, as well as what your goals are with school, and they will most likely be willing to work with you.
No More Multitasking
There is a common misconception about multitasking in regard to thinking it is a way for us to get more things done at once. In reality, our brain is only capable of focusing on one thing at a time.
Multitasking actually reduces productivity by 40%, according to Very Well Mind.
Using time management skills and creating a layout of your week will help prevent multitasking and procrastination as well. If it is written down and right in front of your eyes, you are more likely to complete the task.
“Focus on going to class and getting your work done on time; don’t delay,” Morrell said. “Procrastination is a huge problem with college students.”
