Time Management System: How to Effectively Manage Your Time as a Student
By Benard Nweke
What Is a Time Management System?
Before I zoom off with the nitty-gritty of this article, it is necessary to give an overview of the subject matter to give credence to our scholarly discussion. Time Management System is the coordination of tasks and activities to maximize the effectiveness of an individual's efforts. In other words, it is a conscious planning of activities in the order of priorities to maximize desired outcomes. Ideally, time management enables people especially students to get more and better work done in less time as many things conflict with fractured time constraints.
A Nigerian music artiste, Destiny Boy in his 2019 song, “Time is Money”, highlighted how judiciously time needs critical attention to manage - suffice to say that once you take lunch in place of your breakfast, you lay famished in the afternoon. However, given that time constraint is the chief factor in determining how a student’s academic performance progresses astronomically or otherwise, it is expected that students set personal timetables for almost everything done each day - this will not only enable them to achieve desired results but also help to complete tasks smoothly. For example, if a student has allocated their day from 8 am to 2 pm for studying and other academic pursuits, assigning specific time slots to each activity will help them strike a balance between tasks, ensuring that each one receives the attention it deserves, and ultimately achieving their desired goals.
In situations where he is faced with two equally compelling tasks, the student can benefit from employing the "key-time-to-key-task" strategy. This approach involves prioritizing tasks based on their level of urgency and importance, ensuring that the most critical tasks receive the attention they demand. This essentially means that we apply the economic concept of "opportunity cost," where one task is sacrificed in favour of another, regardless of the number of tasks, to optimise outcomes.
A practical example of this principle is when a student faces a conflict between a quiz the next day and a workshop at the same time. In such cases, I counsel students to put the quiz first and forego the workshop, as academic commitments take priority. Again, one may ask if this approach is healthy for 'churchy students', the answer is YES. As a student, your academic responsibilities take precedence over campus fellowship activities. While it is possible to balance both, prioritization is key. When faced with a conflict between the two, it is essential to prioritise your academic commitments, recognising that your primary role is that of a student.
Another effective approach is the "take-a-step-at-a-time" strategy. Given the numerous demands on a student's time and attention, it's essential to focus on one task at a time, rather than trying to tackle multiple tasks simultaneously. This approach helps to ensure that each task is completed thoroughly and effectively, rather than rushing through multiple tasks and achieving mediocre results. For example, if you have limited time to devote to writing, prioritize your assignment over your hobby. This ensures that you meet your academic obligations, which take precedence, before attending to your interests. By doing so, you effectively manage your competing tasks and responsibilities. Although this approach is related to the first tip, it differs in its emphasis on sequential task management, rather than prioritization. In other words, this approach involves completing tasks in a specific order, rather than ranking them in order of importance.
A valuable time management approach is the "keeping-timetable-outside-timetable" strategy. This approach highlights the importance of having a personal timetable to guide daily activities and schedules. By writing down their schedule, students can ensure they stay on track and make the most of their time. This approach also illustrates the concept of "tacit consent," where an individual implicitly agrees to prioritize their scheduled tasks, even if they don't explicitly state it. Effective time management relies heavily on intra-personal communication, where individuals silently agree with themselves on a particular course of action. As communicative beings, we often make internal commitments without clearly stating them to others. In the context of students, this means creating a personal timetable that complements the school timetable, enabling seamless execution of multiple tasks and ultimately driving excellent results. This approach is universally applicable across all aspects of a student's life, as it facilitates success in various pursuits.
In summary, the importance of a time management system cannot be fully captured in this article alone. It is a complex and multifaceted topic, especially considering the unique relationship between students and time. It is essential to recognize that no single approach, tip, or strategy is universally effective, as they are all relative to individual circumstances and the dynamic nature of time itself.
