Why be a better student?
If you had a ticket to a lifetime of a rewarding, interesting, and challenging career, what would you do with it? Well, guess what! You are the creator of your own ticket! Right now, you are deciding what to do with it. Time management can help. Whether you are someone who loves school and naturally excels in a classroom setting, or you are someone who finds school less than appealing, it is important that you treat your educational “ticket” with care, respect, and carefulness. With the right attention, it just might set you up for the rest of your life.
Although, you do not need us to convince you how important school is. You already know it and that is why you are here. For many people, school can feel like a frustrating and out-of-control experience. We hear students say things like, “I’m just not good at school” or “I just don’t get this.” Do NOT fall into the trap of believing that your potential is limited in this way. If you are feeling frustrated with school, it might be because you have not been taught the methods and study skills to set you up for success.
These skills are so important, whether you are in school or not because many of them will play a role in your life outside of school. Most importantly, these skills can be taught generationally. If you can master being a student, you can teach your family and children how to be great students too.
Are you on board yet? Here’s a summary of what we’ve discussed so far:
Reasons to Prioritize Becoming a Better Student
- Earn a career I find fulfilling
- Reduce stress associated with being in school
- Learn skills I will use my whole life
- Learn skills I can teach to my family and children, so they do not have to find school overwhelming.
*Shameless Plug Alert! Summarizing information from dense passages is a terrific way to retain information and make reviewing your notes easier! If you forget what those two paragraphs described, no need to re-read them, read the summary!
Becoming a Better Student
To understand how to crack the code of learning in a classroom environment, we’ll need to develop some broad skills and some more specific ones. We will begin by understanding the broad stroke skills. These are categories of important skills like
perspective, time management, and organization. However, it is important that we dive into specific skills, so you understand exactly how to transform your student experience. These are active learning skills like note-taking, in-class habits, and reading skills. Following this, let’s focus on a key aspect: time management.
Today we are discussing topic #3 Time Management.
- Perspective
a. Find purpose
b. Activate curiosity, on purpose
c. Own your education - Organization
a. Get the tools that you need: supplies, books, etc.
b. Keep track of your assignments
c. Managing self-care - Time-management
a. Prioritize your priorities
b. Create a schedule
c. Be adaptive
*Shameless Plug Alert! Reading an outline ahead of reading material can help your mind to prepare to absorb material. In other words, if your brain knows what to expect before digesting content, it’ll understand it sooner and better. If you are not provided with outlines, no worries! Get the same effect by skimming a textbook chapter or passage before fully reading it.
Time Management
If you can use your time right, you can do anything. I mean think about it: How much time do we waste every day by doing things inefficiently, becoming distracted, or not having a plan? You are a powerful, intelligent force to be reckoned with! You just… need some help using your time to let all those assets shine. I know it can feel like time is a losing game. We hear it all the time, “I just can’t do that. I’m always late, it is just part of who I am” or, “I work better under pressure.” If you work better under pressure, be a nurse, don’t procrastinate. Time management is a set of skills that we must practice and develop to become good at. And good news, you’re in the right place to get started.
Time Management: Prioritize Your Priorities
The first step to managing your time wisely is identifying what takes time and how important it is AKA prioritization! Let’s try a simple activity to get started:
Once you have completed this table, you should have a pretty good idea of what your priorities are. The goal of this exercise is to identify your priorities AND how you are currently matching up to them. Now that we’ve covered prioritization, let’s move on to creating a schedule.
Time Management: Create a Schedule
Alright, so now that you’ve got your priorities straight and know where your time needs to go, let’s dive into the magic of scheduling. Seriously, having it all written down is like having a superpower. Your schedule is your battle plan, and you’re the general. Being your own manager might sound cool, but it comes with responsibilities, and a schedule is your best weapon. It’s not just about telling yourself what to do; it’s about making sure it actually happens. Think of it like setting the rules for a game – you wouldn’t play without them, right? Leaving those instructions for yourself, aka the schedule, is like giving your brain a break. No need to constantly figure out what’s next; you just follow the plan. It’s like autopilot for your day.
So, get that schedule down on paper, and let the magic of time management begin! More on how to get and use a planner here. It is important to have a plan, but another key point is remaining adaptable. Let’s dive into that next.
Time Management: Be Adaptive
Now, here’s the scoop on why being adaptable is just as crucial in the world of time management, even when you’ve got that killer schedule in place. Look, life doesn’t always follow the script. Unexpected stuff happens – surprise tests, spontaneous plans, or tech malfunctions that throw your whole schedule into chaos. That’s where being adaptable comes in. Your schedule is your game plan, but it’s not carved in stone. Being flexible means, you can roll with the punches and adjust on the fly. It’s like having a Plan B (and maybe even a Plan C) ready to go. If something doesn’t go as planned, no need to panic. Being adaptive means you can handle curveballs without losing your cool.
So, while planning is like the backbone of time management, being adaptable is the secret sauce that keeps it all running smoothly, even when life tries to mess with your agenda. It’s the art of staying in control, no matter what the day throws at you. Time to embrace the unexpected!
Time Management: Summary
To summarize, effective time management is a skill set that empowers us to make the most of our days. As shown above, we have practical steps, such as identifying priorities through simple exercises and creating schedules as our roadmap. After all, these tools can act like a game plan, providing structure and clarity. Yet, in the real world, plans don’t always unfold as expected. That’s where adaptability steps in. Life throws curveballs – surprise tests, sudden plans, or technical glitches – and being flexible allows us to adjust without losing our cool. If you have the prioritization, schedules, and adaptability, then you are equipped to navigate the unpredictable nature of our days. Time management isn’t just about following rules; it’s about finding a balance between planning and adapting to lead a more organized and rewarding life.
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