Useful Skills for All Learners : Time Management and Self Discipline.
No doubt for all of us time is very precious and we all seems to be chasing time. We never seem to get to the end of that list of things we intended to do, so how can we manage our time more effectively? Time management is a skill that can be learned. Firstly you need to understand how you spend your time. To start with, keep a record for a week and document how much time is spent in school, studying, going out socialising, visiting family and friends, eating and working. Then analyse where your time is going and prioritise the important things. Once you know how your time is spent, start a daily or weekly planner. Write in your classes, appointments, work schedules, assignments due dates, exams, and other activities. Check your diary daily for what needs to be done for that day. Then make a ‘to do’ list so you know what needs to be done immediately. Once the task is completed, tick it off your list. This always gives me satisfaction as I can see what things have been completed.
In order for things to run smoothly, you also need to be disciplined with yourself. Self-discipline is also a very useful life skill for everyone. All too often we can write out a long list but not end up doing anything, and so in the process end up wasting time. By being self-disciplined and setting small manageable tasks that you can accomplish will help you achieve your goals. If you haven’t completed the entire task don’t become too disheartened: reschedule that task for another time.
This process can also be done for longer-term planning, for instants weekly, monthly or even yearly planning, To become more organised get yourself a yearly planner or calendar and put in important dates, such as: school holidays, important exam dates and other events. So, at a glance, you can keep track of useful events and activities throughout the year.
Hopefully once you have a better idea and are aware of how you use your time, you will be able to manage it better and keep on top of the task. If you struggle at first, don’t worry keep trying until the task becomes a habit.
I hope these skills will be useful to you, so good luck with putting them into practice and see yourself having spare time on your hands.
