High school is an incredibly busy time. In my many years of teaching, I’ve had almost all of my students tell me, “There just isn’t enough time.” And I get it! It’s easy and normal to be overwhelmed by the plethora of assignments, applications, projects, and exams. If this sounds like you, I have a time-tested method that has never failed my students - time blocking.
Time blocking is a self-explanatory time management method that asks you to compartmentalize your day into blocks of time. Each block is dedicated to a specific task (or even groups of tasks!). By allotting a very specific amount of time for each task, you’ll start each day knowing what you have to do and when you have to do it.
There are some tips and tricks that can help you make the most of time blocking.
Setting priorities
One of the most stressful part of a busy schedule is not knowing where to start. It can make everything even more overwhelming. Start by taking stock of your tasks and thinking of what highest priorities are. Once you have your list start blocking time for your highest priorities, such as an exam, and then make it down to your more flexible tasks such as sending an email.
Keep everything in one place
I’m old school - I prefer to block out my calendar on paper. But, many of my students love the flexibility of digital calendars because it’s easy to move different blocks and readjust your blocks as needed. Regardless of what platform you choose to use, I would encourage you to keep everything in one place, so you don’t have to exert any unnecessary mental energy looking for different things.
Group similar tasks together
When it comes to time blocking for students, grouping similar tasks might mean that you dedicate certain days to certain classes. For example, if you always have a history class on Mondays, then you might also want to dedicate Mondays as the day when you work on your assignments for that class. Alternatively, it might mean you finish all your essays on Monday and Wednesday and use the other days for problem sets or MCQs. This will help you stay in the zone and make sure you don’t lose your rhythm.
Consider building in breaks or “off limit” blocks
No one can study non-stop 24/7. In fact, no one should! I always remind my students to make time for memories and also, to recharge. As you get in the flow of time blocking, you’ll find yourself with more time on your hands - use it to spend time with your friends or family. And, most importantly, make sure you plan routine breaks or “off limit” blocks - blocks with no tasks scheduled, just for yourself and whatever you want to do.
Be flexible
Don’t worry if you can’t stick to your blocks 100%. Life happens and plans change. If you can be flexible and allow for some movement in your schedule, time-blocking will prove to be a wonderful resource.
Noopur Kanchan
Comments