7 Essential Time Management Tips For Online Students

As an online student, you know how easy it is to procrastinate on class assignments. And time management is difficult when you have so many other responsibilities and commitments, which is probably why you joined an online college.

There’s no big secret to time management. It just takes a little planning every day and a commitment to complete tasks according to schedule.

Here are seven time management tips to help get you accomplish your tasks and assignments on a daily basis:

Plan Your Day Every Morning

The first skill involved in time management is learning to plan your day. This means getting up a little earlier in the morning so that you can think about all the tasks you need to accomplish. It’s very helpful to use a daily calendar so you can map out your daily plan.

Create a List of Tasks and Subtasks

Take a blank sheet of paper and start jotting down all your to-do items. If your online class requires an essay, then list “write essay” and then write subtasks underneath that major task (e.g. research, develop thesis, create outline, write first draft, edit, etc.). By viewing all your tasks and subtasks, you can then start prioritizing.

Organize Your Tasks

Once you’ve written all your tasks and subtasks, you then need to decide on what you definitely need to accomplish that day. Take another sheet of paper and start listing all the essential tasks in order of importance. This organization will prepare your mind for what you need to accomplish. And it will help keep you focused on what’s important.

Set Deadlines for Yourself

Setting deadlines is probably the most difficult and most important task of all. You need to set critical deadlines on all your tasks. If the task is too large to complete that day, then break up the task into a manageable task you could accomplish. And then save the second or third parts of the task later in the week. The idea is to create realistic deadlines for the day and stick to your deadlines.

Concentrate on Only One Task at a Time

When working on a project, only concentrate on that particular task. Don’t start thinking about other tasks, or what else you need to accomplish. Stick to your task whenever possible and finish before moving on.

Be Flexible

Even though you might be committed to finishing each task, know that something might happen to prevent you from finishing everything. Remain flexible, and don’t get stressed out if you don’t complete everything as planned.

Reward Yourself As You Complete Tasks

Take regular breaks and reward yourself as you complete tasks. Your body will thank you, and it will motivate you to complete more tasks.


About the Author: Michael Delgado is a freelance writer.
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