I am willing to bet that many of your teachers have told you that the key to success is to manage your time well. Not just in high school, but in your life in general. This skill called time management is the ability to use your time wisely to maximize your productivity. In other words, it means getting your priorities straight and not procrastinating. However, many people have been and continue to struggle with managing their time well.

The first step to improvement is setting the right goals. From simple things like finishing your homework before midnight to planning out your next month of after school activities, your goals must be realistic and achievable. Another thing to keep in mind is the time you want to have your goal completed by. Keep in mind due dates for projects, giving yourself enough time to sleep, and your own schedule, whether personal or academic, because you might have other things planned. Always make sure your goals and when you want to reach them are practical because you can then move on to step two.

After you have determined your goal, the next step is to create a schedule around it. Completing your homework is an example; you would first want to see what exactly you have for homework. You can complete the assignments in any order, based on importance, urgency, or even convenience. Try to include breaks around every hour, so that you don’t feel overwhelmed and begin to resent getting your work done. Now is also the time to prioritize. You would most likely want to focus your attention on a worksheet that is due tomorrow rather than notes that are due next week. I would also recommend that you save studying until the very end, so that it is the last thing you do before finishing up. That way, you can remember what you reviewed.

Since the next two steps go hand in hand, I will be explaining them together: focusing and removing distractions from yourself. The easiest way to get things done is to focus on completing them and nothing else. If you concentrate on getting whatever you are working on done, you will most likely achieve your goal. Of course, try to do this without distractions, such as people talking around you, notifications on your phone, and sometimes simply boredom. Many people get distracted easily and find it difficult to regain the intense focus they had going on before. My tip is to not let loud conversation or message notifications distract you in the first place. In other words, take it upon yourself to remove all distractions and create an ideal work environment, where you can get things done quickly and effectively.

My final step for you would be to keep practicing. Just like playing a sport or an instrument, managing your time wisely is a valuable skill. It takes hard work and the willingness to change and adapt. Sure, it may be a challenge, but it is definitely worth it. In the end, you will become a better student and person.