Most people don’t realize they’re sinking until they’ve already hit the bottom.
Students are told that high school is preparing them for the future, but some skills aren’t taught in classrooms. Time management is when someone plans out their time in order to efficiently complete tasks with the most successful results. Time management is an important skill for high schoolers to learn, even if there isn’t a class that teaches us how to do that. As someone with a busy schedule that includes theatre, robotics, orchestra, advanced math/AP classes, tennis, school, and several other small clubs, I’ve learned 2 tricks that helped me balance my time better: planning out my schedule and learning my limits.
Planning out your week is important, and the best way to do that is to sit down on a designated day and plan it out with either an app (I recommend trying Structured Web or Google Calandar) or a planner. I start with setting a specific wake-up and bedtime for myself. Then, I add in school, designated eating times, and a certain amount of time set aside for homework each day. After that, I add in clubs, activities, and sports. This ensures that there’s enough time to complete priority tasks. This also allows you to see where you have gaps in your schedule and encourages you to use that time wisely.
Knowing your limits is also essential to managing your time efficiently. Last year, I discovered that dropping an activity in a busy schedule can boost mental, emotional, and physical health. I tried to take an advanced math class with an online chemistry class. I was also participating in theatre, tennis, robotics, some smaller clubs, and orchestra. I was completely drained. I dropped the smaller clubs completely and cut back on my involvement in theatre and I felt a lot better. You should always make sure you have time to eat, sleep, and keep up with your schoolwork.
The reason why time management is such a hard skill to learn is because everyone has different limits and different activities. Some people may play sports, participate in clubs, take AP classes, play an instrument, or have out-of-school hobbies that they enjoy working on. Regardless of whether you enjoy having a packed schedule or not, it’s still important to make sure you have enough time for yourself. Remember to plan out your schedule and that it’s okay to drop an activity if it’s putting a strain on you and isn’t healthy in the long run.
