Time management. It's probably a cliche phrase that you've heard a million times by now. Time management. If you hadn't heard it before, now you've at least heard it twice in the same minute, so it has to be on your mind!
In high school, especially when you are a junior or a senior, time is scarce and you have to do more than be a quick worker or a good multi-tasker in order to get everything done. Time management (3 times) begins with planning. Now that a new school year is beginning, you can carefully plan out how to allocate your time (your most valuable resource) so that you maximize your learning in high school.
Unfortunately, classes are pretty rigid--you can't get out of English class. But perhaps you can be human and only take six AP classes this year so you give yourself one period to stay sane and maybe even get some work done in school. Remember elementary school where you would use some free time to finish up homework so you could play when you got home (or was I the only dork who did work during school?)? Well, in high school, dork or not, you have to save time however you can and it can be a smart move to balance your schedule and create opportunities to get some incomplete tasks done. It's nice to think you're going to be a superstudent who will finish everything in a specific amount of time, but it's high school--things come up and plans change. Give yourself some flexroom so you can manage your commitments no matter what.
Extra-curriculars. So you have to make signs for Key Club AND write the proposal for this month's community service in BETA club. Well, wait. Let's step back. You're in both Key Club AND BETA? They're both service clubs--it's like playing for the Yankees and Red Sox. Would it make sense to spend an hour training to figure out how to beat the Sox and then go try to figure out the same for how to beat the Yankees? It'll never be a win-win. Of course it's different..Key Club and BETA do service and there is no limit on how much community service can or should be done. But as a student you are much better off joining a wide array of clubs so you don't end up repeating certain efforts under a different title on your resume. If you are going to learn and grow as a person, wouldn't it be more effective to spend the time you used for Key Club signs on preparing a position paper for an international relations debate in Model United Nations instead? Now your two hours have turned you into a diplomat and philanthropist instead of...a sign-making philanthropist.
But what does this all have to do with time-management? Well it's not just about getting jobs done on a schedule and using time efficiently. By making smart choices in the first place, you increase your changes of being able to balance your commitments and finish projects on time. The next post will include details on day-to-day time management.
For those seeking SAT prep, read about what's wrong with the major 10 online programs and you'll see why INeedAPencil.com beats out the rest. Email questions to me personally at JasonShah@INeedAPencil.com or post them as comments here!
