Managing your time and keeping your priorities straight are two of the most crucial soft skills you can develop, whether you’re a student or a new graduate. Prioritizing and time management are intertwined, so the clearer your priorities are, the easier it will be to figure out what comes first and how to manage your work/school time and spare time. We understand that staying organized isn’t always simple, but here are some short tips to help you manage your hectic schedule and stay on track.
1. Think about your priorities:
Making a priority list might be difficult and frustrating at times. Everything seems to be significant for varying reasons and determining what should come first is tricky. So, consider what matters most to you: your family, your studies, your job search, your health, and so on. Make a list of everything and explore how you can integrate them into your regular routine.
2. Discern importance of priorities:
You might look at your list of priorities after you’ve made it and think it’s a little too long and daunting. This is the point at which you must distinguish between your needs and your wants. Wants should be things you’d like to have but aren’t required to survive; needs should be things you don’t have but are essential. A roof over your head, for example, is a need, but a brand-new car is a want. By separating the two, you’ll be able to see which priorities aren’t as time sensitive and may be moved down, or removed from the list.
3. Identify steps and set timeframes:
Break down the steps and determine how much time each step will take per priority. Give each a deadline. Depending on where the priority is on your goal list, you may need to dedicate more time to it. (Bonus Tip: Allow for flexibility; life happens. Rigidity in your timeline can leave you panicking, so be sure to leave a bit of wiggle room for any unexpected events!)
4. Accountability and follow through:
Following through with all your goals and sticking to your priority timeline is sometimes the hardest part. We can all get distracted or discouraged or even bored. However, it’s important to stick to your plan and follow through all the way to the end. This is the reason why you started this process in the first place, right? Many individuals believe that self-control and willpower are the keys to achieving our goals, the trouble with willpower is that we only have so much of it and having to use it is quite draining. Even when we are able to smash goals using our willpower, we are often left feeling depleted. Rather than relying on your willpower to keep you motivated, build up your environment so that you don’t have to. Enlist the support of an Accountabilibuddy to help you stay on track with the promises you make to yourself and others. An Accountabilibuddy can be anyone: a friend, a spouse, a coworker, a coach, etc. You can find an excellent accountability partner anywhere you can find someone you can talk to and rely on.
5. Reward yourself:
This last step is just as important as all the rest. After all your hard work and tough decisions, you should reward yourself with something you enjoy. This positive reinforcement is what helps you refocus and recharge and it will help you prepare for your upcoming goals. School/work time is just as important as free time, so take some time for yourself and be proud of your achievements.
We hope this quick break-down of steps will help you in the future when setting your career goals. Want more information like this? Simply arrange a meeting with your Employment Coordinator; they are here to help you with your career-oriented goals!
