As a student, we have to juggle academics, social activities, extracurriculars, and so on… And being a pro time manager is a life skill when it comes to success. Regardless of that, the clock does NOT stop ticking. Meaning that the only way to success is us to actually be productive instead of scrolling on Instagram to see other people gaining success.
In this article, we will be unpacking key strategies and practical tips to help students, especially high school students optimize your schedules, enhance productivity, and pave the way for both academic success and personal well-being. Join me to the end to discover the tools and techniques that will give you an advantage in becoming a master of your own time.
Use Online Calendars to Track Your Schedule
This is often the most common and effective strategy that is used to organize your busy schedules and plans. If you don’t have one, you should definitely start using it.
Online calendars have many advantages that make them an essential tool in organizing your busy schedules and plans. Firstly, they allowing us users to check and update our schedules from any device, be it a computer, smartphone, or tablet. This ensures we can stay organized and on top of their commitments, regardless of our location. Additionally, online calendars usually come with features such as reminders and notifications, which will help you remind and meet your due dates and deadlines. On top of that collaboration becomes more straightforward as well, since users can share their calendars with others, enabling efficient coordination for group events or work projects. Overall, online calendars streamline time management, enhance collaboration, and contribute to a more efficient and organized lifestyle.
If you are new to using online calendars, I highly recommend using Apple Calendar(only on Apple devices), Google Calendar, or the recently released Notion Calendar.
Google Calendar has benefits such as if your school is on Google Classroom, it will automatically input the due dates of your assignments which lets you keep track of your submissions.
However, you can share your calendar on Apple Calendar as well as Notion Calendar very easily. I like using the Apple Calendar since the features are simple and the most AESTHETIÇ if which I value to motivate myself!!
This is an example of my Apple Calendar
As you can see, you can set times for your schedules, color code them, and even share from your Google Calendar. This way, it allows you to visualize your plans which will ultimately make it easier for you to organize your schedules.
If you don’t have your online calendar set up yet, I highly recommend using it early as today:)
Create To-Do Lists With Clear Goals
When it comes to being productive, it is crucial to have To-Do lists to remind ourselves what has to be done. It is also one of the most beneficial strategies to finish your assignment on time. To-do lists can be created anywhere whether it’s online or on traditional paper. However, what matters is HOW you create your goals for the day.
Here, I will share a secret method I practice every day to be super productive. It’s simple but will change your productivity drastically. It is simply being specific with your goals; which are measurable, achievable, and timetable.
For example, this is a to-do list of someone who wouldn’t be very productive.
- Finish Geo Project
- Study for Math Test
- Read the book for English
- Prepare for the Science Exam
On the other hand, this would be an example to-do list
| Content | Amount | Time |
|---|---|---|
| ◻︎Write a news article | 900 words | 120 min |
| ◻︎Finish Geo Project | 5 slides | 90 min |
| ◻︎Study for Math Test | 10 pages from textbook 9-18 | 60 min |
| ◻︎Read the book for English | 20 pages of “The Hunger Games” | 30 min |
| ◻︎Prepare for the Science Exam | Review the formative test and notes | 60 min |
The difference here is that each goal has a precise amount of what to achieve and the time that they have to finish the tasks. This way you will have a clearer idea of what to finish in a certain amount of time. This will further allow you to be a lot more productive and successful in balancing your academics. It is an easy but a very effective method so if you are interested, you should 100% try it from today!!
Use Notion To Double Your Organization Skills
Notion is a well-known tool for simply taking notes to manage a whole company. If you are tired of using memo apps and google docs just to sort your thoughts out, this is a perfect solution. It is a platform to organize your thoughts, ideas, and projects into your customized pages. You can create calendars, to-do lists, timelines, and so on. On top of that, it allows you to share pages with other people which makes it easier to share your thoughts and projects. Moreover, the best thing about this is that you can make your page super AESTHETIC which motivates myself when it comes to being *productive*. Also, the great thing is that, it’s completely FREE. You just have to create a new account and you are good to go!
For those of you who are curious to know about what Notion looks like here is an example.
You can use extensions and already-made templates to make your page aesthetic as you want. At first, it might seem more or less complicated, but as you get used to it, it will be a huge advantage to organize your life. For example, I often use Notion to sort out my to-dos in an original and very organized format like the image below.
As you can see, you have so many choices such as changing fonts, embedding YouTube links, changing colors, and so on. It allows you to manage a large amount of data, tasks, and projects and will suit your needs. There is literally a million things you can make by using your creativity to customize your online workspaces. SO ENHANCE YOUR CREATIVITY!!!
If you are further interested, comment below to let me know! I might publish a template and a tutorial just for you guys to make your life more successful!
Use A Planner To Keep Track of Your Productivity
Another very effective way to be productive in your tasks is to have a study planner beside you. Not only does it allow you to plan your to-do lists, but it allows you to visualize the time you spent on each task and when. In addition, using a planner offers so many other benefits, including enhanced organization by putting together tasks and appointments, effective time management through preplanning, increased productivity by prioritizing tasks and setting accurate and precise goals. It also helps remind important dates and events, and offering flexibility to adapt plans to changing plans. I highly recommend using planners for those of you who want to be hyper-organized and have a hand-written visual for all your schedules and tasks. It definitely contributes to your overall productivity and it is a easy first step for actually starting something.
These 4 Tips are definitely are going to help optimize your schedules. Being organized in your life is essential in OWNING YOUR TIME AND LIFE. Recognizing the fact that time isn’t infinite is especially crucial for success as a student ourselves. We all face conflicts but there always is a way to solve. Let’s progress one step at a time to enter your brand new PRODUCTIVE ERA✨🎀
I really hope this article helped you a lot.
Comments are highly appreciated!! Love you all, and see you soon:)
