As you enrol into a new school and your semester kicks in you will find your stress levels increase as your schedule fills up. During this stressful period, most TALK students may begin to count down to their holiday or vacation period, and unwittingly cause themselves additional stress. If you find that you want to deal with the stress and better manage your time, here are some time management tips and time management strategies that can help you be effective and successfully get through this stressful period.

1. Choose How You Spend Your Time And Own It

Many students tend to make excuses for not having enough time to do non-study activities like eating right, exercising, and socializing  with new-found friends. Studies prove that where students are concerned, time management issues are not about lack of time, but about how the students in question prioritised their time.  When you make better time management strategies and take control over your time and how you use it, your stress levels are immediately reduced.

2. Say No!

Many students tend to find that their time management skills are lacking because of the inability to say no to others. Students may feel the stress of not letting their friends or peers down when they are invited to parties, events, or a hangout session even though they know they should be studying. Being a conscientious student means you have the right to be self-focused, as period will impact your life and future.  You are not a selfish person for saying “no” when you have to relax, study or sleep. In return, when you achieve what you have to, you will have more time, energy and enthusiasm to be there for your friends.

3. Don’t Skip Class

A great time management tip that will help to relieve your stress in the long run is simply not to skip class. When you skip class, you not only waste money, but you miss out on learning what was set out for that day, therefore it sets you back a day. This set back causes you to have to learn extra at a later date, which just ends up increasing your stress and anxiety.

4. Sleep Saves Time

Getting a good night’s rest is another time management tip that can help you reduce stress. Sleep deprivation can affect you in the same way as too much alcohol would. Your thinking becomes foggy, your reaction time is slow, you gain weight, and you get depressed. You are less likely to retain information from your class if you are sleep deprived. Always try to have a good night’s sleep, and you will find you have reduced your stress levels significantly.

5. How To Overcome Procrastination

It is said that nearly 2/3 of students have admitted that they have procrastinated during their study, and this has affected their performance in their final exams due, because they are overwhelmed by stress and anxiety because they are not prepared for the exam. Here are some time management tips to help you to become more effective when you feel stressed.

• With the larger tasks, break them into smaller sections and work on completing one piece at a time. If you have a deadline, try to schedule each little piece on selected days so they will be completed in time and you aren’t overwhelmed.
• Make sure you have a 15 minute break every 45 minutes. Try to relax, listen to music or take a walk.
• Try to study in your peak energy time. If you’re a morning person study in the morning. If you’re an afternoon person, study when you become energised.