Supporting Graduate Students' Academic and Professional Success
[Image Description: A clock with wings.]
Pictured: Time flies when you have a lot to do!
Some times we go about our daily tasks, and we notice the day just flies by.
Other times, we reflect on the year and say: “I can’t believe it’s August already! This year is just flying by!” Though time is fleeting, and at times it feels like it slips through our fingers, it is possible to lay hold of time and manage it wisely. Even more, as a graduate student, it is useful to learn how to organize and maximize our time effectively. Besides, we don’t have a DeLorean Time Machine to go back in time just in case we waste it.
[Image Description: The DeLorean Time Machine from the film Back to the Future going back in time.]
Pictured: You wishing you could rewind the day since you didn't manage your time well.
Neither are we the Flash, the DC superhero who can apparently time travel and fix big mistakes! Though some will come, as much as possible, let's try to avoid making mistakes while in school.
[Image Description: The Flash running super duper fast.]
Pictured: What you would look like if you could run so fast that you turned back time.
Realistically, time management is definitely an ongoing skill that I am continuously learning. As a graduate student, some days my time is used better than others. Some days time can slip through the cracks, and if we let time slip too much, we may end up continuously playing catch up. In the long run, this can impact our academic performance and other responsibilities. In order to avoid this what can we do?
Plan and Prioritize
Practically, there are a lot of small things you can do to organize your time. For some this may not be a problem, but for others this may be something to refresh up on. Similar to your undergraduate years, before your first week of school figure out your class schedule and if possible plan your weekly schedule around your classes. Since you are primarily a student, give yourself enough time to study, and if you have other responsibilities (work, organizational committees, etc.) I would recommend to try to schedule these in a way that allows you to still prioritize school. Your time should allocated wisely, so remember to prioritize specific task. There are several ways to do this: mark important dates on your calendar, be actively aware of your weekly schedule, know your deadlines, and if possible create small notes (use sticky notes or an app reminder).
[Image Description: Someone writing down their to-do list on a notepad.]
Pictured: You writing down your to-do list so you can finally get organized.
Mindset
Often, what I find that makes the difference to how I manage my time is my mindset. Graduate school will require you to focus on different assignments for a number of hours. In order to maintain a focused mind-set you need to remove several distractions from your study and work spaces. The digital age that we live in of course does not always help (we can relate to this if we’ve ever got on our phone for something and then sort of forgot why we were using it in the first place). There are endless distractions. When we set in our schedule to study, work — or whatever the task may be — our attention needs to be set. We need to tell ourselves: for the next 2 or 3 hours, I will manage my time and work on this task.
Create Healthy Boundaries
Another important point to manage your time is to create healthy boundaries that allow you to focus on your task effectively. At times, some of your friends who are not in grad school will reach out to you and ask: “Hey Chris, would you like to go out with us?” In my experience, if I have a certain amount of work that is weighing on me, and I know it is due soon, I immediately respond: “Sorry, I cannot today. I need to get my work done.” There will always be other opportunities for recreation and relaxation.
Reward System
As you’re learning to use your time, you will discover again and again time management is not an easy lesson. While there is the lesson of organizing time, there also remains the task of using that time effectively. Time is not just meant to be organized, but maximized. So it’s always good to relook at the past day or week and see what you accomplished. If you accomplished your task, it is good to reward yourself. Maybe during the weekend, you can take that day trip with your friends. Or after a hard day of studies and work, you can enjoy your evening with some recreation. My point is try and find some ways to reward yourself amidst your business. We are humans, not robots, and we all need some moments of recreation.
Steady Progress at the Task at Hand
If your time management is effective, then whatever project you have scheduled which you are working on will have some results. The results may range depending on the nature and type of work you are trying to get done. But at the end of the day, you need to ask yourself: “Did I make progress today or this past week? Did I give enough time to this task?” These questions will allow you to reevaluate how you are using your time and if you are making steady progress on what you need to get done. The biggest help is accountability. The constructive feedback from our professors, peers, and those we work with can be very helpful. I hope these tips on time management can be of use to you! Remember, we are all learners, and this skill is something we are all working on!