By Cheryl Mattox Berry
The second semester is well under way, but are you? It’s time to evaluate how you’re doing at this point in the school year. If your grades are not what they should be, chances are you’re not setting aside enough time to hit the books or you need a tutor NOW. Don’t blow off any class that you’re having trouble in. With a few changes, you can pass the class and finish the school year BIG.
Time management is the key. You’d be surprised at how much time is wasted doing absolutely nothing. A lot of minutes are snatched by the biggest time thief of them all – technology. To make sure you’re getting the most out of your day, put yourself on a schedule. That way you know exactly how you spend every minute and hour of each day.
When my niece came to live with us, I put her on a schedule because she was all over the place. She slept the entire evening, ate too late and studied for a hot minute before she climbed into bed for the night. Her behavior drove me crazy. I knew that she could be much more productive if she managed her time better. You can, too, with a daily schedule. Here’s how to create yours:
- Draw a chart that lists each day of the week across the top and a column along the left side with each hour of your day, from the time you wake up until you go to bed.
- Fill-in the activities that you do for each hour, including dinner, sports, watching TV, etc. For example, school would be blocked from 7 a.m.- 3 p.m.
- Make copies of the schedule and post it on the back of your bedroom door. Put it in your phone for quick reference. Refer to the schedule often until you have it memorized.
Study Time
You should spend at least two hours studying every night. That may seem like a lot of time, but it’s not when you divide the time by the number of courses you take. When you get to college, you’ll study twice as long, so this is good practice. For exams, you’ll need to put in additional time. I recommend studying Sunday through Thursday. Let everyone in your house know that you can’t have any interruptions while you are studying.
Choose a quiet place with good lighting. Pick a time when you’re alert. If you have a tendency to get sleepy after dinner, that’s not a good time. Study before you eat, and do something relaxing after dinner.
If you can’t study when it’s quiet, listen to music. However, it should be barely audible, background music. Rapping along with Jay-Z or Kanye West means you’re listening to the music, not concentrating on your work.
Recognize when you’re not making any progress in a class and get a tutor. Two failing grades are a hint. Ask your teacher for help in finding a tutor or contact a local university, where students volunteer or charge a nominal fee.
Beware of the Time Thief
Tweeting, talking and texting are the biggest time thieves.Turn off the TV, cell phone and computer while you are studying. Your friends can wait. Besides, they should be studying, too. Don’t forget to include in your chart time for socializing. Stick to the time allotted because social media is addictive and a time suck. I know students who spend two to three hours each night on Facebook. That’s way more time than they spend studying. And the benefit?
The bottom line: You control your time. Make it productive.