Time Management in High School  

Learning time management in high school is important for college success, especially if you are someone who requires lots of outside motivation (parents) in order to get things done. In college it is important to have some sort of level of self-motivation, as in truth what you get out of your education depends entirely on what you put into it. A great way to think about it is that after 4 years in college you are probably going to be totally responsible for yourself, so now is a great time to start getting ready!

1. Make a things to do list

Either write it down on paper or do it mentally – just have a solid idea on what is important to accomplish every day. Also you should understand why these things are important to get done as it will increase the odds of you doing it dramatically!

2. Get a job!

Getting a job or any other productive activity that takes on the scale of 10-15 hours a week is a great way to add valuable structure to your life. It is amazing how a little structure can help you manage your time just by forcing you to be responsible for how you spend your time.

3. Learn to say No.

Saying “no” for lots of people is more difficult than it sounds and it can take a couple tough days or weeks of having far too much on your plate for the lesson to really settle in. If you find yourself saying yes and taking on more obligations than you probably should, remember that simply saying “no” will probably offend the person much less than if were too busy and unable to do what you agreed to!

4. Time and Space

Part of being successful in school is finding the right time and space in which to do your work, most students in high school haven’t discovered where or when this place is so you will need to experiment. Some students do better right after school, some in the mornings and others at night – find what works for you.

5. Review Your Notes Every Day.

I’m sure you’ve heard this before and it really isn’t the most practical advice. If you find that reviewing your notes for every class every day just isn’t you, try reviewing for 10 minutes before a class, this will help set your mind on the subject at hand and also help keep dated material fresh. Another possibility is taking advantage of the system, lots of teachers aren’t pro’s at time management themselves and can take forever to get the class started, use this time effectively by looking over your notes or homework!

6. Get enough sleep

You’ve got lots on your plate, but you wont be able to perform to your best if you don’t get a decent amount of sleep. Try to aim for a least 8 and half hours every night, however if this isn’t possible every night of the week don’t fret, just make sure you don’t build up a massive sleep debt, give yourself some time to catch up!

7. Communicate Your Schedule to Friends.

Having an active social life is what makes high school fun and it should not be neglected, no matter what other pressures you are under. Remember that you are after a good balance, while you don’t want to be a social fiend, you don’t want to be a college application or SAT robot either. The best way to make sure you keep time open for your friends is to let them know your schedule and try to arrange things decently in advance, or even set up a routine like meeting with friends every Friday and Saturday night.

8. Master your schedule, don’t be mastered by it!

While scheduling can be a great way to manage your time, it is easy to get too caught up in it. Remember that your schedule is a tool that you’ve created it is not your master!

9. Try not to stress!

Does your workload feel overwhelming? Instead of stressing about it try and bite off a chunk and get it started. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you think you need it, but remember that none of it is beyond your abilities!

10. Keep Things in Perspective.

It is easy to get caught up in all of the drama in high school, including college applications, SAT’s and grades – but remember you are more than the numbers that the system attaches to you. You’ve got your whole life to live and while the choices and mistakes you make now will have an impact, what you do with what you’ve learned will be the most important factor in your success.