Many students today are more distracted than ever. With social media, access to technology, streaming services, family commitments, and school assignments, students definitely have many things to keep them occupied. However, learning time management at a young age is very necessary. While one cannot change time, we can change our habits. Here are some tips to help you think about time and self more mindfully.

1. Backward planning – Backwards planning is especially useful for students. Teachers will provide a syllabus at the beginning of the term or the year. On the syllabus, there’s usually a list of dates with deadlines. The key to successful backward planning is to write down all the deadlines in a calendar or planner at the beginning of the term, but it’s imperative to keep looking back at it. At ConnectEd we provide students with deadlines and important CBSE dates.
2. To-Do Lists – Lists can be very effective when it comes to time management. It’s helpful to make a list of all the tasks you need to complete, no matter what they might be. Once you finish the list, you can rate the most important to least important items. Keeping the list visible so that you are reminded to keep looking at it is key. There’s much satisfaction in crossing items off. 
3. Knowing Strengths and Weaknesses – Everyone in the world has their strengths and weaknesses. Why is it important to know oneself when trying to set new habits? Being aware of self is so crucial when trying to overcome bad habits. Today, many workplaces have their employees do personality testing. The goal of such tests is to help teams function more effectively. Students with greater self-awareness can be powerful in the classroom both individually and when collaborating with classmates. Want to take a free test? Click here.
4. Set goals – It is difficult to know how to manage time effectively if we don’t know how we are actually spending our time. One way to set effective, realistic goals is by tracking your daily routine for one week. See how you spend your time. After you do this, it could be helpful to create a list of things that you’d ideally like to do with your time. Look at your realistic list of how you’re spending your time and see if there is any room for adjustment. Over time, it becomes easier to anticipate how you’ll spend your time. Telling your goals to a friend helps keep you accountable to change. Have them check in on you. Let them ask you if you’ve been wasting too much time.

While each of these suggestions is helpful in different ways, only you know what you’re capable of. It is crucial that your steps toward change are attainable. Make sure you have a positive attitude because not everything will change overnight. Change takes time, but it is possible.