Sincerely, Sara: How To "Budget" Your Time

By Sara Kaufman

Edited by Taylor Morgan

Dear Stressed Out College Student, 

WAWE / @wawe2011ff on Pinterest

Being a college student can be hard, with your clubs, schoolwork, classes, social time and life in general. We often forget that there are only 24 hours in one day. Just like managing money, managing your time requires choosing how you want to “spend” it. Learning to budget your time can help reduce stress, increase your productivity while still leaving space for you to do the things you enjoy.

One helpful thing you can do is identify your priorities. Your physical and mental health should always come first. If you are not in good physical or mental standing, then it can be difficult to accomplish other important tasks and priorities. This means taking time for self-care and just relaxing if you find yourself in these situations. This is not to say that your schoolwork is not important and a priority in your life. Just make sure you write out your weekly commitments and assignments somewhere so that you do not lose track of them or your time. 

Another key part of budgeting your time is breaking down tasks into smaller components. Instead of waiting til the night before to finish a big assignment for class, break it down into smaller sections that you will complete over the course of a few days. This not only helps you complete the task at hand and stay organized, but it will reduce the stress of cramming. You can even go as far as making yourself a smaller to-do list for each day. What I do is I write down my assignments in my assignment notebook,  then each individual day I write down the smaller tasks I need to complete on a post-it. This helps me keep track of my assignments and also reduces my worry that I might be missing something or not have enough time. 

The most important thing to remember is that no one’s schedule is perfect. You may be budgeting your time, but not in the way that benefits you the most, or you just have a more overwhelming and busy week. The goal is not to fill every minute of your day but to create a good balance that allows you to succeed academically while still enjoying your college experience. As well, each day is not the same, so if you go a little “off” your schedule, that's ok, you do not need to be perfect. With a little planning, budgeting your time can be one of the most valuable skills you develop in college.

Sincerely,

Sara