During the summer of 2019, I had a lot of daily goals I wanted to meet. I was determined to go to the gym daily, work, write for my internship, practice my violin, and practice Smash Bros for tournaments. That’s a lot to get done day-to-day, but luckily, good time management can help. I've found some techniques that helped me accomplish my everyday goals, but research also suggests that other tips are effective as well.

Set reminders

When I had a tough time getting over three activities done in one day, I decided that it was time to set reminders on my phone throughout the day. I set reminders a few hours apart, so once I’m done with one goal, I can go right on to the next one. Even if I’m working that day and can’t get other things done, the reminders help me to keep other activities in the back of my mind, so then I complete them the next day.

Use your time wisely

If I don’t get anything done in a day, or I’m not productive for a few hours, I tend to feel awful-- I feel like I wasted so much time. Ohio Weslyan University (OWU) writes that, for students, keeping notecards handy can be helpful. If you have 5 to 10 minutes of downtime, take out those notes and review them.

Plan!

Not so much during the summer, but during my semesters, when I have classes at the same times each week, I plan my extracurricular activities around class and work. If your weekly schedule is always the same, having a physical, written-out schedule of your time blocked off for what you want to get done can help keep you on track. Include everything in your schedule-- balancing classwork, your work schedule, homework and study sessions, and social time with friends.

Remember what’s important

Going to the gym and practicing my instrument were definitely the most important to me during this past summer, as going to the gym is helping me to stay positive about my body, and I’ll have to show my private teacher what I’ve done this summer with my piece at the start of the semester. That being said, I had to schedule my days in such an order where I got done what was most important first, in order to ensure that it got done. OWU states that prioritizing will help motivate you and push you along in the day. OWU also suggests that if you don’t get something done that day, do it the next day to reduce stress.

Time management is something that you’ll need throughout your life. Whether you’re on break, at school, at the office, or just taking a relaxing day off, feeling and being productive always leaves you with a good feeling. Achieving this amazing feeling can be better achieved with these tips.