Do you ever feel like there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done? Between school, activities, chores, hanging with friends, there’s a lot going on. It can be tough to keep up sometimes. We bet even teachers and principals feel stretched thin too.
That’s why experts like Priority Management Australia believe that time management skills should be taught in schools. Learning how to plan and use time wisely can help students at every age succeed in the classroom and beyond. In this post, let’s chat about why time management courses for students are so important.
Time is Limited – Gotta Use it Well.
Here’s the thing, every single person on this planet has the same 24 hours in a day. Even the president. No matter how much we wish for more time, it doesn’t work that way.
Since time is precious and limited, it makes sense to learn tools to use it in the best way possible. Just like money – you want to spend it wisely to get the most value, right? Same idea with time management. The skills we learn today will help us for life.
Balance is Tough But Key
As a student, you’ve got a lot coming at you all at once – school assignments, sports, music lessons, chores at home, hanging out with friends. It can feel impossible to fit it all in. Without realizing it, we may end up spending too much time on one thing and not enough on others.
Time management skills help you identify priorities and balance all your responsibilities. You’ll learn to plan study time so you’re prepared for that science quiz but still make it to soccer practice. Pretty useful.
Avoid the Procrastination Pitfall
Be honest – how many times have you waited until the last minute to start a project or study for a test? Procrastination swallows up time we could have used wisely and leaves us stressed out.
Time management courses teach you to break bigger tasks down into smaller steps that you can tackle bit by bit instead of waiting for the deadline to loom large. No more last-minute panic attacks.
Reduce Stress by Staying Organized
When you don’t manage time well, things slip through the cracks. Papers get lost, tasks are forgotten, deadlines whoosh by. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and anxious when life seems out of control.
Learning time management gives you tools like calendars, to-do lists, and filing systems. They help you stay on top of responsibilities so you feel less scattered and more in command of your schedule. Pretty calming.
Set Goals and Chart Progress
It feels awesome to accomplish goals and make progress, whether it’s completing a science fair project or improving your mile time. But you need time to make goals happen.
Time management teaches you to break goals into action steps timed out across days or weeks. You’ll track progress and celebrate successes, which keeps you motivated to achieve even more.
Learn Essential Skills for Adulthood
Someday you’ll be out of school and in the working world. Time management abilities will be incredibly valuable. Jobs, families, and adult responsibilities come with endless tasks demanding our time.
Starting these lessons now equips you with skills to juggle all that life throws your way down the road. Plus it looks great on college applications.
Teachers Benefit Too.
While time management helps students most directly, it’s got upsides for teachers as well. Planning engaging lesson plans, grading work, meeting with parents – it all takes lots of time. With good time management, teachers feel less overwhelmed and better able to be fully present for your needs.
Bring Time Management Courses to Your School.
Hopefully you can see all the ways strong time management helps students thrive in and out of the classroom. It leads to less stress, better work habits, and skills that will serve you for life. That’s time well spent.
Here are a few ideas if you want to bring time management lessons to your own school:
- Ask your counselor or principal if they’ve considered offering these types of courses or workshops. Share specific benefits you think students would gain.
- Talk to teachers about setting aside some class time to teach basic time management tools related to their subject. In history, map out a study schedule for an upcoming exam. In English, break down steps for completing an essay over multiple work sessions.
- Request an assembly with a guest speaker who is an expert in time management, productivity, or overcoming procrastination. They can teach the whole student body at once.
- Start an after-school club to practice useful time skills like using planners, setting SMART goals, and prioritizing tasks. Make it hands-on and fun.
Conclusion
Learning to manage time wisely at a young age will empower you now and in the future. Let’s tell our schools it’s time to make time management a priority. Share any other ideas you have or comment with your experiences.
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