If you are anything like me, then you probably try to cram as much activities as you can into your schedule. Whether it be AP classes, volunteer work, leadership programs, sports, a job etc, you try to make the most out of our time during the year. While this will definitely help you prepare yourself for college and the real world, there is a whole lot of stress that comes with it. A fully packed schedule can be daunting to anybody, especially for students. But fear not, there are some things you can do to help you manage your time and stay on top of your schedule.
1.This may seem extremely obvious, but you may be surprised at how many students do not keep a calender to help them organize their days. I am not talking about that notebook where you write what homework you have for the week, I am talking about a calender where you can organize what activities you are doing at certain times. For most people, this takes the form of the calendar on their computer (such as Windows calendar on Windows Operating System, or iCal on Mac OS X), or a calender they buy at an office supply store. The best thing is that it costs little to no money, and it saves you from the stress of trying to remember everything you have to do.
2.Another helpful trick that I found that helped me was to try to gauge how much time you will need to finish assignments. For example, if I know that everyday I finish with all my activities by 6, then that leaves me at least 3 to 5 hours a day to finish assignments. Then I would commit a certain amount of time to finish particular tasks, such as 1 hour to read my summer reading, another hour to start typing up essays, etc. This will help you start tasks early and avoid the last minute rush of getting certain things in on time.
3.Probably the most important thing I have learned during this summer is to not sleep late every night. Yes, I know it is summer, and all teenagers want to stay up until early morning, but when your schedule is packed, this will only hurt you in the long run. Sleeping early gives you more energy the next day, so you actually feel like you can do whatever needs to be done that day. Trust me, you do not want to feel like you need to take a nap every hour, it is not fun. Also, if you own a lot of gadgets, keep them away from your bed! Anything from cell phones to hand held gaming systems will only distract you from getting the shut eye you need. You never really know how tempting those things can be when you are trying to go to bed early during summer! So sleep early, you will feel really good about it!
