Time Management -I ( Students)

Hello! My dear students, here I am again! On your request I am writing how to manage your time. But, is it really possible to do that? Remember Mahabharata of 90's - "Main Samay hoon! Kaal ka chakra kisi ke liye nhi rukta!" (I am time and I stop for none). That means time will pass, no matter what.  How YOU choose to utilize that time determines success or failure.

God has been very kind to us. He has impartially given us 24 hours. Each one of us get the same amount of time. Neither a second less, nor a second more! But sometimes it appears that the other person has got some extra time to cover all his tasks while we are still struggling to reach half way even though its time to retire for bed! Result? Tension, worry, guilt feeling, mounting pressure etc. Next day we have new tasks to perform over and above of what is left of yesterday. That means we are piling lots of work with limited capacity and ability to finish them. Consequently, we miss deadlines for assignments, couldn't complete our course before exams, no proper revision etc.etc.etc.

What could be the possible reason?  The reason is your choice of work in those 24 hours. How that choice will be determined depends on your planning and determination! Whatever you have determined, do it with full vigor! Did you decide to study or socialize? If  your decision is to study, then to study what? Was it your favorite subject or the neglected one? If you decide to socialize, how much time you have spent on that? Was it the RIGHT TIME to do that?

I have some tips for you. For convenience the topic has been divided into three sections:

1. Regular College days
2. Examination Preparation days
3. During Examination time

Regular College Days

Make a time table of your daily activity. For example:

5:30 AM                     - Wake up

5:30-6:00 AM             - Freshen up/ read newspaper

6:00-7:00 AM             - Exercise

7:00-8:00 AM             - Self study

8:00- 8:30 AM            -Getting ready for college, including breakfast

8:30- 9:00 AM            - Travel time

9:00 AM - 2:00 PM     - College

2:00- 2:30 PM             - Lunch & Travelling

2:30 - 3:30 PM            - Coaching/ Learning other skill set

3:30 - 4:00 PM            - Travelling

4:00 - 4:30 PM            - Rest/Power nap/watching TV etc

4:30 - 6:30 PM            - Self study

6:30 - 6:45 PM            - Rest/ Socializing, including FB, Watsapp etc

6:45 - 9:15 PM            - Self Study

9:15- 9:45 PM             - Dinner

9:45 - 10:30 PM          - Self Study

10:30 PM - 5:30 AM   - Sleep

This is just an example. You can make your own schedule accordingly. Please keep the following points in consideration while preparing your schedule:

• Always take out time for self study. There is no substitute for that. Your college & coaching is waste if you do not put your own efforts. Also, Please DO NOT be completely dependent on coaching. When you join coaching center, they presume that you have certain basic level of knowledge. If you don't have that it is very unlikely that you will be benefited in a substantial way through it. Secondly, always make your concepts through good books rather than solely depending on coaching notes. Notes may be complete for examination purpose, but they do not make concepts. For that you have to work hard. You may pass the exam, but the real battle starts thereafter, for Jobs and career progression. Trust me, if you concepts are loose, you will find it extremely hard in the real world! So concentrate on concepts rather than just examination passing tips! Also, some students tend to make rough notes in class and fair them out afterwards. This is a complete time waste! Fair it out when you are taking down the notes first time itself. Have a strong concentration in class. Nothing can match the class room studies when the teacher is in front of you. So make the most use of it. Lastly, if you do not revise, you will forget! Even the most intelligent child ( I generally don't stick to traditional way of judging one's intelligence, but for understanding let's consider it to be the class topper) will forget what is taught in the class if he skips his regular revisions. 
• Make a time table for the subjects to be studied in a particular day. It may be all the subjects covered either in your college or coaching that day. Allocate time to study ALL the subjects! Spend regular time to study the one which is of least interest to you. That way you will build up your weak area. If you give all your time to one subject only, which is of course of your interest, you will do it at the cost of other subjects, But for passing the examinations, you need to qualify in all the subjects. So study more the subject you like but don't neglect others!
• To study individually or in group is your decision. Usually group study is better as two brains are better than one but only if group studies and not indulge in gossips and other activities. Also group studies can only be successful if they are backed by very strong individual studies. Further, only if all the members of the group contribute to the studies than all can benefit. Otherwise, it will be beneficial to some and detrimental to others.
• Spend at the most 15 - 20 min for reading news paper. That would be all to cover the relevant news and keep you updated.. 
• Spend only 15- 30 min in socializing. If it is online, you cannot afford to spare more than 15 min. When I set the time limit, I mean it for entire day. If you check your mobile at every notification, you don't realize how much time you have wasted! Pre decide at what time you wish to check your notifications. Do not touch your mobile phones between that. Don't attend unnecessary calls. They are a big time waste! Alternatively, if it is meeting your friend in person, make it a short visit to cut it in maximum 30 min. Roaming and talking unnecessarily are unproductive work. Your time is too precious to be spend on these activities. Keep your goodbyes a short one. Talks has no end! Limit them! If you are talking, give your talks a direction which helps you in achieving your goals, like discussing problem you are facing in any subject.
• Travelling time is beyond your control. Getting frustrated over traffic and distance will do no good. Instead, use your travel time. You can prepare for the topic which is going to be covered in the lecture today, revise what has been taught in college, have your lunch or just have a power nap to refresh yourself! That way you save up your time! You will have more time to explore those areas which were neglected because of our tight schedule!
• Have a healthy diet. If your health is doing fine, you will be more energetic and will have good concentration. As far as possible, keep away from junk and market food! Mother's cooked is the tastiest and the healthiest! I know it's difficult, but keep it to the minimum. Restrict yourself to having junk only once a month! 
• Rest do not necessarily mean sleep. It could be a brisk walk or your hobby like singing, dancing, playing guitar, painting or just talking to your mom! Anything that re- energizes you to get back to study table!
• Exercising is very very important. It keeps one in good shape, maintains health and also keep you energized for the whole day!  Don't skip exercise!
• Last but not the least, have a sound sleep. When you sleep, your mind should be free from all worries and tensions!. This phase is extremely necessary as it rejuvenates the body for next day!
• Remember, this is the time where you get ample time to build your concepts. If you have not done it now, you will never find the time to do so.

Examination Preparation days

Now your preparation leaves have started. What to do now?

• Make a schedule of your daily activity along with how much time you are going to spend on each activity. Just like the way in the above given example. Obviously, now major part of your time would be devoted to studies rather than anything else.
• Make a list of all the topics that you are required (and not want) to study in different subjects. You may not choose to complete 100% syllabus (though it is advisable), but the more you skip, the less marks you are probable of getting. For example if you choose to cover 70% of the syllabus, than you can anyways be judged by your attempt of 70% question paper. If you do it 100% correct (which is rare) , the max you can get is 70/100 and never more than that!. Further, you will loose out the concept of that 30% syllabus which you opted to miss. Here I want to mention that quality also matters. If you attempt 100% question paper but effectively write only 60% correct answers, than even though you have attempted a higher percentage of questions, yet you will score low. 
• Allocate specific time to each subject and each topic in it. Give more weight- age to that subject/topic which is your weak point. Keep revising your interest subjects as well. Don't be overconfident! 
• While making your schedule, prepare it in such a fashion that the subject which is due last in your examination schedule, is revised first, whereas, the first exam is revised at the last. That way your memory would be fresh for the first  paper and you will be confident of other subjects as well.
• This phase is not for starting a fresh but for revisions. The more you revise, the better would be the results.

Examination days

Now comes the D day! The examinations have arrived! Stress levels are at all time high! How to manage oneself during this period? 

• Don't start anything new in this period.
• Just revise what you have already studied.
• If your paper did not go as per your expectation, do not ponder over it. You can't change what has already happened. But you can certainly compensate it in next paper. Thinking about past paper will demotivate you. So just forget it!
• Stick to your body clock. Do not change it just because all your friends are studying late night. If rising early suits you, stick to that!. Any change in between can prove extremely costly.
• After your papers, do not discuss it. Rush back to prepare for your next exams. Also, by discussing you may realize your mistakes which you committed in the paper and thereby demoralizing you for next one.
• Relax in between the studies. It is very necessary to bring down the stress levels and freshen up the mind. But do not overdo it. Remember, you have limited time.
• Prepare your clothes, bag, stationary , admit card etc. a day before. It gives you some more time for revision on the day of the exam.
• Arrive at your examination center on time. Neither too early or late.
• Don't see other students either before or during the exams. Be confident of your own preparation. 
• Don't think that if other person is taking 1 or 2 extra sheets, he knows more than you or will get extra marks. Quality matters over quantity! 

That's it! Phew! Is it difficult? No, it just requires a strong will to implement!.

Let me highlight some major time waste activities for students:

1. The list is topped by more than required sleeping.
2. Next is Social Network sites like facebook, G+, Twitter, watsapp etc.
3. Day dreaming.
4. Long telephonic calls
5. Hanging around with friends
6. Watching TV
7.  Spending too much time on reading news paper (basically irrelevant news).
8. Long eating/ bathing hours.
9. Attending all the family functions.

Time is fixed, We cannot change that. But we can certainly change our daily activities to make the best use of it! Hope you find it useful! All the best!

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