Lately, more and more students are turning to online courses to further their education. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, more than one-third of all students are attempting now virtual classes. Online learning is effective as it offers more flexibility and improved collaboration to their routine. Time management plays a very important role in the life of an online student. They usually have a full program at school and also personal lives. For a better organization, we have prepared 5 time management tips for online students.
What does time management include?
Time management includes:
- Effective planning – Planning in advance saves you from working chaotically. It consists in preparing a to-do list or “a task plan”, where to write down the important activities to do in a day.
- Setting objectives – Working without setting your goal is like going to the gym then eating junk food. In other words, you don’t know what you are working on. Therefore, establish your goals and aim to achieve them. But before, make sure that they are realistic and achievable.
- Setting deadlines – This step is as important as setting goals. If you are adept at procrastination, setting deadlines is crucial to motivate you to finish your work. Allow yourself the time you intend to allocate to your task and stick to it. Don’t let little distractions interrupt your work until it’s done.
- Prioritizing activities – Before starting your work, ask yourself which activity is more important taking into consideration the time that should be allocated to it.
- Spending the right time on each activity – Doing the right thing at the right time will save you from crossed deadlines, pressure to finish your work, and a lot of stress.
Time management tips for online students
- Block distractions. During online classes, you are more likely to become distracted by social media. Try to avoid everything that can catch your attention when you have to concentrate on your studies. Little distractions are the main killers of your time. Even a two minutes call makes you lose your concentration when studying. Online students know that the phone should be left aside at this time.
- Plan ahead. Planning is the main rule of time management.
- Don’t multitask. Multitasking seems a great alternative to save your time. But in fact, it agglomerates your day and it is possible to finish nothing of what you have to do. Therefore, focus on one assignment at a time.
- Reward yourself. Every little victory should be celebrated. Even completing one little task should receive a reward. Otherwise, it will become difficult to focus on your tasks again. You need something to stimulate your motivation. After finishing your online courses, treat yourself to your favorite meal or do something you truly enjoy.
Get a good night’s sleep. After a day full of online classes, don’t watch Netflix all night long. You have to recharge your batteries for the next day. Both body and brain need sleep to function properly. So, try to get eight hours of rest at night. Thus, your online productivity will increase significantly