Smart Tools for the Management Students

1. Plan ahead.

No matter how determined you wake up and say to yourself, “Today is going to be a very productive day”, your hectic schedule just messes up everything. Do you agree?

So, do people with hectic schedules never have productive days? Well, YES, they do! The only difference between them and you is that they PLAN their day ahead! Now, I am sorry if this sounds offensive. But we all need such reality checks from time to time just to remind us of all that we are missing!

The plan is the first step towards proper management. Without proper planning, you’ll never know whether you’ve achieved your objectives or not.

Now, stop wondering how the other students manage their internships, volunteers, studies, hobbies, etc., and start making some actual progress!

Let’s start by planning our day!

Usually, people will suggest you maintain a journal (which is a great idea), but I think that utilising technology is a more efficient way here.

Oh! Don’t worry! Nothing technical here. Just download a simple app and you’re good to go!

Google Calendar | Best App for Time Management

So, since we are talking about planning, I could not think of a better app than Google Calendar. And, I think this one is an in-built app on most Android smartphones. So, you do not even need to download it. Just know how to make use of it!

So, from today onwards, note down all your tasks on your Calendar, first thing in the morning. Or even better if you do it the night before.

Then, make sure you enter all your important dates, sessions, appointments on your calendar well in advance. The google calendar gives you the option of setting reminders for all your tasks so you don’t forget any.

Moreover, it is synced with your mail. So, if you get any meeting link through your email, it can automatically make the entry for the respective date and set the alarms for you. Isn’t that great?

And, the best part! If you find it difficult to plan a schedule for a week or month, etc. No need to worry! Google will do it for you. All you have to do is answer some simple questions like the kind of task you want to have a schedule for, how often you want to do the task, what time you feel comfortable in doing it, and a few more questions.

After you are done, you’ll have your automatic schedule on your calendar in seconds! All these reasons make me believe that Google Calendar is one of the best free time management apps for students.

2. Do Not Multitask.

Next, a very important step towards time management is organising the tasks. Now, the objective of organising is to differentiate the tasks. Next, you need to decide when and how you’ll complete those.

My advice here would be Do Not Multitask! Since you are assigning time to your tasks, make sure not to do two or more tasks at one time.

Here’s how you can effectively organise your work.

Trello | Best Time Management App for Students

Trello is by far the best time management tool for students that I have known. You can manage your time very well through this app whether you are a student or a full-time employee.

You can create personalised to-do lists, manage your calendar, etc. This way you won’t have to go through the troubles of keeping everything fresh in your mind. (And, to be honest, can you even do that?)

3. Block out distractions.

Distractions are everywhere! That’s the truth and it cannot be changed.

You get your phone to attend your classes and end up surfing Instagram. You go to your friends to study and end up having those long conversations that you do not want to get over.

I know it all guys. I am one of you. 😜

So, what to do? If I were to answer this question, I’d say do not go into the depth and try to find delusional ways to keep yourselves away from distractions. Just download a simple app and let it do the work.

Freedom | Time Management Tools for Students

As the name suggests, this app gives you freedom from all the online distractions. You can choose how many websites and apps you want to block and on how many devices. That’s it! Once you complete this step, you can start your freedom session and work with zero distractions.

Freedom will prevent you from opening these apps until your session is complete. Great app for people with very little self-control (basically all of us! 😬), right?

As a student and a part-time content creator, I find Freedom to be a great time management app for students. You should try it too. At least the free trial!

4. Create a balance.

Another important step in time management is creating a balance. Yes! The key to being productive is making sure you’re not overworked. The more you exhaust yourself, the lower your efficiency will get.

What you need to do is try creating a balance between your work and your personal life. For this, I suggest you start analysing your time utilisation patterns and making the necessary amends!

But, how can you keep a track of everything you do in a day? 🙄 Umm. Let's see, how about letting an app do it for you?

RescueTime

RescueTime is one of the ideal time management tools for students who are looking to bring a change in themselves.

Did you know?

It takes 21 days to build a habit. And it can be much easier when you have clear goals!

What RescueTime does for you is that it keeps invisible productivity and app-usage tracking for your full digital life. Also, it helps you get useful insights into your life and how you spend your time.

Thus, you can now easily achieve those goals that you set for yourself and build the habits you’ve always wanted to!

5. Reward yourself.

So, now that you’ve learned to manage your time well, you must have also realised the importance of giving yourself some treats! Why? Because you deserve it!

After a day full of classes, assignments, presentations, etc. you absolutely deserve to sit back and enjoy your achievements. The question here is, how will you get to know whether your day was productive or not?

I mean, no doubt you had a lot on your plate today. But, how much of it did you finish efficiently? For this, you need to measure your results!

TickTick– How do I Calculate my Rewards?

Tick-Tick might come in handy here! One of the best time management tools for students, it can help you keep a track of your daily tasks.

With this app, you can create insightful to-do lists, manage them on your calendar schedule and even collaborate your tasks with others!

Making lists was never easier! Additionally, you can sync your lists over multiple platforms. This way you’ll never lose one!

At the end of the day, you can easily monitor your results and see if you deserve that special treat.

I’d say if you’ve checked out all the tasks on your lists for five days in a row, you deserve a chill movie night with hot popcorn!

Netflix/YouTube

And, what better way to enjoy your treat than sitting in your cozy bed with hot chocolate, that cheesy slice of pizza, and Netflix on your TV! 🤤

Go ahead and watch a whole season of Money Heist to celebrate a successful week with NO GUILT! Just know that you deserve it and you can have it again if you conquer another week with the same zeal.

6. Get a good night’s sleep.

Did you know?

If you’re between the age of 18 and 64, you need to have seven to nine hours of sleep each day!

But, why is sleep so important? It is because when you sleep, your body and mind get the time to relax and recharge for the next day. A sleep-deprived brain may start dysfunctioning and can even lead to severe medical emergencies.

Moreover, it is very important to sleep at the right time. Also, sleeping early will help you wake early!

But, why should I wake up early?

Waking up early not only helps you get to bed early but also makes you consistent. It helps you get a lot done before your usual days even start!

Additionally, it has a lot of health benefits including prevention of depression, fewer dark circles, healthy skin, active brain function, etc.

Sleep Cycle | Free Time Management App for Students

So, now that you know the benefits of great sleep, you must understand why a sleep monitoring app is included in the list of time management tools for students.

I know there are a ton of sleep monitoring apps on the internet, but with Sleep Cycle you get:

· Smart Alarm

· Unique Sleep Tracking

· Snore Recorder

· Your sleep data, record, and analysis

You can try and see if it works for you.

The Bottom Line

So, to conclude our talk on the best time management tools for students, I would like to say once again, that our actions are a result of our personal choices. We must not blame anything or anyone for what goes on with our life.

As far as time management for students is concerned, it is a must to succeed in your goals.

Our success depends on how much effort we put into chasing our dreams. And trust me, when you put in the real effort, nothing can stop those dreams to turn into reality- Your Reality!

And, while making efforts, remember that you need to be wise and smart. Efforts going in all directions might not have a poignant effect. So, manage your time well and you’ll see those efforts being worth every sweat.