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Beware of the Four Great Robbers of Time
- Laziness - “I just don’t feel like doing it.”
- Sidetracks - “Oh, I better see Mike first.”
- Procrastination - “I’ll do it later.”
- Day-dreaming - “Some day, I’ll amaze them all.”
The more efficiently you use your time, the more time you seem to have.
Efficient time management is one of the biggest factors in your academic success. As a student-athlete, you have far less time available for studying or socializing than most other college students. Because of rigorous practice and training commitments, in addition to your academic responsibilities, time management is essential.
Organization is vital to successful time management. Know what academic responsibilities and deadlines lie ahead. The best way to do this is to use a calendar or planner that allows you to look at the whole semester. As you look at the calendar for each month, write in all tests, due dates for papers, competitions, travel dates, etc. This helps you see conflicts or weeks that are especially busy so you can work ahead and prepare things in advance. Make notes on your calendar and adjust it whenever something is added or changed.
It is also important to organize your daily schedule. In addition to your classes, pencil in workouts and practice times. This allows you to see how much and what time you have available for study. Make a plan. Use time available between classes to prepare for an upcoming class, review notes, or begin homework assignments. This will help lighten the amount of studying you have to do in the evening.
During the evening, estimate how much time you will need to spend studying in order to get everything done. Also, decide where you will do your studying. More often than not, your dorm room is not the best place to study. There are distractions or temptations to sleep, visit with friends, watch TV, etc. Try to study at the same time and in the same place each day.
It is helpful at the end of the evening to make a “To-Do” list for the next day. The list should include classes, meetings, practices, study times, tutoring appointments, etc. This will help you keep on top of everything. Your goal should be to stay ahead in every class and be on time for all meetings and/or appointments. When you get behind in a class, the work begins to pile up and things become more stressful. Missing meetings and/or appointments creates more work. Contacting the person, apologizing, and setting up another meeting all requires more time.
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