Ways to Manage Time

I have been a life-long procrastinator, and adjusting to the break-neck pace of SCAD’s ten-week quarter has been a difficult process. Sometimes it feels like I’ll wake up to find that the next due date is just around the corner without realizing it. Even when I am sitting at the computer doing homework, it’ll feel like hours are passing by, and I should be further along than I am. After taking three studio classes this quarter and making many time-management mistakes, I thought I would share what I have learned and tips for how you can manage and be more efficient with your time.

1.  Create a daily planner

The best way to manage your time is to plan out your week carefully. I use a planner that has a weekly and daily breakdown, and I have found that carefully planning out my week helps me be prepared with how much I’ll need to put in to stay on top of deadlines. In addition, my daily planner has an hourly tracker, which allows me to plan my day out to detail so I can arrange to do homework from 1-3 and then go to work from 5-9. This will also help remind you when the due dates are for your projects so you can plan out what days you’re going to work on each project.

2.  Set a timer while working on homework

This might not work for everyone, but I have found that it is beneficial for me. I like to play YouTube videos and watch movies while working, and sometimes it can get a little distracting. I can’t just sit in front of a computer working in silence either, so what I like to do is set a timer on my phone to have a certain amount of dedicated work time before giving my brain a chance to relax and scroll through social media. Forty-five minutes devoted to working is the sweet spot for me because it’s not too long where my brain will fry at the end, but it’s also not too short where no real work has gotten done. At the end of your work session, take about 15 minutes to get up, stretch, walk around, scroll through your phone, or do anything that helps get your mind off work.

3. Be efficient with your time

Before starting your work session, have a thought-out plan of what you would like to accomplish with your time. For example, let’s say you’re rendering a sequence that will take about 20 minutes. Instead of sitting there waiting for the entire sequence to render, try working on other projects or doing something else that needs to be done so that all the time isn’t wasted. If you’re stuck on a project because there’s an issue with the software, don’t waste any time troubleshooting by searching the internet for solutions or even asking a friend or your teacher. The faster you can solve the problem, the quicker you can get back to working on homework.

4. Get plenty of sleep

There’s nothing worse than having to sacrifice sleep to finish your project. I recently stayed up until 2 in the morning finishing one of my projects, and it made me miserable for the entirety of the next day. When you are sleep-deprived, you will be a lot less efficient with your time, making your work suffer. Get yourself on a regular sleeping schedule, and it’ll make you more energetic throughout the day.