10 Tips For Managing Your Time This Shool Year

The start of the school year can be challenging for everyone as we struggle to catch up with schoolwork, homework, classes and everything that happened over the summer. In middle school this change is even bigger as we adjust to fuller schedules than ever before. So how can we keep everything on track and still, you know, have a social life? As a former perfectionist, I’ve collected ten tips from my own experience and that of other students in grade eight to help anyone who needs some advice. Hope they help anyone in need of a boost!

#10: Practice Writing out Your Schedule

I know, I know. Whenever I tell this to people they think I’m insane, but I put it on this list because it’s one of the main things that helps me. This tip is especially helpful for those of us with physical, paper agendas. I write down my schedule in pencil and edit it as necessary throughout the school year in different terms. Not only does writing it out commit it to memory, but it’s a great reference to look back on whenever you need and you can add in any co-curriculars and after school plans you have. Also, if your printed schedule has any errors, this is a great way to correct them. Of course, it’s not a strict guideline, but just a general idea of when you want to complete math homework, memorize your lines for the play or play sports with your friends.

#9: Block off “Homework Time”

When I mentioned this article to a few of my friends earlier this week, this was the first bit of advice I got. It’s kind of like the process of cancellation and works well for students with busy extracurricular schedules like the one who came up with it. You take all the time you have in the week and cross off when you aren’t free - “I have soccer practice from 4:30 to 5:30 on Tuesday, I have singing from 4:00 to 4:45 on Thursday,” for example  - and divide up the remaining chunks into “Free Time” and “Homework Time.” The same student gave another tip for more competitive students: see if you can race against the clock to finish work in less time than the day before. 

#8: Set up a Designated Work Space

I’m totally a hypocrite for writing this on my Chromebook in my bedroom, but it is true when people say it’s healthier and less stressful to work and sleep in different places. Sure, if your desk is in your bedroom decorated with all your fidgets and your blue-light glasses and motivational quotes, this won’t apply to you. Most people, however, may benefit from a separate and quiet area to do their work. In fall and spring, I find working outside to be extra calming. You can also find a hidden corner in your house and spruce it up a bit with pillows, blankets and back-posture chairs, just make sure you aren’t invading anyone else’s space, especially if you have highschool-aged siblings with even busier schedules and less time on their hands.

#7: Divide Big Tasks into Smaller Steps

As someone who gets anxious to finish all my work, I cannot stress enough that staying up until 3:00am to complete a month-long assignment in a night will not give you the desired feeling of satisfaction. It will give you the feeling of exhaustion, most likely. So take that project and split it into smaller, easier steps. I like to complete large assignments with at least a day or two to spare, just in case something comes up. This way you won’t get overwhelmed and you’ll still get that “all done” feeling after closing your laptop, only you’ll be done that day’s section and going to sleep at a reasonable time.

#6: Make Organization Fun and Personalized

Whether you like to colour-code your binders and Google Calendar reminders or all of your school supplies are gray, everyone can agree that the way in which you organize your work and materials says something about your personality. So if you’re the kind of person who stuffs all your papers directly into your backpack (maybe even folded into a paper airplane or crushed into a roll) I urge you to find a system that works for you while still showcasing your creatively chaotic self. Having a place for everything saves so much time when getting things done in a hurry. If I told you how much time I wasted in previous years going, “Wait, which section did I put that in again?” you’d probably laugh. Just don’t make the same mistake! Organize your coloured pencils alphabetically for all I care, just remember where you put them.

#5: Take Full Advantage of the Clock App

Set timers! You don’t want to be doing half an hour of IXL or half a minute when the requirement was fifteen minutes. Every few minutes, make sure to look up from your papers or screen. I like to check the time all the time, making sure I’m not late for the next step in my evening routine. The clock app (more specifically, Siri, since I’m an Apple user) is one of my best friends. It’s also useful for making sure you don’t get lost in thought or online. One of my biggest fears will always be  having homework and accidentally reading or talking to my friends too long, then showing up to class the next day empty handed. I still do those things, but I set aside time for them. You may be thinking, “Jade, really? I can just ignore those timers. They don’t work.” Here’s the thing: I’ve woken up late so many times that I actually jump when someone plays the specific timer I used to use, even if it’s the middle of the day.

#4: Complete Tasks with a Set Time First

This is a technique even university students use. I understand that we don’t need to stress about school and academics that much yet, but I do this everyday anyway, to develop good habits. Before anything else, do your “one-and-done” tasks. For example, let’s say after school I have to do a page of math, write and edit a short story for English class and walk my dogs. First, I would do the math, since there’s no way I can take extra time for that. Afterward, I’d do the English homework, so that when I think I’ve done a good job, I can submit, but I’m not in a time crunch. Then I’d use however long I have left to go on the walk, getting everything done with the most quality possible.

#3: Use a Reward System

Another tip from a student in my grade was using a reward system or a Pomodoro timer. This is a very useful method for subjects you tend to lose interest in. The reward system is pretty straightforward. You choose a set amount of time that you think you’re able to fill with your best work and set a timer for that many minutes. When it rings, you get a treat. This could be watching a few minutes of a TV-show, getting a snack like a cookie or bag of chips, or anything else that brings you joy and resets your mind. Afterward, you get back to work for the same amount of time. The Pomodoro method is similar. It was created by Francesco Cirillo in the 1980s, and works like this: Work for twenty-five minutes, then take a five minute break. Repeat that four times, and then take a fifteen-and-a-half-minute break. It’s a well known and effective technique.

#2: Make a To-Do List

This is my main tip, as it’s virtually my homework schedule. I call it the “List Method.” In the morning or the night before, write in your agenda the things you need or want to finish by nighttime. Throughout the day, as more homework is assigned, add it to the list. When you get home, the first thing you do is relax from the school day, while looking at your list. After the break, I like to choose the most boring activity with a set time (see tip four) and check it off. Then I choose one I can do quickly. I’ll usually take a break after the first two tasks, crossing them off as I go along. Then I continue alternating from entertaining or quick activities to the ones I find less interesting. The tasks I don’t get around to are moved to the next day. This way I never find myself bored for a long period of time. 

#1: Ask for Help

Luckily, The York School has so many resources for time-management and organization. Asking for help is nothing to be ashamed of, and from personal experience, it shows teachers just how dedicated you are to doing well in classes. Whether it’s visiting a learning-strategist or checking in with your teachers to find out if they offer extra-help after school, there’s a method or strategy or tip out there for everyone, even if it somehow didn’t make it onto this extensively researched list. Good luck for this school year, Middle School! Have the best time! 

Written by Jade Hauber