How can I manage my time better?

Question

It really pisses me off that I never have time to do extracurricular activities, while other kids load their schedual with like 6 different things and still maintain a 90+ average. For me it seems to be one or the other. It's just shocking. here's my schedual:

Week Days

wake up at 5:30am

take a shower, eat breakfast, and get on the bus at 6:30

I get to school at about 7:30am (it's Catholic school, about 45 miutes away)

I get out of school at 2:30pm and get home at 4:00pm

then I generally have about 3 hours worth of homework.

On mondays I have guitar lessons at 6:00pm for a half hour, but with traffic and pit stops, I don't get home till 7 usually.

On Tuesdays I usually go to this teen club from 7:30pm to 9:30.

I still need 8 hours of sleep, but I don't know why the colleges expect so much. I'm just a man, not a machine. But I guess I got to do what I got to do to be successful. I just need a little help. Thanks

Answer 1

Well, you better make priority scale for your activities. And while you're on the road with traffic jam, you can do another activites like done your homework maybe, or playing the guitar on bus (hey, you may earn some money) or do some analysis for the your paper (looking at people activity can give you an idea). Just do many activities at the same time and don't complaining cause it will only make it worse. Just look from different side of view, enjoy your activities.

Come on, you can do it !

Answer 2

Here's a tip:

Use your holes! By that, I mean, make better use of all the "down time" you have. So start your homework on the daily commute to and from school. If you can't write because it's to bumpy, do any homework involving reading. You can also spend part of your lunch period doing HW, as I doubt you spend the entire hour eating (think about it: most of us could get a burger down in 10 minutes). Also, use any free periods you may have during the day. It's really hard to have extracurriculars if you aren't starting your 3+ hours of hw until 4pm. Many people don't realize how much you can get done in 15 minutes. That's enough time to read 10 or so pages in a novel, or do a couple math problems, so really use that time. Think about it: You spend about 2 hrs commuting each day. If you could use that time for homework, you'd only have 1 hr of hw left when you get home, or maybe even 0 if you used your free periods during the day. Then the evening is all open for extracurriculars.

Also, I find that something that is really helpful is scheduling out your day hour by hour. You'd be amazed at how much time we waste figuring out what we should be doing......

Hope this helps. I must commend you for wanting to improve your time management skills at such a young age. Good luck!

**EDIT**

The answer below makes an excellent point: It is very important to add "ME" time to your schedule. This is time you spend doing things that bring you joy, whether that is reading, calling up a good friend, playing soccer, playing a video game, working on puzzles, or whatever. It's just important to have this because it motivates you to keep working. If you don't have ME time, then you just feel deprived of anything fun, and your schedule goes out the window.

Another good idea is to add some "padder time" to your schedule. This basically means overestimating the amount of time it will take you to do everything. This way if you fall behind schedule (which happens), you don't spend the rest of your day lamenting the fact that you're behind schedule and feeling like you can't catch up, because your padder time has compensated.

Answer 3

make yourself a prepared timetable for urself..it will b hard for u to cope up with it..but just try to..u just hv to follow it..it will make your time management more better as u will never feel tired doin ur daily basis like tat..so ol the bestb..try doin a timetable n mk sure u follow it according to time..ol the best freind..take care...

Answer 4

My friend,  you are having difficulty managing your time because you have not shown in your schedule everything you need to make your day fullfilling.

When you don't put "Leisure" or "Free Time", or more importantly "Rest" in your formal schedule, you will want it and not feel as if you are giving it to yourself enough.  

Most importantly: Recognize that commuting is also an activity that requires proper scheduling and fills your day. Perhaps you really are doing more than you realize.  

Also, another thing that helps is to work on your focus.  It seems as if your free time actually isn't "Free" at all.  I'm not suggesting that you are procrastinating. But, realize that if you are able to focus on what you are doing, such as homework (and stay away from distractions, like grabbing a drink), then you will be able to accomplish your work more efficiently. What is the reward?  By staying focus and accomplishing goals quicker, you will have time that is free from obligation.



Don't be dismayed. It sounds like you are learning valuable life skills. If you choose a city life, these long commutes will be normal, and actually dictates many peoples lives.  How?  For example, if a gym they want to work out at is out of the way, and hard to reach through traffic, most people opt not to add an hour or two extra to their commute and would rather go home.

Keep your chin up !   Rise above this small challenge, because you are busy, my friend.  Busier than you realize.  Take a little time to relax.  Above all:  Keep quality in your life.  Doing less with a higher quality of life (nowadays known by some as "downscaling") may be more rewarding in the long run.

Peace be with you.