Why Time Management Skills Are So Important
As a med student, you will always have a lot of work to do. There will be so many assignments and upcoming tests that you may feel overwhelmed. All of which will scream for your attention, requiring good time management skills.
It’s important to develop these skills early on to keep you on track. They will help you complete tasks and assignments in good time avoiding the last-minute rush.
When you adopt these time management skills, you will always know what work you have to do. And at what time you should have completed them? You will know what you need to do to accomplish your goals.
As a good time manager, you will say goodbye to missing deadlines. Or forgetting about something you had to do.
You will also save time when you will be worrying about how to do something. Because you will have already planned how you are going to get the work done beforehand.
What Are Time Management Skills?
Good time management skills help you get all your tasks organized and completed in the necessary time frame. To improve these skills, you need the following seven sub-skills:
- Organization
- Prioritization
- Goal Setting
- Communication
- Planning
- Delegation
- Stress Management
1. Organization
Being organized is very important. It helps you know how many things you have to do. And when you need to complete them.
Get a working schedule and organize your documents. This helps you know what you should be doing at a particular time. And where you can get the materials you need to work.
2. Prioritization
Once you know what work you have to do, it is time to prioritize. That is knowing what needs more attention. You can decide to work on the time-pressing issues first. This way you get them out of the way. And you will have time to work on the other tasks.
3. Setting Goals
Goal setting is important. It helps you finish your tasks on time. And you decide what you want to achieve after doing something.
Setting goals is a great way to prioritize. Because you know what you want to accomplish when you finish something. So you will prioritize on the things that will help you reach your goals.
4. Communication
Work on your communication skills. They come in handy, especially when working in a team. You will be able to explain what needs to be done and to create a clear working plan for everyone to understand.
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5. Planning
Have a working plan. Plan how you are going to work on your tasks. It is good to plan beforehand. So when you start working on them you know how to get the work done. It will save you a lot of time.
6. Delegation
If you are working in a team, you want to know how to delegate work to your team members. Delegation skills will help you make sure you give everyone enough work. So that nobody is overburdened. And you are not doing most of the work by yourself.
7. Stress Management
It is easy to get stressed when working on all the things you need to get done. Take time for self-care. Have breaks in between your working time, take time to relax and rest. This way you will be fresh and energized every time you are working.
3 Tips to Becoming a Good Time Manager
Becoming good at time management will not happen overnight. You need to make up your mind. Then stick towards making it work. This way, you will slowly start adapting to this new way of doing things. Being good at time management will help you be a good med student.
Here are three ways you can be a good time manager:
1. Set Short-Term & Long-Term Goals
There is something you want to achieve each time you finish a task. It is important to clearly set out what exactly you want to achieve. This is your long-term goal.
When you know what you want, come up with plans on how to achieve it. These plans are short-term goals. Setting short-term goals will help you work towards achieving your long-term goals.
Set realistic goals that are achievable. Plan on how you are going to achieve them. Stick to your plan. And each time you hit a milestone, celebrate it. Celebrating the small wins will keep you motivated. It will make your long-term goal not feel so unachievable.
2. Calendar Management
Assign time and days to work on different tasks. Mark your deadlines on your calendar. Also days you have important meetings or something important to do. So you can work your schedule around them. And to make sure no two things collide at the same time or day.
We recommend using Airtable to help you keep your tasks organized. It features a Calendar View which allows you to check out your tasks at-a-glance. Plus, it’s FREE!
3. Prioritizing Your Tasks
Make your assignments your priority. Have a list of all your assignments. You can decide to list them according to urgency or workload. Then work on them. Get disciplined and make sure that all your assignments are done and submitted in good time. This will help you avoid the last-minute rush.
Start adopting these time management skills today. They will work to your advantage. And take away the stress of having to work on a lot of things at the same time. It is a good feeling to be organized. And to get things completed in good time.
