Even though it is frustrating to realize, I liked the points that Tim Grahl made when he said that we are not usually busy, we are simply misprioritizing and mismanaging our time. When he described it this way, I realized that the small portions of time I do manage to have available throughout the day could be used for much more productive and relationial activities instead of browsing Facebook, Instagram, and whatever other social media notification I have received. He made an excellent point that once you set your priorities, it only makes sense that other things have to give. It is impossible to get everything done in a day and still have time for oneself and all possible friends and family, so something must change to allow for maximal productivity and enjoyment of life.
Usually, I often overload each day with more activities, events, meetings, study groups, etc. than I can actually physically participate in and attend in a 24 hour day. Hence, this article resonated with me. However, this semester, I have made it a personal goal to say "NO" to things that do not make me happy or further my goals of graduating college, maintaining relationships, and attending Physical Therapy school. Even though it has been difficult to do so, I realized at the beginning of this year that it would be important for me to have time to get everything done this semester (especially since I am taking two online classes and 16 hours total, participate in multiple extracurricular activities, and work a part-time job as a Physical Therapy technician) WITHOUT going crazy.
Thankfully, to manage my days and newly found time, I use the MyAgenda planner and absolutely love it. It has excellent organization for all of the categories and sections of life that need managing. I have used it for four years now and it keeps me on track with all of my meetings, due dates, appointments, studying, and work schedules while also allowing for a social life. I have found that when I plan each part of my day, I know what to do with the time when it comes and can make the most of it. Thus, I will write in my planned hours of work for this class (Monday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday) as if they are in-person obligation so that I will be prepared to be productive and even work ahead when I am able to do so. I also use the app "UpWord" which allows me to make virtual checklists, organize them by importance, and have the satisfaction of checking them off with the swipe of a finger when I am done. I used this app for all of my To Do, homework, and even grocery lists and it is excellently organized to make keeping up with life a stress-free experience.
Even with UpWord and MyAgenda, time management still comes down to determination and hard work and that is something that comes with practice and good work ethic. So I will continue to use these methods for this class and Spring 2017 semester because I have found that they work best with my personality, organizational style, and desire to be proactive. Hopefully, this semester will be less stressful and allow me to enjoy life thanks to the tips in Tim Grahl's article and my trusty planner!
(Personal photo of my fun and life-saving MyAgenda planner)
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