Learning to control your time
Learning to control your time is an art form. Not everyone can do it, but as a law student, it’s pretty important that you do. Staying “busy” and working long hours doesn't necessarily mean you are working hard and controlling your time. In fact, we think quite the opposite. Mindless productivity is a dangerous habit. So if you want to do things differently, try some of our tips we put together below for those wanting to learn to control their time.
Get to know your habits
One of the most important ways we believe you can learn to effectively manage your time is to get to know yourself first, and your habits. Using what you know about your own study and work habits, you can put together an achievable study plan. If you work better early in the morning, don’t try to stay up late at night studying. It's all about utilising the hours of the day in which you are most motivated.
Work smarter, not harder
This old adage may seem like a cliche, but we think there is truth to it when it comes to learning to better control your time. Close all browser windows that are unrelated to your task at hand. Put your phone on silent and out of sight. Don't work with friends you have a bad track record of being distracted by. It doesn't matter how many times you tell yourself this study session will be different. It won't be. You will get distracted. Learn to immerse yourself in your task at hand and you'll be surprised how quickly it will get done. You can hang out with your mates and scroll through your phone afterwards (guilt-free, too)!
Don't forget to sleep
We think that the ability to control your time is directly related to your sleep patterns. Many students think that sacrificing sleep is an effective productivity hack. However, we disagree (so does science). Do not sacrifice a 7-8 hour sleep for a few more hours of exam preparation or essay writing. You'd be surprised at the negative effect this habit has on both your motivation and concentration levels. And when you think about it like that, it's not a super efficient way of managing your time, is it?
Say no
Law students tend to be high achievers. And there is one thing that high achievers do too often, which is take on too much. While taking on a myriad of tasks and commitments can help us learn to manage our time, there is a fine line between just enough and too much. It can be detrimental to say yes to everything as it will likely lead to you getting nothing done at all. Trust us, we have all been there at one point or another. It's important to learn to decline offers and focus on those tasks that present the best opportunity or that you are most passionate about.
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