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How can I have better time management while being an athlete?
#student-athlete
#procrastinator
#art student
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8 answers
Updated
Yarek’s Answer
There are many different ways to go about this, so the most important thing is to find what works best for you.
Some suggestions:
- Keep a calendar or assignment/task list. Written is better than digital.
- make a routine and stick to it! As an athlete, you have routines, so try applying the same techniques to schoolwork (as an example). Warm up with a review of assignments or previous lessons, set a fixed time for study (and do nothing but!), cool down with a plan for the next day.
- Focus on one thing at a time. It may seem trivial, but our brains take time to switch between tasks, and also get used to it. By focusing on one task at a time, you can finish things more efficiently, AND train yourself to focus better/longer.
- Several techniques exist like the Pomodoro method. Set a timer for 20 minutes and work hard for that fixed time. Take a 5 minute break (yes, just 5!). Repeat.
- Pick the low-hanging fruit: if a task takes less than 5 or 10 minutes, do it immediately!
Some suggestions:
- Keep a calendar or assignment/task list. Written is better than digital.
- make a routine and stick to it! As an athlete, you have routines, so try applying the same techniques to schoolwork (as an example). Warm up with a review of assignments or previous lessons, set a fixed time for study (and do nothing but!), cool down with a plan for the next day.
- Focus on one thing at a time. It may seem trivial, but our brains take time to switch between tasks, and also get used to it. By focusing on one task at a time, you can finish things more efficiently, AND train yourself to focus better/longer.
- Several techniques exist like the Pomodoro method. Set a timer for 20 minutes and work hard for that fixed time. Take a 5 minute break (yes, just 5!). Repeat.
- Pick the low-hanging fruit: if a task takes less than 5 or 10 minutes, do it immediately!
Updated
Serena’s Answer
Hi Chanel,
Set your priorities, plan your day and stick to it!
Being an athlete, I am sure you have a strong sense of commitment which is a great quality to have in life in the long run.
Keep up with your daily athletic practice and make time for it no matter what.
After your practices, you may already feel very fatigue - allow yourself to have a short break 15-30 min -
slot that into your plan so we can better manage your time.
Be discipline and set a timer,
move onto the next task on your plan swiftly and do not procrastinate.
our attention time span to focus on 1 task generally fades out after 1 hour max,
so slot in short breaks of 5-10 minute in between to reset your mind.
I highly recommend the book called "Grit" by Angela Duckworth,
she highlights how committed athletes/ musicians who have committed to their specialty for more than 2 years generally have a more success in long term life due to their resilient mindset built during their training years.
That will give you great inspiration to keep going and stronger motivation to keep up with the hard work!
Good luck!
Set your priorities, plan your day and stick to it!
Being an athlete, I am sure you have a strong sense of commitment which is a great quality to have in life in the long run.
Keep up with your daily athletic practice and make time for it no matter what.
After your practices, you may already feel very fatigue - allow yourself to have a short break 15-30 min -
slot that into your plan so we can better manage your time.
Be discipline and set a timer,
move onto the next task on your plan swiftly and do not procrastinate.
our attention time span to focus on 1 task generally fades out after 1 hour max,
so slot in short breaks of 5-10 minute in between to reset your mind.
I highly recommend the book called "Grit" by Angela Duckworth,
she highlights how committed athletes/ musicians who have committed to their specialty for more than 2 years generally have a more success in long term life due to their resilient mindset built during their training years.
That will give you great inspiration to keep going and stronger motivation to keep up with the hard work!
Good luck!
Updated
Rebecca’s Answer
Understand you are daily life is busy, you have to attend school, finish assignment/projects, revision, athletic training, etc. I believe you still need to have some time for leisure and social life. It is not easy to manage.
There are schedules tools you can use, e.g. Calendar in your phone, Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, etc. These tools are more or less the same. However, these are the tools only. You need to use them properly to help you to manage your time.
Firstly, you can put in your school timetable and assign some time for your revision, assignment & projects, training schedule, etc.
Then, you can see what time remains. You can then assign some time for your social life and leisure.
My tips is not to make the schedule too pack. Keep some 'me' time to relax and reflection.
Hope this helps! Good Luck!
There are schedules tools you can use, e.g. Calendar in your phone, Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, etc. These tools are more or less the same. However, these are the tools only. You need to use them properly to help you to manage your time.
Firstly, you can put in your school timetable and assign some time for your revision, assignment & projects, training schedule, etc.
Then, you can see what time remains. You can then assign some time for your social life and leisure.
My tips is not to make the schedule too pack. Keep some 'me' time to relax and reflection.
Hope this helps! Good Luck!
Updated
Kevin P’s Answer
Chanel, first and foremost, my hat off to you. Being a student is hard, being an athlete is tough, and you’re doing both! So be kind to yourself. Tomorrow will be here, no need to be hard on yourself!
While you have your hands full I would say we can all benefit from being a little more organized and in top of things. So let’s lay out a couple things.
Make lists - this will keep you organized, on track, and motivated. You see progress both on paper and on the things you’re trying to accomplish. This has gotten me through some tough times.
Routine - time management is about getting more done with less time. This works best when you do things through patterns. You also become more efficient by doing it this way. So use the routine to your advantage.
Support groups - when done correctly, not doing things alone can have you accomplish things faster. This can back fire too though. Careful to not get distracted by who you do this with. You need to still get this done.
Relax - don’t forget that on occasion you still need to turn the burner off. You can take an hour for yourself. Sometimes that hour helps you be more productive.
Hope that helps and I hope you win your next game or meet.
While you have your hands full I would say we can all benefit from being a little more organized and in top of things. So let’s lay out a couple things.
Make lists - this will keep you organized, on track, and motivated. You see progress both on paper and on the things you’re trying to accomplish. This has gotten me through some tough times.
Routine - time management is about getting more done with less time. This works best when you do things through patterns. You also become more efficient by doing it this way. So use the routine to your advantage.
Support groups - when done correctly, not doing things alone can have you accomplish things faster. This can back fire too though. Careful to not get distracted by who you do this with. You need to still get this done.
Relax - don’t forget that on occasion you still need to turn the burner off. You can take an hour for yourself. Sometimes that hour helps you be more productive.
Hope that helps and I hope you win your next game or meet.
Updated
Michael’s Answer
Set realistic goals for things you want to accomplish. To expect you're going to spend 2-3 hours a day on specific things may be unrealistic. Chunk out your time in 20-30 minute sprints.
Updated
Gwennelle’s Answer
Your google calendar is going to be our best friend. Being a student athlete is a lot and it's so important that you structure your day out. When you can visually see your day in a color coded format it will allow you to mentally prepare. It will reduce stress and allow you to focus on your task one at a time. This will in turn allow you to execute at a higher level.
Updated
Simeon’s Answer
It's a good idea to set aside specific blocks of time on your calendar that are the same every week that you can set aside for homework and studying. Don't let assignments get undone until the last minute. Try to find times that you can get extra homework time in. For instance, if you are an athlete and go on an away trip for a game, see if you can catch up on reading assignments on the bus. If you are in one of those fluff classes in college and they don't mind it, you can get homework done for serious classes during those courses. There are work-study jobs on campus that will often let you study on the job as long as no one is asking for assistance at the desk. Find ways to give yourself back time during the week.
Updated
Kelly’s Answer
While it can definitely be overwhelming trying to juggle all of life's tasks, lists will be your best friend. At the start of each day (or evening before) write out everything you need to accomplish that day and rank according to importance. Identify key tasks that absolutely need to be completed that day and make sure you tackle those before tasks that you have a bit more flexibility. Blocking off time on your calendar and treating that time as a non-negotiable meeting to give yourself un-interrupted time to complete a to do list can be helpful as well. Always remember whenever you're feeling overwhelmed, it's okay to take a step back, breath, and reassess your priorities and what needs to be done. Good luck!