We all know what it’s like to have a a super busy day and only a little chunk of time for yourself or other things you have to do.
I’m talking about that little bit of time in your day that seems to be too short to do anything legitimate, but too long to waste entirely.
The time that tends to be spent hitting refresh on Facebook every five seconds to pass the time until the next thing you have to do in your day.
Believe it or not, that one hour you have between classes can be used to make the rest of your day or even your week, much easier.
Cut down on travel time.
If you have a large campus, it can take up to half an hour to walk from a far building to another.
It makes no sense to walk twenty minutes to your dorm to waste another twenty minutes before heading out to your next class.
Instead, find nearby places to spend your time productively, and save the time walking. Another option is to walk to a place near the place you eventually have to be at.
Instead of heading back to your dorm between classes, head to the library or your next class early and get in a little study session.
Catch up on homework you may have missed, talk to other students who are also early to class (make a study buddy) or crack open your books and read a chapter or two for that quiz next week.
If you have the time, why not stop by the cafeteria and grab a quick snack for the day or for your next class. There is no need to walk all the way back to your dorm only to leave a few minutes later.
Take a quick break, then something useful.
Everybody has those nagging little tasks that they don’t want to do, but have to be done. Sometimes it seems like these tasks can be delayed forever.
Use this extra chunk of time to get those little errands done. It could be a haircut, buying some groceries, books, or perhaps a small assignment that isn’t due until next week or even next month.
It helps to have a small list of little tasks that tend to be easily forgotten at all times so whenever you feel like you are wasting time, you can get something done.
Keep track of these small tasks on a small pad, dry-and-erase board, in a planner, or even schedule them through your cell phone. Nothing feels more satisfying than taking something off of a to-do list.
Clean.
This is something almost any college kid can do and can usually benefit from (unless you are a clean-freak who keeps everything tidy at all times).
It doesn’t really take long, but most people avoid it. Instead of sitting around bored, you could organize your clothes or folders, tidy up your room a bit, or perhaps vacuum. While it isn’t studying, cleaning is still productive.
Why not get to that load of laundry that has been sitting around for the past week or two? If you just get it over with, you will get something done and have clean, fresh clothes for the week (not to mention extra space in your room now that the huge pile of clothes is gone).
Take the time to plan and organize the rest of the day, or even the week.
Planning time out with some flexibility leads to much less chaos and wasted time.
Also, the little things that can be forgotten get done if you take the time to organize and scheduled them. Whip out your syllabus and start planning for that exam or project. Keep track of your homework assignments by writing each one down for every one of your classes.
Got an extracurricular activity? Why not add all of the upcoming events on a calendar so you will not only be reminded of them, but you won’t have to look up what time they are being held at or where the event is. All you have to do is glance at your calendar and you will know.
I keep every day planned out on my blackberry, usually up to three days in advance, to make sure I get done all I have to do and that of all of my time is spent wisely.
