As I have grown older, I have come to realize the importance of time management. I have always been a busy girl, playing sports, participating in clubs, and trying to spend time with my family and friends. However, my parents were always the people I turned to for reminders about events and upcoming appointments. As my high school years were coming to an end and I started to become more independent, I realized that I needed to hold myself accountable for my personal schedule.
I downloaded the Google Calendar app when I got my first job to keep up with my shifts and found that it really helped me stay on top of my own responsibilities. As Google Calendar has slowly integrated its way into more of my personal and academic life, it has been a game changer and the tab is always open on my computer. I love to color code different events and set reminders for myself to allow for enough time to get everything done. I use purple for friends and family, orange for vacations, and blue for important appointments. Google Calendar also allows you to add a time and location for your events, so then everything you need to know is in one place. If you click on your location it even shows when you need to leave to arrive on time and will show you directions on how to get there, partnering with Google Maps.
One new function I recently discovered was how to schedule “Tasks.” Instead of trying to remember the many deadlines for different assignments in different classes, I would add them as tasks to my calendar. When I finish a task there is a button saying “Mark Completed,” and I cannot tell you how satisfying it is to press that button every single time! It almost makes me want to start completing my assignments faster! This calendar has honestly changed my life and helped me become a more productive person.
Another helpful thing I have started doing is making little to-do lists to help plan out everything I need to get done in a day. Whether it be chores, class assignments or even just writing down your goals for the day, it can help to mentally and visually organize and prioritize. I feel more driven to complete my responsibilities when I have written them down, especially knowing I can check them off. Even if not everything on the list gets done, I still feel accomplished knowing that I achieved at least some of what I wanted to do.
My advice to anyone who is trying to take hold of their life and become more responsible is to just start with the basics. Schedule out the events that you are already aware of and then keep track of the incoming ones. Staying on top of your life through scheduling is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your future!