How To Manage Your Time As A High School Student

Time Management Skills Are Important All Throughout Life, For Both School And Career

By Courtney White, Stride Success Coach

How do you spend your time? If you’re like most teens, you have a mix of school and social activities, and maybe even a job or other obligations. It can be difficult to manage it all, but it doesn’t have to be. Managing your time is the “secret sauce” to staying on top of your game, and to achieving your life goals. The better you manage your important must-do tasks, then the more time you will have to spend on leisurely things that you enjoy. To manage time like a boss, check out the following tips…

Keep a to do list, to better manage your time as a high school student.

When you’re in class, be sure to jot down the important due dates of assignments as soon as they are provided. Add them to your to do list. As a bonus, make sure you set your own deadlines to be a week or so earlier than the actual due date. Planning to turn your assignment in early will prevent the dreaded night-before cram session. This will also give you an enormous sense of accomplishment, and it can earn you a reputation as a dependable, hard-working student. Review your to-do list each week, and be sure to prioritize tasks by urgency and importance.

Starve your distractions, to become better at time management as a high school student.

We’re living in the age of technology. In fact, one might say we are living in the age of invasive technology. Most of us have several social media accounts, group chats, and countless notifications that are sent to our phones. Have a system in place to deal with these and other distractions. Challenge yourself to silence notifications on your phone while working on your important, must-do responsibilities. Design your workspace to be distraction free, and experiment with limiting your personal communications to the times where you are not working on your to-do list items. Set a specific amount of time to work on your important action items and commit to working only on those tasks for that time frame.

“Do it right away” is a great method for time management, as a high school student.

Whenever possible, complete assignments as soon as they are given. Have some free time after class? Get it done! Early dismissal? Get it done! Bored with “nothing to do?” Knock out some of those assignments with upcoming due dates. Using this strategy frees up time for other items on your to-do list, and it allows for more free time in your schedule, overall. While reviewing your to-do list, make sure you check for tasks that you can complete in 20 minutes or less, and then do them right away. Notice the instant dopamine you will get from marking an item as “done.” It’s amazing! The more you practice this technique, then the easier it will become to avoid procrastination and to be in control of your schedule.

Maximize your time spent in “the flow zone,” as a high school student.

Have you ever been so deep into your work that time seems to stand still? This is what some describe as being in a “flow.” Flow, as a term, was coined by positive psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi. It is a state of mind in which a person becomes fully immersed in an activity. It involves being fully present, focusing entirely on one task, and observing your work with a sense of calm and enjoyment. Research shows that it only takes about 10-15 minutes of distraction-free work to achieve the coveted flow state. Push yourself to work towards your flow point, and complete as many tasks as possible while your creative juices are surging… and you’re distraction-free.

And, there you have it! Prioritize your assignments, suspend activities that don’t contribute to your goals until your important work is done, and work intentionally and without distractions to effectively manage your time, as a high school student.

Need more help managing your time and optimizing your schedule? Stride Student Success Coaches can help! They are highly trained in aiding students with school goals and career planning, too.

Are you thinking that you might need a little more de-stressing, as a high school student with lots of obligations? Consider attending the webinar “Real Talk: How To Ground Yourself In Stressful Times,” on September 30, 2022. And, if you miss the date, the webinar will be available On-Demand on Stride Insights. You’ll learn how to manage the stress of living life as a teenager in the present day, as well as strategies for thinking about the future.

To learn even more from our Stride Success Coaches, be sure to read the Finding Your Path article, for additional career prep advice.

And, check out the article on How To Make The Most Out Of A Virtual Career Fair, too!