It’s about time

by Jillian Surla, editor-in-chief

The clock is always ticking, but for students and professionals alike, one thing is the most important to making sure that clock never runs out: time management. From school projects to work deadlines, people often feel overwhelmed trying to fit everything into their schedules, especially when more responsibilities stack up. Sometimes, people may be wishing for just one more hour to finish up all the laborious work they have to complete. Mastering time management isn’t about finding more hours in the day, however, it’s about maximizing the time available.

So, the question is: how does one take control of time, rather than let it control his or her life?

First comes first

“Sometimes there really is too much to do with too little time,” said Lian Parsons, digital content producer at Harvard’s Division of Continuing Education. “In these instances, take just a few minutes to evaluate your priorities. Consider which deadlines are most urgent, as well as how much energy you have.”

This technique, known as prioritization, allows individuals to focus on the most demanding tasks. For example, if a student is juggling homework, extracurriculars and part-time work, sorting assignments by deadline and complexity, and completing them by that order may help reduce stress. Tools like the Eisenhower Matrix—separating tasks into urgent/important and non-urgent/non-important categories—can make prioritizing much easier.

Breaking it down

According to ADHD coach Arianna Bradford at Understood.org, breaking down large tasks into smaller, more “manageable chunks” is a game-changer. By breaking a big project into several smaller steps, the workload becomes less daunting and more achievable. Plus, smaller wins build momentum, keeping people motivated throughout the process.

“School used to be so hard when I first started because I couldn’t find the energy to do the work,” said Ivey Raney, Fairhope High School junior, “but now that I’m a junior I have learned that you just gotta get started and get going a little bit at a time.”

A time for everything

One common method for organizing a day is time blocking, or allocating specific blocks of time to work on particular tasks. Whether it’s one hour for studying or 30 minutes for a meeting, this technique makes a structured schedule that leaves no room for wasted time. Jacob Washam, Fairhope High School senior, swears by time blocking.

“I try to use time blocking as best I can,” Washam said. “I allocate time to study after school, but let myself have breaks before starting and throughout my schoolwork. It helps me focus more and get things done.”

Putting it off

Procrastination is the known nemesis of time management. It’s hard to come by a person who hasn’t stared at a mountain of work, yet decided that scrolling through social media is somehow more appealing. Procrastination doesn’t just eat into time—it drains mental energy.

To combat this, Associate Director at Thrive Center, W. Patrick Bryan, recommends the Pomodoro Technique: work for 25 minutes, take a five-minute break and repeat. He said this method “leverages the sense of urgency by limiting your time to complete a task to small intervals and encouraging focus.”

Add that to the calendar

In today’s digital age, there are countless apps designed to help manage time. From Google Calendar to Todoist,

technology makes planning, scheduling and tracking tasks easier than ever before. Junior Phoebe Hewitt said she used to make a list during her sophomore year, and that it was helpful in terms of motivation, as it “always felt good to check something off [her] to-do list.”It’s important for individuals to use these tools to avoid getting sucked into the productivity paradox, where more time is spent managing time than actually getting things done.

“Google Calendar helps me to visualize what I have to do so that I am always prepared well in advance,” said Phoebe Hewitt, Fairhope High School junior. “Plus, it’s less stressful if you can literally see everything you have to do so that you know you’re not forgetting anything.”

Knowing when to rest

It’s easy for people to fall into the trap of thinking they need to be productive at all times. However, time management also involves knowing when to rest and recharge. Studies show that working without breaks leads to burnout, which can ultimately slow productivity down in the long run. In one particular study with Cognitive Neuroscientist Sara Mednick and her colleagues, researchers found that simply napping during the day brought greater performance than even coffee could provide.

“All of the research points to the importance of rest in our fast-paced lives,” said Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, writer and consultant at Greater Good Magazine. “While our culture may be pushing us toward working overtime, 24/7, this is clearly not helping us to be more productive or to come up with creative solutions to our problems.”

Time’s up

Mastering time management doesn’t happen overnight, but with consistency, the right strategies and a willingness to adapt, anyone can transform a chaotic schedule into one that works. Whether in school, starting a new career or just looking to find balance in their daily lives, these time-tested tips can help people stay ahead of the clock. Time, after all, is one of the few resources that can never come back. So, it’s time to make the most of it.