This article discusses how you can improve your Self-Management Skills, which have been defined as:
The ability to set goals, manage time and tasks effectively, and manage your state of mind, self-motivation, resilience, and mindfulness.
A few weeks or months into studying, you might have realised that taking ownership of tasks can be a challenge. If you are reading this article, maybe you are already a little behind on some tasks, or you just want to take precautionary actions to avoid getting behind. Regardless of your reason for being here, we hope you will find useful tips and tricks to try out!
Set goals: Goals that have a clear purpose are more likely to be achieved. In order to set purposeful goals, you must first identify areas in which you can improve. Ask yourself: "Is there a specific type of task that I keep procrastinating on?" "What would I like to do more of?"
Examples of goals:
Complete the required reading that you have missed in order to catch up.
Deepen understanding of a specific topic that you are struggling with.
Revise previous topics to keep the knowledge fresh in your mind.
If you check your Book Overview, you can easily identify areas of improvement and set goals for yourself - since the strength bar is a bit low, you can complete more activities and read more sections.
2. Manage time and tasks:
Many students struggle with prioritising between different tasks or goals, in the worst case this can lead to not doing anything at all! In order to improve this skill, there are some things you can do on your own and other tasks where you might need the support of others:
Break down your goal into manageable tasks: If you are behind on your reading you might want to do the reading subtopic by subtopic, instead of doing all the reading in one sitting!
Use a calendar and block time slots: when you want to do a specific activity that will help you reach your goal. There are many apps that can help you keep track of your progress as well - at Kognity we really love using Be Focused as it helps to stay focused on a specific task. It also encourages us to take breaks in order to re-focus 😃
Involve your family: If your family knows that you are focusing on catching up on your reading, they can support you by giving you space and time to do so in a quiet environment.
3. Manage your state of mind, self-motivation, resilience, and mindfulness:
Not getting overwhelmed with your workload, stress or lack of motivation can be a challenge, and what is more important than staying calm during a storm? Here are some recommended actions you can take:
Schedule breaks: make sure you find time to get re-energised; getting outside, chatting with friends or checking your social media for a limited time will help you keep focused onwards.
Practise under time pressure: whether you use the Kognity Strength Battle or time yourself doing the Exam Style Questions, getting familiar with your stress levels will help you to better manage them!
Celebrate success and progress! When a goal is reached, celebrate with a longer break, spend time with friends or watch a movie. Do something that isn't related to school, and make sure to enjoy it!
Lastly, we just want to add that it is perfectly fine to not reach set goals. The important thing is to reflect over why you did not succeed and decide on a plan to improve. Discuss your challenges with your teacher, mentor or parent to find a way forward. We hope you found this article interesting and learned one or two new things that you will try out!
Good luck and let us know if we can help in any way.
Your friends at Kognity