Student Time Management - From a Student!
I am by no means an expert at time management. I have a lot on my plate almost all the time. I just had to check in with my district secretary, and she looked at me with huge eyes after recording my transcript and asked me how I do it all. I have four children (one with special needs), a full-time job, a part-time ministry job, I mentor 3 people, I'm taking 3 classes right now, my house is relatively clean, and we all have clean socks and underwear. I don't say all of that to toot my own horn, I just want to give my resume because I don't want you to think I'm a teenage babysitter giving you parenting advice (haha!) I'm an ENFP (Extraverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Prospecting), so it is definitely not my nature to be scheduled. Here are some things I have learned to keep myself on track:
1. Drive in silence. That time can be used for prayer, brainstorming, and mental sorting.
2. Buy an excellent mattress. When you don't get a lot of sleep, make sure the sleep you get is excellent.
3. Set timers. Sometimes I just need to throw my feet up and mindlessly play Candy Crush. I allow myself to do anything as long as it stops with the timer.
4. I almost never watch TV. Unless it's movie night with my kids... Inside Out 2, baby!
5. Audio books are your friend. If you can listen to it, do. I haven't had a professor yet who balked at a timestamp instead of a page number.
6. Give full access of yourself to your spouse and your children. Those people can interrupt me at any time. The rest of the world might have to wait.
7. Clean as you go. I take things to the next location until they finally make it to the right place. My hands are rarely empty.
8. Budget really well so that you can occasionally just get a pizza.
9. Pray for favor. It sounds selfish, but divine favor will do more for you than your best efforts can ever bring.
- Rev. Kate Philbee is studying Pastoral Ministries at NBC and serves as the Family Ministry Pastor at Peoria Nazarene Church.
Published: 11/01/2024
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