How to Prioritize Your Tasks in College
On any given day, most college students have a million things to do. You must prioritize your tasks to get them done on time. Assuming your goal is to graduate on time and with good grades, here is how you should prioritize your time in college. The way you organize your tasks may look different based on your needs and your ultimate goals; but all high priority tasks should have a direct impact on your main goal.
- High Priority tasks are the ones directly related to your success. These tasks are usually highly scheduled and cannot be moved in your schedule. These could be tasks like attending class, scholarship requirements, extracurricular commitments, and your job.
- Medium Priority tasks are those that will help you be successful but are more flexible in scheduling. Studying, meetings, club events, and volunteer work are examples of important tasks that can be moved around.
- Low Priority tasks are those things that you should do, but don’t need to do. Unfortunately, this can often include group outings and socialization events.
- Preferential Tasks are the ones you want to do but have no real impact toward your goal. Going out with friends, seeing movies, self-care time, etc. Though these tasks don’t help you move toward your goal, they are still super important for your mental health. Try to schedule at least 30 minutes of preferential activities every day.
It’s okay to say no.
There are only 24 hours in the day. Sometimes, you will have to say no to things to ensure that you’re spending your time wisely. Usually the things you must decline are the fun ones, so it’s easy to feel like college is all work and no play. The best way to avoid this is to use the 80/20 rule. About 80% of your time should be spent on important tasks, and 20% should be spent on leisure time
