Unfortunately, one of the hardest parts of high school is the schoolwork itself. Time management and turning work in on time do not come easy to many high schoolers since many grapple with little sleep and busy schedules. However, there are easy methods you can use to lighten your workload. Below is a list of four habits you can use to better manage your time.

Multitasking is a myth! Examples of multitasking include trying to do homework while watching TV or even studying for a test while listening to loud music. While multitasking may seem like a productive use of your time, the reality is it’s not possible. Neuropsychologist Cynthia Kubu, Ph.D. of the Cleveland Clinic claimed “When we think we’re multitasking, most often we aren’t doing two things at once. But instead, we’re doing individual actions in rapid succession or task-switching.” This means that multi-tasking does not actually cut back on the amount of time you spend doing the assignment but just wastes your time.

Planning ahead may go against the “yolo” mentality of most teenagers, but it’s a great solution to having less stress. One example of planning ahead would be writing out what days your activities are and then planning your homework, or other tasks around those activities. Planning the completion of your tasks down to the hour in which you’ll complete them is also a very important part of time management, especially for those with very busy schedules. For example, writing down “study lunch Wednesday or run before school Friday.” While it may sound unnecessary, planning out your day ahead of time will lower the amount of chaos in your life and help you better manage your time.

Sleep is one of the greatest enemies of teenagers since teens’ brains are naturally wired to stay up later, however, that doesn’t mean it’s not important. Getting more sleep means having more energy during the day to complete tasks. In order to get more sleep, the biggest thing you can do is make sure all schoolwork is done as early in the day as possible. This means utilizing your time earlier in the day such as lunch or breaks at work. If you get a good night’s rest you will then not feel the need to nap right as school ends, use up your phone screen time, or procrastinate assignments. It’s also important to get off screens before bed in order to sleep better. Overall, quality sleep will benefit time management skills.

Being kind to yourself may sound cliche, however, it will make a positive difference in your life. It’s important to not hold yourself to too high expectations, or even ridicule yourself for not doing your work. The article “Be Kind to Yourself” by Marianna Pogosyan from Psychology Today claims, “A sense of common humanity is the recognition that everyone makes mistakes.” This means that making mistakes is normal, and it’s crucial to not beat yourself up over it. Pogosyan also explained, “Instead of being critical (I’m so disorganized! I’ll never be successful!), our inner voice is supportive and warm (It’s OK that I missed the deadline. I worked hard and I’ll make it next time).” Valuing positive self-talk will make people feel more motivated and willing to strive for a better system of time management.

Overall, time management is an important skill to have to lower stress levels and become more successful. By planning ahead, avoiding multitasking, and prioritizing both positive self-talk and sleep, you will make a difference in your own life by better managing your time.