Get Better Grades and Girls By Managing Two Things : Time and Energy

Lets talk about Time and Energy routing to improve your grades and only grades (not girls) in this article. But, before that, here why I’m writing this article. Manoj asked the following question via email. Then I asked him to share his experience in the follow-up email. End Result? He shared his experience My Campus Life Wasn’t an Exception. Now, I writing this blog post with answers to his questions.

I have few questions for which I haven’t got a satisfactory reply from anyone. I have been through the career category of your website before writing you this mail, kindly please help.

• Other than concentrating on our studies what are the other things we as students need to do in our first semester while doing our masters?
• Your blog speaks about building a brand, as a students what are the things we should do?
  

Kindly please help me, I am not the only student here who has these questions, there are many students with whom I spoke and most of the new students have no idea about that.

You tend to develop several skills during your college days in USA. Most of those skills are hidden benefits of studying in USA. To name a few

• Problem Solving ( while working on projects)
• Cause and Effect ( what if you miss the project deadline)
• Communication ( dealing with professors, TA, co-workers, etc)
• Professionalism ( from day to day activities)
• Responsibility ( people trust and expect you will get the job,projects done)
• Independent ( by managing your daily activities)

It’s good to have the above skills which you normally tend to ignore or not pay attention. But, one of the important skills that you need to develop is Time Management.

Your time management skills will improve as your semester progresses. But, there is a difference between ad hoc time management and proper planning. Today we are going to talk about Time and Energy management.

 

Simple Time Management Tips

Here is a ready to use framework for Time Management that I use.

• First Things First
• Manage Your Energy not just time

First Things First

Remember : It’s not possible to remember all the things you have to get it done by memory.

To get things done, write it down.

There are so many tools out there to be make a to do list.  Tools are effective only if you use it. Don’t expect the tools to magically solve your “getting things done” problem.

I can suggest you few tools, but don’t expect those tools to auto read your mind and get things done for you.

You have to make an effort to use the tool. First few weeks will be challenging.

It will always be fun you start with a tool, but the interest dies down over next few days and you sotp using it. That’s because you are expecting the tool to solve your time management problem.

• Tools I Use : Evernote,, Any.Do and Trello.

Time management can be solved by managing your energy.

Mange your Energy

There are two parts to managing you energy for Time Management.

• Energy = Interest and Enthusiasm
• Identify your Power Hour

Energy = Interest and Enthusiasm

Let’s say you start using a tool. You start entering list of things to do.

You keep doing that for a 1 week, but have you run into instances where the items in the to-do list are still incomplete?

Your expectation is that this new tool, will solve your problem of getting things done.

Tools will remind you to do this things at a specific time. You have to get those things done. Right?

Your Power Hour

Read it again : It’s Power Hour. Not Power Hours.

The concept of Power Hour is simple : It’s the most effective time of your day when your energy is high.

After you have list of items in your “to do” list, you need to know when to do certain things.

For instance, do you check your email and facebook as the two things in the morning?

Email and Facebook are the two biggest energy drainer to start your day with.

This is How I Work

Morning is the best time of my day where my creative juices flow is high. For instance, I thought about writing this blog post today morning, but made mental note the night before.

As soon as I logged into my computer (my computers stays powered on for weeks at a time) I started writing this blog post.

If I had opted to check my email, there could be 100’s in the inbox, my energy will be drained and focus will be lost.

Why do I do this?

I have identified this is my best time of the day to write. Some people prefer to write at night, I prefer to write in the morning.

Like wise, you have to identify the best times of the day to do certain tasks. It is very hard to form this habit.

On any given day, you may have assignments to complete, classes to attend,  cooking, washing, paying bills, part time job, etc.

Certain things are time sensitive (like classes and work hours). But, with the time you have left, you need to know your Power Hour.

Power Hour should be matched with most important items to do from your to-do list.

Turn Off all the distractions and start working.

Distractions = Email, email notification, Facebook,  switch off phone notifications.

President Obama on Getting Things Done.

I don’t want to make decisions about what I’m eating or wearing, because I have too many other decisions to make.”

That’s how Mr.President Manages his time.

via   The Power of Full Engagement:

The number of hours in a day is fixed, but the quantity and quality of energy available to us is not. This fundamental insight has the power to revolutionize the way you live.

Now, you have an idea about managing time and energy. These 2 skills are not taught in the class. This comes from practice and experience.

via   The Power of Full Engagement:

Their entire lives are designed around expanding, sustaining and renewing the energy they need to compete for short, focused periods of time. At a practical level, they build very precise routines for managing energy in all spheres of their lives–eating and sleeping; working out and resting; summoning the appropriate emotions; mentally preparing and staying focused; and connecting regularly to the mission they have set for themselves. Although most of us spend little or no time systematically training in any of these dimensions, we are expected to perform at our best for eight, ten, and even twelve hours a day.

Quick Recap

• To get things done, write it down
• Prioritize the list
• Identify your Power Hour
• While working, shut down distractions.
• Say no to temptations while working on your Power Hour.
• Work Uninterrupted during your Power Hour

Original question was

• Other than concentrating on our studies what are the other things we as students need to do in our first semester while doing our masters?
  
• Your blog speaks about building a brand, as a students what are the things we should do?

I have answered the first question here. Managing Time and Energy is most important trait to develop as a student to have long term sustained success. I will have another article to answer the second question. Better Grades are a step away when you manage your energy and time.

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