Tips on Time Management

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Does Vet School already seem overwhelming? 

We are about to start the 5th week of resumption, and the workload might start looking like its too much for you to bear. 

Probably, you have realized that you are failing to catch up with what is being taught. And it feels like you aren't managing your time well enough. 

This article is for you. We hope to provide practical steps on how to successfully manage your time, drawn from the real life experiences of vet students that have journeyed this path successfully. 

We conducted interviews with some Vet Students, including Ahmed Saheed Olaide (the current AVMS president, and someone who has held about 25 different positions of authority; Zacchaeus Olayiwola (former avms president); and Paul Ajulọ (former editor in chief of VNO, AVMS ). 

These tips are what have helped them, and they are now sharing them with you. 

Put God First: According to all the people interviewed, putting God first is key to overcoming in Vet school. Acknowledging God and asking Him to direct your path lessens your anxiety. It gives you peace and fortitude to go about your activities, knowing that God is with you. 

Set Goals: Good time management and goal setting are inextricably linked. Setting goals helps you to determine  where you need to concentrate your attention. It helps you identify the insignificant very quickly and channels your energy towards things that are more important to you. Know what you want and stay with it. Do not allow yourself to be pressured into doing things just because others are doing them. 

Learn to Prioritize: a common mistake that we often make in setting goals is misplaced priorities. We put the first as last and the vice versa. Zaccheus said "You are a student first before anything else. That is what brought you to UI" Put that first. Do not go a day without investing in your academics.   

Have A To-do List: this cannot be overemphasized. Having a To-do list streamlines you. It saves you the mental stress of thinking about what to do next. It also conserves your energy and gives you a seamless workflow. From my personal experience, patterns create habits. And having a to-do list that you follow creates a habit of centeredness and productivity. Always make your to-do list the night before.

Focus On Efficiency And Effectiveness: If you are a person like me, who can't wait for the time to be over and keeps looking at the clock when you're supposed to be reading, then this is for you. It's a common thing we do that wastes our time. Paraphrasing Ahmed, it is not the number or hours spent but how much you get out of those hours that matters. 

Track Your Progress: Every night, before you go to bed, make it a habit to review your daily activities. This will help you to know how well you performed, and where you need to do better. It will also help you adjust your priorities appropriately to better meet your needs. 

Create Time for Yourself: Paul said, "know your capacity and take on more than your strength can handle." Have a personal time set aside, a time when you think about your needs, desires, achievements, failures and probably write them down. This will help you to know yourself better. 

Being self-aware is a good time manager. Because when you have it, you don't perambulate. You go straight to what serves your needs. Also celebrate your wins, and don't beat yourself up when you fail. See failure as your friend. Because in truth, that is what it is. 

The essence of time management is to redeem time and conserve your energy as much as possible. The list is long and cannot be exhausted, but it is certain that if you do all these, you will become a very productive person. 

Remember, time is always enough for those who know how to use it well. 

Written by Boluwatife Adéyemí.