Power of the Time Management

Time is something one can lose and never get back. Time management is the power to plan and control how I spend the hours in my day to accomplish my goals. There's a vast amount of responsibility that student-athletes have to manage. In order to capitalize on the use of my time and achieve my educational goals, I had to execute certain time management strategies. I made several adjustments in how I utilized my time and noticed a significant change. This is how I improved my life for the better.

In general, the days of the week can be very chaotic and tiresome. A lot of my frustrations in the classroom were due to poor time management. I hadn't realized life without any form of organization was not only stressful but also less productive. In school, I never used my time effectively; I always attempted to do schoolwork at the very last minute. I never studied or took advantage of the free help that was available. Though my teachers would grant me extra time for homework, it still would remain unfinished. It got to the point where even a written agenda failed to improve my organization skills. Despite my poor grades, I knew that if I applied the techniques given to me, there would be a massive improvement. Another issue was that I frequently felt overwhelmed due to the sheer volume of tasks. To combat this, I attempted to complete assignments promptly; however, I would consistently lose focus. I would try making a to-do list for the day, but I barely managed to get anything done. I realized that to be successful in football and the classroom, I had to overcome these issues.

I wasn't one of those kids who hated school; I cared about my education. However, I never gave school my full attention. I knew that if I wanted to play football, I had to put forth effort in the classroom. At the time, my mother was in school for nursing, and she dedicated hours and hours to her studies. I admired my mother for the simple fact that if she wanted something, she would go get it. Everyone in my family was a hard worker, which only motivated me to change. There were times when my grandmother would have sit-downs with me to help me understand that I needed to get on the right track. She told me that if I couldn't devote my own time to schoolwork and an overall education, then I needed to do it for her. Growing up with my brothers and cousin helped immensely. They would always do their homework at the table after school. I felt motivated to do mine because I saw them working on theirs. It also provided a chance to spend time with them. I couldn't imagine growing up without them. Being the youngest, just seeing them do something made me want to do it too. My entire family has been a motivator for me. Once I saw them believe in me, it gave me the confidence to change.

One major factor in managing my time better is understanding where I was wasting time. I knew I had been spending more hours playing video games and hanging out with friends. If it weren't for my family disciplining me, I'd still be doing whatever I wanted. I began to improve my time management skills by organizing my days in advance. I realized that there will always be surprises, but it was guaranteed that if I took care of my tasks and responsibilities, I would improve at whatever I did. No matter how hard I try, I understand that I will get distracted now and then. That's simply a fact of life. No one can do homework for 24 hours a day; personally, I know I need several breaks to gather my thoughts. I learned that the best thing to do is to accept that distractions will happen and try to incorporate them into my schedule.

I made sure I had some downtime during my everyday life, but I dedicated 3-4 hours to homework. On the day I had a test, I would allocate more time to studying. In the past, when I would work on a project, I would never complete it. Now, I tackle projects gradually, completing a little at a time, and ensuring everything is the way I want it. I no longer procrastinate when it comes to homework assignments, making sure to complete them before doing anything else. My mother no longer needs to remind me to study or complete assignments; she has witnessed the transformation in my habits firsthand.

Time cannot be managed; it can only be controlled by an individual. Scheduling is very important when it comes to managing time. It is important to utilize one's time wisely. Using time management at any time of the day can help alleviate stress. When you don't have a plan on how to manage time, it may cause stress, especially for a student-athlete. By not having some type of organization in life, it will create havoc, and it will seem as if there is not enough time in the day to complete daily tasks.

Even though change is tough, in order to have a successful life as a student-athlete, preparation and time management is everything. Never lose sight of what is important. If it takes countless nights at the table to get it done, then make it happen because the outcome is rewarding.

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