Your Guide to Effective Time Management

           Under the intense pressure of extracurricular activities at Lawrenceville, it is undoubtedly every Lawrentian’s worst nightmare to return to their House at night with no homework completed for the next day. When listening to upperformers speak about their experiences at Lawrenceville, the words “time management”  dominate the spotlight. To both new and returning Lawrentians, these two words may seem daunting and overwhelming. However, mastering the art of time management can be a shortcut to reaching your goals efficiently. This step-by-step guide on the best strategies for efficient time management aims to help you find a balance between work and rest.

          1. Before diving into a planner, make a list. Go through all the work you have to finish, both academic and non-academic. List urgent and important work at the top of the list while putting less crucial work at the bottom. For those who want a detailed and organized plan, you will end up with a solid base to start from. 

           2.  Next, fill out a planner, which can be done on paper, or electronically. It is wise to have a written agenda you can refer to throughout your day instead of relying solely on your memory. Using the checklist you previously created, start filling out the planner. With a clear list of activities, it will be much easier for you to organize materials without leaving out important work. This method will also help you adjust to new schedules more quickly. When plans change, don’t panic! Instead, refer back to your planner and look for empty time slots and identify any assignments you can afford to adjust.

           3. Despite these efforts, there are moments when the world seems to be against you. Even when you cannot accommodate everything in your busy schedule, don’t be too harsh on yourself; wipe those tears away and pull yourself back up.

          4. Make sure to communicate with your teacher or advisor– Lawrenceville has several strict policies for workloads, and teachers are willing to adjust assignments if necessary; remember, during stressful situations, you are not alone on the Lawrenceville campus. 

           5. Last but most importantly, never forget the importance of rest. Think of your body as a car filled with fuel. If you push yourself too much and race down the roads, your fuel will quickly run out, forcing you to come to a halt in the middle of nowhere. Be sure to make stops at those gas stations and give yourself a break whenever you can.

           Now, with a wider range of options, here are some methods other students on campus use to manage their time: 

           Ethan Zhu ’26 keeps a running list of assignments for each of his classes along with their due dates. He uses it as a checklist and deletes the assignment once he is finished with it. Later on, he assigns time slots to the same checklist format. 

           Ethan Lee ’27 uses Google Calendar to map his days ahead. He doesn’t forget to schedule breaks as well to prevent wasting time during study hall. 

           Melina Kyriakopoulous ’27 focuses on the breaks that can lead to procrastination. She tries to stay away from distractions during her rest times to keep track of time, rather than falling into the trap of endless scrolling on her phone. As Kyriakopoulos puts it, using your breaks wisely will increase the speed and quality of your work.