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Time Management
Once you have set your goals and targets to be achieved and drawn a schedule to follow, learn to manage the time at your disposal effectively. You must seek some satisfaction in doing whatever task you undertake. You should see the days work in some perspective. To achieve these purposes, you can make a list of the things you wish to do during the day, and take a good look at it. One effect of such an exercise would be that a 'mental scheme' of the work to be done is achieved. You will become clear about the number of activities and their kinds which will help you in scheduling and executing the chain of linked activities.
Then as each task is competed, you can cross it off the list. The act of crossing it off will give you just the small satisfaction and a feeling of achievement. Finally, when you look at the list, you can modify or alter your plans according to the need of the hour. Such an exercise may be done at a piece of paper or a diary. Later this may become just a part of your mental habit.
Honestly speaking, most of the students sabotage their working day by too long pottering in the bedroom, or breakfast, or over newspaper. Get up early, dress up briskly, finish breakfast without lingering and then attack the day’s work. There are some very obvious priorities. You should tackle first those tasks that can least afford to wait. Being a student competing with lakhs of others, you have to decide and plan the schedule of the day on priority basis. Should you do mathematics or English; or should you go for chemistry or G.K. book ……… or should you finish with exercise that your teacher gave …… choice is yours. But do not quickly change your mind impulsively or because you like X subject better than Y - after all you have to score well in all the subjects.
Tackle one job at a time. There is so much to be done that one is likely to get confused as to what to do first and from where to begin it. Consequently on any of the tasks for fear of not finishing the other in time, and finally do nothing. These are times when you have to do many things at a time. Decision ought to be yours. It is your life. It is your day. And it will be your achievement. Think with a cool mind and take up the job of top priority first. Most things require attention - and you are capable of attending one thing at a time. So, don't let your attention be split or diverted, come what may. If you tackle most obviously urgent task first, and let others wait, then tackle the other in whatever order (you think is appropriate), you will be surprised at the amount of work you can do. Remember, "panic paralyses and calm can strengthen us."
It is equally important that you do not overwork yourself and become fatigued - mentally or physically. As some jobs are finished and provide satisfaction to you, take rest period also - not to forget the next job but to be better prepared for it. A few minutes to splash an aching brow with cold water or work in fresh air will be helpful. To avoid/reduce fatigue you may also alternate sedentary jobs and active jobs, because a change is as good as rest. If you have been doing mathematics for hours, better do some gardening for some time and shift back to your studies later. This will give you a fresh frame of mind and strength. Comparative freshness of new occupation helps us to concentrate and makes work more interesting.