All you need is time by Alyssa

All you need is time by Alyssa - January 2016 Scholarship Essay

If there is one thing that a person has either too much or too little of, it is time. One cannot control how much time there is in a day, week, or even a year. However, one can allocate his or her time to optimize his or her potential. In 2016, my New Year's resolution is to have better time management skills in order to improve my performance as a student. By making myself more aware of time, what I want to accomplish in a certain time period, and how much time certain tasks will take me to complete, I will be able to better myself as a student and in life outside of education.
I typically get things done on time, if I have a deadline. The things that do not have deadlines are often pushed back and added on my “to-do list”. From experience, that “to-do list” lengthens very quickly if I keep procrastinating. One way to change this is to write the time-frame down that I want to get things done. Even if there is not a deadline for a task, I essentially create my own. For example, if an essay for a class is due at the end of the semester, I used to wait until the end to write it. Now, I write the essay on my “to-do list” for the middle of the semester. The essay is more of a priority versus it not having a date. Another issue for me is assuming that something will take less time than it really needs to take.
To solve the problem of under-estimating time, I add approximately 30 minutes extra to the length of time I think it will take me to get something completed. By doing this, I give myself enough time to get tasks done and the extra time allows me to check through my work for any errors. This can eliminate potential mistakes I make before handing in an assignment. I personally will feel better about my work knowing I allowed myself time to thoroughly work on it and check it over.
Feeling good about my work is just one perk of efficient time management skills. With better time management, things will get done in a timely fashion and will leave me with more time to do other things I previously pushed off. My life used to be consumed by staying up late and finishing assignments at the last minute. Now, my work is complete at a decent hour and I am actually able to get the recommended amount of sleep per night. I have more time to exercise in the evenings and make better meals for myself. I am able to focus better in class and think clearly.
Clearly, my time management skills needed to be improved. By following this resolution for just a couple weeks into the year 2016, I have seen a huge difference in myself as a student and in my life. I feel better prepared in all things I have to do. I feel well-rested and energized every day I wake up. I feel more organized and less stressed. Best of all, I feel more in control of what I do and when I do it. While others continue to say that time has slipped them by, I can say that I am managing it.