Time Management: 4 Rules to Go By

I'm not saying I'm great at time management or that I follow this all the time, but here's what I've found to be important:

1. You can never do anything perfectly.

No matter how hard you try, someone will always be able to do the work better.  Don't waste too much time trying to make it perfect.  Settle for excellent.

2. Prioritize:  What is the most important for your future?

When you're juggling so many tasks and projects, you have to figure out what is most beneficial for you to do well.  Work on those first, and then move on to the less important things.  Right now, I'm on internship, working part-time, and I'm in an online class.  First comes my internship. That is the most beneficial thing to my future.  Next comes my part-time job because, well, I like eating as opposed to starving.  Last comes my online class.  All I need to do is pass that thing.  My GPA is high enough to take a hit from one class.

3. Set goals for yourself.

If you write down your goals, you are statistically more likely to actually achieve them.  If I had written down that I wanted to get an A in my summer class, perhaps I would've been trying harder.  Writing it down serves as a constant reminder as opposed to just a mental note.

4. Always do quality work.

There's no point in doing anything if it isn't quality.  Don't ever rush through something to get through everything.  Work with your priorities.  That's why you have them.  I wouldn't rush through a project at my internship to get to my part-time job on time.  They understand that I'm here to intern, not to work for them.