“College is what you make of it.”
I’ve heard that echoed around my entire life. Now, I’m a junior in college, and I’m making the most of my college experience- and oftentimes, that means doing the most, too.
I’ve worked for K2 & Co. for two years now, through many seasons of life. It’s been an exciting ride, working with big-name politicians and supporting missions that I am passionate about. It’s an incredibly unique experience to be able to strategize on major campaign decisions from my 10ft.x14ft dorm room. Add that experience to my other commitments, which include serving as Chairman of my campus’ Young Americans for Freedom chapter, Chief Administrative Officer for my school’s Student Government Association, and on top of it all, I’m a full-time, 18-credit student – you could say I certainly have my hands full.
I can still remember my first week at K2 & Co., staring down at a to-do list that seemed to grow faster than I could check things off. It was overwhelming until I realized that the secret to staying on top wasn’t just working harder – it was working smarter by mastering the art of prioritization. Over the last few years, I’ve picked up some tips and tricks to help prioritize my tasks, manage my time, and get the most out of this season of life.
Start Simple: The Power of a To-Do List Done Right
I bought a weekly planner shortly after I began working for K2 & Co., and it has been a true game-changer. From making a to-do list for each day to long-term planning on bigger projects, I now carry a planner with me everywhere I go. But to do it effectively, you need to do it right. My first to-do lists were chaotic and unorderly: “Email Brittany, write NOTD social copy, start research project.” No organization, just an unorganized list of tasks written down.
I learned about the Eisenhower Matrix, a time-management system that creates four categories of tasks: urgent, schedule it, delegate it, and delete it. A project due today for the company’s CEO? I’ll highlight that in red to make sure it is a top priority. A content calendar that is needed in two days? I’ll highlight that orange and get to it when I next have time. When juggling multiple tasks, our minds can be unorganized and chaotic, often leading to stress and writer’s block. Using organization methods like the Eisenhower Matrix is key in prioritizing and organizing your brain and task list to get the most out of every hour of your day.
Level Up: Time Blocking and Deadlines
Now that you have your list of tasks, finding the time to get them done is crucial. As a college student who is managing several important responsibilities, finding time for school, work, extracurriculars, friends, relationships, family, and also three meals a day can be a challenge. I’ve found that blocking out time during the working day to tackle tasks is the best mode of operation. Early mornings are dedicated to my K2 work; getting daily tasks done, connecting with coworkers, and working on my work to-do list for the next few days. Then, between classes, I carve out time to work on homework and studying. Then, after classes, I spend about one to two hours daily on each extracurricular commitment. For weekly tasks like content calendars, allocating the time needed to complete the task the day before it is due is best practice – we all know that life happens, so it’s good to give yourself some buffer time for emergencies. Between time blocks, take a minute to call your parents or take a walk with a friend – a human connection is important for our own well-being, and can keep us motivated and fulfilled.
Another time-block method I’ve picked up is the 25-5 method. Spend 25 minutes locked in on a task, and then take five minutes to get a snack or check your phone. It breaks up the many hours of work into short time increments, while incentivizing your hard work with a small “reward” at the end of each time block. This method can be used when writing a paper for school or completing a research project for work; it’s versatile and effective. It sounds silly, but this method really has saved me from burnout that most college students experience when working too hard for too long.
Doing it all doesn’t have to mean struggling to just keep your head above water. Prioritizing tasks is essential to thriving – not just surviving – during college years. The best way to keep stress levels low and successful deliveries high is getting out a planner, creating an effective to-do list, and working hard in an allocated block of time. There’s nothing like the calm of knowing you’re focused on the right things – take it from an intern who does it all.
-Jenna Piwowarczyk