How to manage your workload
When you’re working towards your DofE, along with school, exam revision and your personal life, it can feel like a real challenge to manage your time. Even making minor changes to help manage your workload will help keep you on top of everything and complete your activities more efficiently in the future. These four top tips are simple successful ways to help manage your work within a busy lifestyle.
Managing your time
Time management is an important skill and ensures you are making the most of every day. Structuring your day might seem tricky but, once you master it, you will notice a positive difference. Making sure you meet deadlines, whilst also having some time for yourself requires a bit of forward planning when life gets busy.
Planning your day and creating to-do lists are a very easy way to stay organised. Ticking off tasks as you go and working towards a completed list can help you stay focused. You’ll get a boost each time you tick off a piece of work. Goals are an excellent way to manage your time, and if you meet all your deadlines that day you can reward yourself.
Taking a break
Constantly working and studying isn’t a practical approach to managing your workload and is likely to cause burnout, so always remember to take regular breaks. A break doesn’t have to mean lazing in bed for an hour, it can be productive too. During your breaks, you could give back and volunteer in the community whilst working towards your Volunteering section. However, you could also read, go outside, bake and much more. Although working is important – so are breaks and giving yourself time to rest.
Prioritising your work
We are all guilty of pushing aside important tasks, but this often results in you feeling under pressure later on. Prioritising your work can decrease the chances of this happening.
First, take a look at your to-do list. Split the list into two categories: ‘must do’ and ‘could do’. If you’re tight on time, you can alleviate some pressure and just work through the must do category, to make sure the essentials are covered. Doing this helps you understand the urgency of tasks and enables you to meet deadlines.
Planning ahead
Planning ahead can save time, organise your lifestyle and leave you feeling much more relaxed and in control. Knowing ahead of time what you’re going to be doing means you can be prepared. For example, allocating time for your Physical section every Tuesday and Thursday leaves you with every other day, for your Skills and Volunteering sections. Being organised stops workloads appearing unachievable, and breaks them down into bite-size slots, ensuring you get the job done.
