Time Management for Writing in College

A disclaimer:

The most important thing is to not fall behind in school. I spent all of high school indulging my own hobbies. The horrible truth is: I didn’t get very good grades in high school. It worked out for me because I was active with extracurriculars, volunteering to help out with office work/ tutoring, and did very well on tests. But the lack of focus I showed in class and on homework caused more damage than it was worth. 

Doing this in college is a death sentence. Your professors expect you to be in their class because you care about your education. You are paying for you education. You are making a dedication because you care about your future, parental approval, or learning. If these tips do not work for you, find your own strategy, or deal with the fact that your vacations will be your writing time.

But don’t worry, these tips usually work.

Break Down Your Schedule

The first tip of time management is to figure out what you do with your time. Once you’ve mapped out your days, you can start cleaning them up. You’ll be amazed by how inefficient you are. Why do you need ten minutes to brush your teeth? Step 1: cut down on the amount of time you stare at yourself in the mirror. Step 2: look in the mirror after you get dressed. That way you don’t have to run back to your room to change your outfit after you’ve seen how ridiculous you look in some window.

After you’ve cleaned up your time a bit, try to find a common down time and make that your writing period. Writing at the same time every day is the best way to get it done. Having an irregular schedule makes it too easy to procrastinate.

Don’t Expect to be Able to Write for Large Periods at a Time

Set aside a small chunk of time every day (1-2 hours). This is also the practice of many professional writers who have to juggle jobs or children… or who can’t bring themselves to devote their entire lives to writing. A couple of hours every day also has the benefit of not killing your social life.

Take a Creative Writing Class

This is a temporary strategy, but it will fill up your hobby tank for a long, long time. It also has the added benefit of teaching you how to write. Optimally, it will also teach you discipline, but it’s not guaranteed. Classes force you to get your work done, and constantly keep your writing gears going. They might get going well enough for you to be able to keep up the pace after the class is over.

Sacrifice a Minimal Amount of Fun-Time for Writing-Time

College is stressful. There’s a reason why so many of us find leisure in partying and goofing-around. We’re working so hard that hard playing is almost necessary to cope. Personally, I find writing to be very fun, but it doesn’t usually contribute to a colorful social life. It is possible to make writing a social activity, and you should find a way to make it so. But remember that too much is the easiest way to get burned out.

So, go out. Exercise. Make friends. Be happy.