Make the most of your time and life

Academic life is a never-ending cycle of papers, meetings, exams and deadlines. Organization holds the key.

According to Katherine Lovrich, Learning Assistance Programs coordinator, time management makes the difference between barely surviving and succeeding in school and the workplace.

“If you procrastinate, you may still get the job done, but your stress level rises, you may get less sleep and the project may not be done as well as it could be,” Lovrich said.

To equip employees and students with time-management skills, the Student Advising and Learning Center provides free time-management workshops each semester, traditionally offering two at the beginning, one at mid-semester and another in preparation for finals week.

Led by staff — including Al Jamison, interim vice president of Student Affairs; Susan Poch, director of the SALC; and Sharon Ericsson, academic coordinator for the SALC — the hour-long workshops provide practical tips and exercises for participants to get their schedules on track.

“We help students and employees realize the amount of time they have and how to best utilize that time,” Lovrich said.

WSU Counseling Services is also an option for time- and stress-management assistance, especially if one-on-one counseling is necessary.

According to Lilia Miramontes, an advanced psychology counseling graduate student with Counseling and Testing Services, poor time management results when employees and students think they have more time than they actually do, so tasks are not properly prioritized.

While academic and work schedules are important to prioritize, Miramontes cautions that it’s best to maintain a balanced lifestyle by scheduling in fun activities and plenty of rest.

“It’s important to be realistic and keep practical factors in mind,” she said. “We are social animals and we need relaxation time.”

Lovrich echoed this warning, noting that achieving success results from managing all aspects of daily schedules.