The secret of time management: how to get your life together in your early 20s

By Thao Mac

Almost every student I know has a vacant look on their face when they look at their calendar. Working, studying, and socialising - they say your twenties are supposed to be fun, but no one says how to have fun when you are overloaded with life in general.

The 20s is a confusing time. You are not entirely sure what you are supposed to do, or if you are doing things correctly or not. Most people in their 20s tend to pick up more things than their plates can handle (Me? Guilty as charged). You have too many things going on at once, too many faces in your life that come and go. You might work two jobs; you might study for two bachelors; your best friend founded a start-up last week, and your childhood crush is getting married tomorrow. It is all over the place. Somehow, you feel like you have too much time and no time at all.

If this is how you are feeling, my friend, you might be on the verge of either burnout or a mental breakdown. As someone who had both, I can assure you they equally suck. When we are in our 20s, we think we are invincible. But we are not. Juggling jobs, university, and social life is a huge challenge that requires some serious time management skills. Trust me, you need those skills, if not for your future career, then at least for your current mental health.

Let’s Marie Kondo this mess

The first step to get your life in order is to know what your life currently looks like. Is it a dumpster on fire? Is it a library stormed by a nasty hurricane? Whatever the mess is, you need to dive deep down and begin cleaning. The Marie Kondo approach is an excellent suggestion for this step. For those of you who do not know, Marie Kondo is a fantastic Japanese lifestyle consultant. She has a book and a Netflix show where she teaches people to declutter their homes. The key to her method is to appreciate what you have and validate your sentiment toward it. Not only does her approach fit your closets, but it is also an excellent way to declutter your life in general.

Get rid of unnecessary things. That random project that you have not touched in months? Delete it, chances are you will not touch it again for a while. Your ex’s number? Delete! That one friend who keeps dragging you down? Thank them politely for the time you had, thank them, move on. Trust in Marie Kondo to declutter your life successfully.

Prioritise and categorise

Once you get rid of all the unnecessary things and negative relationships in your life, you will see the calendar clear up significantly. But the job is not finished yet. To manage your time productively, it is best to prioritise what you currently have. It might be a good idea to put them on a scale of “can probably do without” and “absolutely would die without”. Once you have categorised your life accordingly, it is quite easy to organise time for each of them. You spend more time on important things and people while spending less on those that deserve you less. It sounds simple because it is. Stop overthinking, my dear friend. You will not hurt their feelings as much as you assume.

Create your timetable and try to stick to the plan. You can try the time block method using Google or Outlook calendar. They sync across many devices, can be customised as you wish, and most importantly, they notify you when it is time to do something else. Modern technology is designed to simplify our lives, so why don’t you utilise it? If you prefer to be off-the-grid, planners and bullet journals are not bad choices. What important is, however, to find something that caters to your need. No, you do not need to follow a trend to seem cool. Bruno Mars thinks you are perfect just the way you are, and so do I.

The secret? “Me” time

Productivity does not mean you work yourself till the point of exhaustion. It is to manage your time according to your needs, one of which is no doubt relaxation. Your body and mind need time off to recharge and you should respect their needs. Partying, drinking, baking, or cuddling with your cat, do whatever to de-stress – this is the sacred time block that you deserve and should not let anything interfere with it. After accomplishing everything on your calendar, you deserve it.

Being a twenty-something year old is extraordinary. It is a magical transformation time where you discover yourself, find your balance, and build the foundation for your life. This is where you learn the love and the loss of life. There is so much to do, but with some time management skills, it can still be the best, wildest time of your life.