Time management is the process of planning and controlling how much time to spend on some activities. Good time management allows you to complete more in a shorter period of time, reduce your stress, and leads to career success.

Some students work hard at their lessons, and often stay up late. However, it is not necessary to become a bookworm to be a good student. If you try to complete too many tasks at the same time, the most likely result is that you will be overwhelmed (击垮) in the hope of ‘catching up’.

The amount and quality of what you achieve are mainly dependent on how effectively (有效地) you manage your time. Here is some advice on how to better manage your time as a student.

Make a plan

There are many subjects that need to be learned and you need to do lots of exercises to practise. The best way to achieve success is to make a plan. This starts as a list of all the tasks for completing your goals. Write them down, for your memory is not as good as you think it is.

Next, colour tasks on your list to show their urgency (紧迫性). This allows you to know the tasks that you need to finish at once. Do only one thing at a time: the others can wait their turn. You will need to update (更新) your list regularly, but allow yourself to enjoy the pleasure of putting your pen through things that you have completed.

Beware of distractions (当心分心)

Using mobile phones or computers to chat with others or play games may help you relax but it is also a waste of time. Consider shutting them off completely as you work on a task that requires your full attention.

Learn to say ‘no’

Many business leaders put a lot of their success down to simply saying ‘no’. That is, they put their efforts in the few areas that really matter and have the courage to say no to everything else. Be realistic with yourself, and honest with others. Refuse the activities or tasks which you are not good at.

Give yourself a break

Taking breaks is good for your brain. Don’t be hard on yourself; you will actually do better if you take breaks. This might seem counter-intuitive with all those tasks on your list, but solutions to problems can come from a refreshed (清爽的) brain.

Succeeding against the difficulty and in the face of time pressure is one of the most valuable experiences you can offer to a future employer.

In an English class, students are talking about a problem in groups.

It used to be common to see US teenagers busy at fast-food restaurants, cooking burgers and cleaning tables, especially during the summer vacation. However, that scene is becoming less common.

About 25 years ago, there were 56 teenagers working for every “limited service” restaurant in the US, the kind of restaurant where you order at the counter(柜台) such as McDonald’s and KFC. But there are fewer than half today. “We used to be very busy with the number of people wanting summer jobs,” Keith Miller, who runs three Subway restaurants in California, the US, but he now only receives a few such applications(申请) every year. “I don’t know what teenagers do all summer.”

However, it seems that most teens aren’t looking for jobs anywhere else, either. About 43 percent of 16-19-year-old US teenagers had a job or were looking for a job in July, 2016. This is a big contrast(对比) to the fact that about 70 percent had a job in July, 1988.

Instead of finding summer jobs, many US teenagers are spending their free time taking classes. About 42 percent of US teenagers were taking classes in July, 2016. This is about four times the number of US teenagers who took classes in July, 1985. This change partly resulted from US teenagers’ increased interest in education. Alida Monaco, a 19-year-old student from New York, believes summer classes gave her more chances to learn new things. “I chose to go to summer school because I wanted more experience,” Monaco told USA Today.

Meanwhile, for many students who are going to attend college, the money from summer jobs doesn’t live up to their expectations. Teenagers have low incomes and pay little toward the costs of college.

Despite this, a summer job is still believed to benefit teenagers. It can teach important skills that are useful for later life, such as how to manage money, deal with bosses and get along with workmates.