I celebrated my new year 2020 in Canada it means 1 January 2020 was the day I landed in Canada (Vancouver) as an International Student. I pursued MBA at the University of Canada West (UCW). Things were normal at the initial stage, the challenge that I faced when I started my studies and was looking for a Part-time job.

One of the biggest challenges is to be independent in a new country. You are dealing with Culture Shocks and miss family back home. Today I will share some of the strategies I used about Time Management that you can follow as an International Student in Canada which hopefully can help you balance Study, Work, and Personal Life. Don’t worry, having fun is also a crucial part of keeping your mental health stable while you navigate your life as an International Student.

What does Time Management means?

You have a full day which means 24 hours to plan and workout your day. Studying for exams, learning the Canadian culture and ethics, new Enrolment in the class, reading books, writing assignments and making time for a job. There are tons of tasks for an International Student. Time management is therefore considered a process where you will Plan, Organize and Divide your activities and list your priorities. As an International Student, you must balance, give equal importance to academic achievements, work goals, and personal care.

Create Time Management Strategies

Time management strategies will help you become more productive, manage stress and opportunities to achieve academic progress, professional goals, and live a healthy life. In short, effective time management strategies will lead you to work smarter, even when you have limited time.

You are your own Boss!! Nobody knows you better than you! Managing time will be tricky at the initial stage as an International Student but it’s always better to give a start to good things in your life. Here are some of the time management tips that I followed while I was doing my MBA:

1) Set a schedule 

First and foremost, set a timetable for your whole month. I remember a big calendar was always there on my wall where I could see my to-do-task-lists for the day and upcoming weeks. Be realistic and fair to yourself, avoid assigning multiple tasks for a day to avoid stress. 

2) Prioritize your task

Once you have set a schedule for a week or a month. List out the vital tasks first and put them on your priority list. Figure out the free time of the day and prioritize your tasks. I always keep my assignments on the top of the list.

3) Take a Weekend break

Keeping weekends in your schedule is also another crucial aspect we must consider. The fun part keeps your mental health stable; International Students need a break from stressful weekdays. Also, the weekend’s break boosts and refreshes your mind for next week. Most of my weekends, I spent exploring new places in Vancouver. I love to do photography, create videos, do shopping, and pack my fridge for the coming week.

4) Boost Productivity during Exam

Achieving high grades is another aspiration for International Students during their studies. Recognize your production boost activities so that you can schedule them for your break time. Most of these power booster activities can be listening to good music, nap, meditation, doodling, cleaning, cooking food. I always use to cook food with a cup of coffee that helps me to fill with energy. Cleaning and decorating my room were another activity of mine to feel positive energy. You can also recognize and can schedule your activity for a break.

5) Schedule a Health Plan

Have you heard of the quote; “Healthy body keeps a healthy mind”? If you are healthy, you can achieve academic and professional goals effectively. The gym is the first thing we think about health and physical fitness. Not everyone can go to the gym and burn calories. In such a scenario it is best to avoid junk food, caffeine, and alcoholic products. My morning always starts with eating an apple and home-cooked food.

How I nailed my MBA in 15 months

Below is my basic schedule that I followed during my MBA studies. I did my MBA in 15 months without any term break.

This is an overview of how I always used to schedule my entire week

Monday 

Class 1, Class 2, Start preparing all the given assignments.

Tuesday

Class 3, Working on assignments

Wednesday

Working on assignments (Almost I finish my Monday assignments by Wednesday night)

Thursday

Working from 7 am – 3 pm for 8 hours (working on class 3 assignment)

Friday 

Working for7am- 3 pm 8 hours (working on class 3 assignment)

Saturday

Working for 4 hours 6 am-10 am (Finish all my assignments) (Saturday night plans for friends) (Laundry)

Sunday

Explore a new place, Photography, Video shooting, shopping, grocery.

This was just an overview of how I always planned my week and I always give more advantage to my academic goals. For work, I always preferred to go for early morning starting because in this way I always had time to finish my writing papers. On weekends I always enjoyed going exploring and capturing Vancity with my camera.