Have you ever considered how to make the most of your time?
I have!
When I was in high school, I remember looking forward to what I could do with my time during my post-secondary studies with anticipation, anxiety, and a sense of adventure in a new season of schooling.
You might be thinking about your own upcoming transition, and you’re not alone!
Here’s what the 2025 cohort of NEXT Steps Awards recipients was thinking…
Anna mentioned, “I won’t miss the limitations of high school, the structured schedule, and sometimes being surrounded by people who aren’t as motivated. I’m looking forward to having more responsibility over my own time and choices.” (80)
Brian also said that he was looking forward to “having a lot of extra free time (hopefully).” (2)
Christy also asked us to, “Please pray that I will be able to balance my time with God and the Christian community as well as adjusting to my first year of university.” (56)
You might have similar or different thoughts from Anna, Brian, and Christy. What connects all their reflections is their focus on time—how they spend it, manage it, and anticipate changes in its use. The secondary school structure can make it challenging to use time wisely, and transitions can feel overwhelming. Having faced this myself, I want to help you understand the realities of using your time well, so preparing for your transition is less daunting.
My Story - Taking My Time to Learn About Stewardship
I learned to steward my time more effectively quite late during my post-secondary studies. When I started school, I recall beginning my classes and promising myself that I would “make the most of my degree.” And I wrestled with the expectations of newfound freedom and time.
The 3 expectations I had were…
Time in university is for me
Time in university will be free
Time with God…will just be
Into the first month of school, as I perused club fairs, met new people, applied for part-time work, and spent late nights just trying to make sense of my readings and assignments, I soon found myself saying “yes” to far too many things. Each “yes” seemed to affirm in me that I was using my time to its utmost potential, so I could ensure the best for my future.
In the summer leading up to my third year, I felt completely burnt out. After work one day, I began dreading the upcoming school term as I was anxious about my leadership roles in over three extracurricular activities. I had little appetite daily, and found myself sitting tired and confused. During a dry season in my walk with Jesus, I finally began praying to ask God what responsibilities I needed to prioritize, and he responded with Himself.
I realized that in the midst of the flurry of university life, I had lost touch with intentionally seeking the Lord with my time and trusting him with how he would guide my steps. As I fixed my eyes on this truth, I grew to realize that “my time” was not really about me. I had to practice understanding my limits and use my freedom and free time responsibly.
Time Management Tips and Resources
Stewarding our time well is not always an easy lesson to learn, but it is worth it! Here are 3 tips to help you steward your time well in a new season.
Create a realistic schedule.
When we enter into new seasons, our routines and expectations around responsibility and freedom change. That is why it is important to create a realistic schedule early on, understanding what you have to steward. Whether it's a time-blocked checklist, a scheduled calendar, or a simple handwritten list of your daily or weekly tasks or goals, building a realistic schedule helps visualize what needs planning and work.
Discern your priorities frequently.
Active discernment is vital in moments where responsibilities may vary, and interests compete for our time and attention. Having flexibility with our routine and schedules is one thing, but partnering with Jesus to prayerfully consider our next steps makes all the difference! It can turn the rush of back-to-back classes into a healthier rhythm of acknowledging God’s presence amidst even our busiest days.
Get accountability in stewarding your time well.
Sometimes we are not able to be as responsible as we would like on our own. Speaking and discerning with those who can help keep you accountable (peers, family, mentors, or academic support staff) can offer new perspectives on stewarding your time well.
Save resources and make time to reflect.
I recommend bookmarking these articles created by P2C-Students and other learning institutions, which share a number of time management strategies. Saving resources even when you are not struggling with time management can be a helpful step to prevent
As you learn to steward your time, I encourage you to begin asking yourself these questions to help you create a realistic schedule, discern your priorities, and make use of your resources.
On a given day, what are the divided priorities that I focus my attention towards?
What takes up the greater or lesser portions of my time?
Are these priorities ordered with wisdom? Do I stick to the schedules I create, or do I struggle to reorder my priorities?
When I plan my day, what helps me keep track of my time?
Are there tools I can utilize to help me visualize, plan, or record what I am to do each day?
Who can I speak to now to gain insight and ask questions related to managing my time wisely in my next season of life?
What I hope you can learn from this article is that stewarding your time does not have to be intimidating. I hope that by having some perspective about stewarding time well, this will help with your transition to post-secondary. If you are passionate to learn more about how to transition well - and bust myths about life in a new season of schooling, follow along for the next few blogs as I talk about work and rest, and what to do if you are considering a gap year!
Shared with care,
Danielle
BIO:
Danielle is an alumnus of the NEXT Steps awards and Power to Change at the University of Toronto. She now works as a Student Success Advisor at Toronto Metropolitan University, supporting students' transition to post-secondary life. She is an enthusiastic follower of Jesus who enjoys mentorship, creative arts, good food, and the great outdoors!
Photographs:
https://pixabay.com/photos/blue-drop-splash-impact-ripples-2178639/
https://pixabay.com/photos/calendar-pen-paper-clip-ruler-2559888
Quotes taken from candidates 80, 2, and 56 from 2025 NEXT Step Awards.