Time Management

After hearing from dozens of former student athletes as to what skills they developed in college athletics, what their biggest challenges were, what tools they had to support their transition out of college and the struggles they currently face, I found an interesting discovery.

Many of the survey responses pointed towards time management as a skill that they learned in their time in college athletics. However, when I we discussed this further in interviews, figuring out how to manage their time post college was actually one of their greatest struggles in their life after college.

I believe this is because we as coaches and athletics staff do not teach student athletes time management. We do it for them. Their schedule is set as they walk onto campus. Compliance meetings, physicals, classes, team meetings, practices, competition, travel plans, sessions with a tutor and study hall hours are all scheduled for them. They do not have to find a way to fit all of these main events into their lives, we have done it for them. They just have to show up.

Yes, they do have stretches of time in the week, on the weekends and in off season where they have to manage their own time because not as many activities and responsibilities fall onto their plate. In my time as a coach, I find that many of them struggle to get things done in off season because they have so much extra time that they do not know how to manage. Before you know it, they are cramming for an exam that they had 3 weeks to study for.

Living in the post college athletics world is different, especially in this new Covid era. Work hours are not always specified and many people are working from home with hundreds of possible distractions. Meetings are scheduled and you are given tasks and projects to work on possibly with a deadline but noone sets your schedule as to when and how you will complete these responsibilities. No one tells you when to go work out, go to the grocery store, stop by the bank to deposit that check, set that doctors appointment or how to maintain your social life around work responsibilities.

The most common theme I saw from those entering the workplace post college athletics is figuring out when to work out, get to the gym or add movement to their lives. Team workouts may have been at 6 am in school and rarely are they going to get up at 5:30 for a 6am workout to get to the office by 9. In college, however a 6 am workout meant they had worked out, eaten breakfast, showered, got ready and were typically in class by 8 am. Productivity was high in the morning time.

Post college, many former student athletes find sleeping in to be a luxury and they take full advantage of that. The downside is those early morning productive hours are gone pushing everything to later in the day. And that workout is one of the things that tends to fall off the schedule because by the end of the work day, one of the last things they want to do or have energy for is working out. If it isnt working out that was your morning thing- insert whatever the thing is that you are struggling to fit into your schedule. Different activity but the same concept of “how do I fit this in amongst all of my responsibilities?”

As you navigate your new life out of college, it is important to have a system in place that allows you to schedule your time in a way that is best for you.

Let’s take movement as an example. You can sign up and pay for a morning group class where you lose your investment if you do not show up. You can find a workout partner or running buddy that you make plans with to meet before work at the gym or track to help you stay accountable. You can schedule in a 30 minute walk during your lunch every day and ask a coworker to join you to bring in the accountability factor.

As you get farther into your life after college, take inventory of your time. Decide what you can release to make time for other things. Decide what are the non negotiables as far as how you spend your time. Explore the best way to manage your schedule whether that be keeping a calendar with reminders on your phone, using a big desk calendar or a wall calendar with pictures of your puppy.

You only get so many minutes in your life. You deserve to spend them creating the life you want.

Your future self will thank you.