By: Madeline Beck, BA, TSHA Graduate Student Representative 

I have been so impressed with the speech-language pathology and audiology students I have met throughout Texas as a graduate student representative for the Texas Speech-Language-Hearing Association (TSHA). You are hard workers, ambitious, and ready to take on the world. I also know that your schedules are packed with every learning experience, networking opportunity, and service project you can fit into your busy lives. It makes sense that one of the biggest concerns I hear from you is time management. I completely empathize with this feeling as I navigate parenting my busy two-year-old and serving on the TSHA Executive Board while attending class and clinical experiences. While I am certainly not an expert, I wanted to share my experience with you in the hopes that you can feel more in control of your time and stay on top of all your responsibilities. 

First, prioritizing my clinical experiences is the most important thing I have done for my learning. Of course, my classes have provided me with an essential knowledge base, but nothing prepares me for my future career more than practicing clinical skills. My practice goes further when I have studied and planned prior to the therapy session or assessment. I felt this keenly while participating in a dysphagia clinic. On the first day, I got flustered very quickly when I forgot some basic anatomy and terminology. Not surprisingly, my learning that day was limited. I resolved that even on days when my to-do list is impossibly long, I would put clinical preparation at the top. That dysphagia clinic became one of my most valuable experiences because I made sure to come prepared. That does not mean I knew everything, but it meant I could ask better questions, receive more detailed feedback, and improve much quicker.  

Prioritizing clinical experiences also strengthened my relationships with my supervisors. My supervisors can mentor me more easily when I have done my part as a good mentee. Setting aside time to foster professional relationships like these has already been so beneficial to me. From letters of recommendation to internship opportunities to professional advice, a professional network makes building a career easier and more enjoyable. These relationships include those you make with your fellow students! You are rubbing shoulders with future professionals; it is completely worthwhile to spend time together. In addition to giving me a leg up in my career, I value the connection my professional relationships have given me. I know I have a solid support system because I have prioritized building those relationships. 

Another important lesson I have learned is to figure out exactly what I need to do to be my own best student. During my first semester, I was intimidated by seeing so many people with color-coded planners, handwritten notes and diagrams, study apps and tools, and handmade flashcards. Feeling like I was falling behind, I tried every one of these strategies and spent more time figuring out a study method than actually studying. Frustrated, I went back to my tried-and-true strategies of a basic digital calendar and annotating the lecture slides and saved myself so much time. Now, if you are someone who works best with color-coded notes and flash cards, do not change a thing! In graduate school, there is no need to reinvent the wheel. The fact that you made it this far in your education means you know how to be a fantastic student! Trusting my own methods not only helps me manage my time but also helps me learn the material more thoroughly.  

Each one of you may find a specific time management strategy that boosts your own productivity, but my personal favorite is timeboxing. The idea originated in the field of software development, and the premise is quite simple: Schedule a certain amount of time for each task, and when the time is done, move on from that task (Kirpalani, 2021). This might sound too basic to be helpful, but it has improved my productivity and curbed my perfectionistic tendencies to fixate on making a single task perfect while neglecting others. If I have scheduled 30 minutes for an assignment, I do not allow myself to spend more time than 30 minutes. This increases my sense of urgency and keeps me moving through all my tasks, rather than getting derailed by only one. I have also found that I can be truly present in each task. For example, with all my other responsibilities, it would be easy for classes to become a place where I catch up on assignments or get distracted. Knowing that I have time set aside later for that work and that this time is specifically for class helps me to be more engaged. I ask more questions, make more comments, and take better notes. The same is true for my leisure time. I can be more relaxed knowing I designated this time for myself, not for studying or working on assignments.  

I want to emphasize how important leisure time has been for my graduate school experience. I was worried about starting school again, because when I was obtaining my undergraduate degree several years ago, it entirely took over my life. This often led to overscheduling, lack of sleep, and more stress than was necessary or helpful. I knew that in graduate school I could not afford to let that happen because of my sweet toddler at home. I have been amazed at how spending time with my family has vastly improved my school experience with no detriment to my performance. Taking frequent breaks to play with my son, cook dinner with my husband, or do some yoga has had such a positive effect on my academic success. I was certain that being a parent and being in school would be so much harder, but the change in my perspective and priorities has made me less stressed and better equipped to succeed. It is not only acceptable to spend time resting and recharging but also necessary. Your personal relationships, hobbies, and life outside of school are not a drag on your success. They are what will fuel your ability to be successful.  

I say none of this to imply that I have found the perfect school-work-life balance. I am constantly adjusting, especially with the start of each new semester. I hope some of my experiences will help you to not just get through school but also enjoy the brief time you have there. To all my fellow students, we’ve got this!