Three months before taking the high school entrance exams, I was so busy studying the nine subjects I barely had enough sleep. Even though I worked diligently, my progress was so slow as to be unnoticeable.

    One day, our head teacher reminded us in a class meeting, “Planning is important especially when you have a lot on your plate.”

    So I decided to make a specific study plan. First, I identified my strengths and weaknesses. Then I prioritized my weaker subjects. The next step was to detail how many hours each day I should spend on each subject before the exam. I drew up the plan and then hung it above my desk. Then all I had to do was stick to the schedule I gave myself.

    Sometimes my schedule was disrupted by unforeseen circumstances such as extra schoolwork. But somehow, I tried my best to follow the planned work, stimulated by the motto “Do not put off till tomorrow what should be done today.” Of course occasionally I have to change my plan.

    Very quickly, my school life became less stressful. I entered the examination room with great confidence, and in the end I achieved a satisfactory result. So when I start my career many years from now, I will use the things I learned about the importance of time management and scheduling.