Time Management

Developing time management skills is a journey
that may begin with this Guide, but needs practice and other guidance along the way.

One goal is to help yourself become aware of how you use your time


as one resource in organizing, prioritizing, and succeeding in your studies
in the context of competing activities of friends, work, family, etc.

First: try our exercise in time management: How do you spend your time each day?

Strategies on using time:

  • School term/semester overview: develop, or plan for, blocks of study time
    About 50 minutes? How long does it take for you to become restless?
    Some learners need more frequent breaks for a variety of reasons
    More difficult material may also require more frequent breaks
    Place blocks of time when you are most productive, as morning person or night owl!
  • Schedule weekly reviews and updates
    Sunday night may be an excellent time to review your calendar
    Be mindful that as deadlines and exams approach, your weekly routine must adapt
  • Prioritize assignments
    When studying, get in the habit of beginning with the most difficult subject or task
    For more difficult courses of study, try to be flexible in your approach to success
    Build in “reaction time” when you can get feedback on assignments before they are due.
  • Achieve “stage one”—get something done
    Don’t work the details until your assignment concept is fully developed.
    “Perfection is the enemy of good”, especially in the course of beginning an assignment.
    Given that you build in review, roughly draft your idea and proceed from there
  • Postpone tasks or routines that can be put off until school work is finished
    Eliminate, delegate or delay non-essential tasks as part of prioritizing.
    Review for a test may be more important than enjoying a sport.
    and playing the game later will be more enjoyable without the pressure of the test.
  • Develop alternative study places
    free from distractions to maximize concentration
  • Use your “free” time wisely
    Think of times when you can study "bits" as when walking, riding the bus, etc.
  • Review notes and readings just before class
  • Review lecture material immediately after class
    (Forgetting is greatest within 24 hours without review)

Try the University of Minnesota's Assignment Calculator

Develop criteria for adjusting your schedule
to meet both your academic and non-academic needs

Effective aids:

  • Create a simple "To Do" list
    This simple program will help you identify a few items, the reason for doing them, a timeline for getting them done, and then printing this simple list and posting it for reminders.
  • Daily/weekly planner
    Write down appointments, classes, and meetings on a chronological log book or chart.
    If you are more visual, sketch out your schedule

    taken by me in march 2005 during NCAA West Ice...Image via Wikipedia


    First thing in the morning, check what's ahead for the day
    always go to sleep knowing you're prepared for tomorrow
  • Long term planner
    Use a monthly chart so that you can plan ahead.
    Long term planners will also serve as a reminder to constructively plan time for yourself
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