Mastering Time: Time Management Tips for College Students

College presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities. Balancing classes, assignments, social life, and personal well-being requires effective time management skills. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help college students navigate their busy schedules, reduce stress, and achieve their academic goals.

The Importance of Time Management in College

Time is a finite resource, and college students often find themselves juggling numerous responsibilities. Balancing responsibilities at your job, home, and school is not easy. Managing your time well is key to success in college and also in life! Effective time management is just as essential for educators as it is for students, especially as they balance their professional and personal responsibilities. Mastering time management techniques for students will not only improve your grades, but also reduce stress. How well you manage your time over each semester will determine how well you will perform academically. Without effective time management skills, students can find themselves struggling academically and mentally, leading to disengagement and delayed graduations.

Identifying Time-Wasters and Setting Goals

It’s easy to get distracted. Pay attention to what draws your focus away from your studies and assignments. Are you spending too much time checking social media? Are you prone to texting and answering personal phone calls while studying? Do you find that a lot of time has passed while you aimlessly browse the web? Busy schedules and ever-present distractions can prevent you from checking tasks off your academic to-do list, so be sure to plan ahead. No matter what is wasting your time, set a goal not to engage in that behavior during dedicated study time. Instead, use those activities as a reward for staying focused and accomplishing the tasks you set out to complete.

Planning Ahead with To-Do Lists and Calendars

Identify what you need to do, and then prioritize the tasks based on when the assignment is due and how much time you need to complete it. This gives you a set plan for the day. Schedule tasks. Consider creating a calendar to schedule activities and plan your tasks. As a college student, keeping a calendar or a planner is essential to juggling all of your classes. Whether it’s just a list of priorities or a full schedule for the day, having a plan will ensure that you know what to do and when. Unless there’s a pressing priority, it’s important to also consider what sort of work you’re in the mood to do. At College of Western Idaho (CWI), we understand that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to time management. When it comes to time management in college, the best method is the one you can commit to within your busy lifestyle.

Tackling Tasks Strategically

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by large projects and big exams, and the anxiety can make you want to procrastinate. Start with shorter, simpler to-do items, and then move on to larger projects or assignments. What can you complete in the shortest time that has the fewest dependencies? What needs more time or has more complicated workflows? Big assignments require a lot of focused time and energy. That’s why it's helpful to organize priorities and think about what is reasonable and attainable.

The Power of Focus: One Thing at a Time

If you’re trying to juggle multiple assignments and tasks, you’ll likely end up being less productive. And no matter what, don’t switch to another task until the one before it is complete. This may be a hard habit to break, but it’s worth it.

Establishing Routines for Success

A set routine can also help you accomplish the things you need to do. Is your home quietest in the early morning? You may want to get in the habit of regularly using that time to study or read. The more often you do this, the less you’ll have to think about when you’ll accomplish the tasks you need to finish that day. Study at a regular time and in a regular place. Establishing habits of study is extremely important. Knowing what you are going to study and when saves a lot of time in making decisions and retracing your steps to get necessary materials, etc.

Utilizing Breaks Wisely

The time between work, classes, activities, and meetings can be used to complete tasks. People who use the Pomodoro Technique, developed in the 1990s, work in short intervals and take short, regular, timed breaks - “Pomodoros." For example, you might use a timer to work in 25-minute sprints, broken up by 5-minute breaks away from your workspace. Every fourth Pomodoro, take a longer break.

The Importance of Self-Care and Time Off

It’s important to take time for yourself. Long study sessions or chunks of time working on assignments should be broken up with time away from screens or textbooks. You need to give your mind a rest. Practicing consistent, enjoyable, and effective self-care looks different for everyone and is unique to each individual student. Time management isn’t just about getting work done. It’s also about ensuring that you can put yourself and your mental wellbeing first. Consistently including time for yourself in your schedule helps to keep your mental health and your life in balance.

Delegating and Seeking Support

While your significant other, family members, or roommates won’t be able to study for you, you can ask them to help out more around the house while you continue your education. Freeing up a little more time by having others help with household chores and errands will ensure that you can stay focused on your studies and coursework or that you can take a well-deserved break. Preparation and organization can sometimes only get you so far. Luckily, you have plenty of people rooting for your success. Keep yourself and your classmates on task by finding an accountability partner or study buddies. Ask for Help. Take advantage of academic resources that help busy college students balance studies, work, and life. Many online schools offer peer-to-peer and faculty support.

Read also: Colorful Idioms Explained

Specific Time Management Tips for Online College Students

As an online college student, it’s vital that you implement good time management techniques. In fact, research shows that online students who are able to self-manage their behavior are less likely to drop out of their courses and have better academic outcomes. While all of the above tips are applicable to online college students, there are a few additional considerations:

Establish a study space. Having a designated spot for studying can help you avoid distractions, especially if you’re trying to study in parts of your home that are regularly used for entertainment.
Get dressed. You don’t have to go all out, but just the act of getting dressed for the day can help your brain shift from lounging mode to working mode.
Check in each day. Studying can become easy to dismiss when you're not physically going into your classes. Therefore, make sure to visit your virtual class chatrooms, chime in on conversations, and ask your instructor questions. This will keep you engaged in the class and on top of your assignments.
Create physical reminders. Many people these days use their phone for reminders and calendars, but getting on your phone can lead to time-wasting activities. Instead, use a physical desk calendar, sticky notes, etc.

Overcoming Procrastination

Procrastination, or putting off tasks that you need to do, is something we’re all familiar with. Chronic procrastination is almost never about lack of ability or desire to complete the task. It’s more often an emotional issue that requires some reflection to really understand. People who have a problem with procrastinating often develop feelings of guilt and shame, which can lead to cycles of negative self-talk. When this happens, you might try recognizing and reframing the thought with something more neutral.

Negative thought: If I don’t do something perfectly, I’m a failure.
Neutral thought: Perfection doesn’t exist. My best efforts have always been good enough in the past.
Negative thought: This task is boring so I’m going to ignore it and hope it goes away.
Neutral thought: Doing tasks that I don’t find exciting is a part of life I have to accept.
Negative self-questioning: What’s wrong with me?
Neutral self-questioning: When will I be ready to do this? Am I lacking some information or resource that I need to complete this?

The Importance of Organization

What does “get organized” really mean? It’s not necessarily about being super clean or tidy, though that doesn’t hurt. Your organizational system will look different from everyone else’s.

Utilizing Technology Wisely

Technology makes our lives easier. It provides 24/7 access to learning, reminders, communication and resources for academic and social needs. It’s easier than ever to check-in and stay on track.

Setting Realistic Goals and Celebrating Milestones

The main goal is clear: Earn your degree. But a lot happens along the way. Setting mini milestones, and having mini celebrations, should be part of the process. “You have large goals and things you want to accomplish, but you can’t do it all at once,” she said. “You have to do it in small chunks. Having a system, keeping up with it, and being consistent in what has to be done makes things easier. There’s power in celebrating progress, and you may be surprised at what you can accomplish when there’s a reward to validate your hard work.

Read also: Choosing the Right Degree

Time Management and Spirituality

Jesus regularly slipped away from His disciples to spend time with the Father (Mark 1:35). The most frequent objection college students make to spending time with God might be time. Spending less time with God supposedly frees up more time for pressing schoolwork or social interactions. The beautiful thing about a life that prioritizes God, though, is that when we “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33), all the other things (i.e., schoolwork) fall into place. But we must continue to direct our gaze Godward. We don’t need to fear the list of assignments piled up in Canvas (although we should certainly work hard to stay on top of schoolwork). We serve a God who bears our burdens and anxieties (Psalm 55:22, 1 Peter 5:7), who wants us to serve Him freely without fear for the future (Matthew 6:34).

Choosing the Right Calendar

Picking the type of calendar that works best for you is the most important first step. Many students prefer using a digital calendar like Google Calendar, the iPhone Calendar app, or Microsoft Outlook. These calendars typically sync between devices and have features like notifications, recurring meetings, and are easily edited. Paper planners that can be purchased at most box stores like Wal-Mart, Target, and Amazon are also frequently used by UGA students.

Filling in Your Calendar Strategically

Once you’ve chosen your calendar, it’s time to start filling it in. We recommend completing it in the order below:

Classes and meals: Mark when all of your classes are and include important details like the location. Be sure to hold time for three meals/day as eating enough throughout the day is important to stay focused and energized.
Work, internships, student organization meetings, etc.: Add all of your other scheduled commitments to your calendar. This might look different week-to-week depending on how frequently you meet or if your work schedule changes.
Study times for each class: Use the study cycle to understand when the best times to study and complete class work are. Remember that you will need to schedule multiple study sessions for each class/week. It’s also good to note where you will be studying and if you’ll be studying with anyone else.

The Semester Calendar: A Bird’s Eye View

In addition to keeping up with your daily calendar, you can use our master semester calendar for a bird’s eye view of the semester. On this calendar, you can add all of your significant tests, papers, presentations, and projects for each class, as well as other large commitments of your time. Once this is complete, place it somewhere you’ll see it everyday so you can understand what the coming weeks will look like.

Weekly Planning and Adjustments

You’ve gotten your calendar completed, now what? It’s important to set aside some time at the beginning of each week to plan out the week. We’ve found that many students like to do this on Sunday evenings before the school week begins. When you’re planning out the week, feel free to make adjustments based on what assignments are due and what commitments you have that week. You can break down larger tasks and projects into smaller, easier tasks. You can also set weekly goals in the form of to-do lists for each course.

Addressing Common Time Management Challenges

The most common issues we see college students struggling with when it comes to time management are:

Lack of sleep causing students to fall behind in multiple areas of life
Procrastinating important tasks until the last minute
Overcommitment in other areas of campus life, like social and extracurricular activities
Lack of prioritization between urgent and important tasks
Distractions including technology, like social media and texting
Perfectionism causing them to take too much time on small details, slowing progress
Lack of healthy eating and movement contributes to students feeling sluggish and unable to concentrate.

Effective Time Management Strategies

Immediate emotional impact: When understanding a student’s time management challenges, it is important to look at the holistic experience of the student.
Organize, plan, prioritize: Learning how to organize, plan, and prioritize tasks wisely can help students manage their stress and stay on top of their workload.
Time blocking: Time blocking the calendar to account for studying, classes, and extracurricular activities ensures there is enough time to tackle important tasks while also building in room for downtime, which is crucial to avoid burnout.
Practice self-care strategies: Practicing consistent, enjoyable, and effective self-care looks different for everyone and is unique to each individual student.
Know the resources available and use them: Marketing student success, health, and wellness resources around campus can encourage students to take advantage of the services available to them.

The 8-8-8 Rule

When thinking about a typical 24 hour day, we recommend using the 8-8-8 rule.

8 hours towards academics (both inside and outside of the classroom)
8 hours towards living (activities for fun or to take care of yourself)
8 hours towards sleeping (at least five days/week)

Additional Tips

Don’t be caught by surprise by an important paper due two days from now or a dinner with your family the same night you planned for a group study session. Keep your calendar in a place where you can see it every day, such as in your planner or on your wall above your desk.
After you’ve created your calendar, give yourself periodic reminders to stay on track such as to complete a study guide in advance or schedule a meeting for a group project.
Each person’s day-to-day is different and unique to them, so make sure your schedule works for you. Consider your personal rhythm.
Just like your calendar and schedule, the tools you use to keep you organized should be the right fit for you.
Sometimes there really is too much to do with too little time. In these instances, take just a few minutes to evaluate your priorities.
Sometimes unforeseen circumstances will come up or you simply may not be able to get to everything you set out to do in a given day. Be patient with yourself when things don’t go exactly to plan. When building your calendar, schedule, and priorities list, be realistic about what you can accomplish and include buffer time if you’re unsure.

Time Management Resources

Any.do: This easy-to-use desktop and mobile app keeps your to-do lists and calendar in one central location and syncs between devices and platforms.
Remember the Milk: This is another fun app that helps you manage to-do lists across multiple devices and users.
Todoist: This app balances power and simplicity, using natural language processing to simplify scheduling as well as integration with multiple apps so you can keep all of your tasks in a centralized location.
RescueTime: This app runs in the background of your desktop computer or smartphone, tracking how much time you spend on various sites and apps, and it then provides a detailed report on where you spend your time. Use this information to tweak your browsing habits and work more efficiently.
Streaks: Using gamification, this app helps you form good habits. It allows you to enter up to 24 tasks and how often they should be completed.
The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right by Atul Gawande
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown

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