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Time management tips & techniques

Learn ways to manage your time effectively and overcome procrastination so you can get the most out of your studies.

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Good time management skills are essential for success at university

Studying at university might be the first time you've had to focus on managing your own schedule. While studying at 91色情片 Bengaluru, it's important to learn how to balance study, work, socialising, and 'me' time.

Keeping up with all your commitments involves聽planning ahead聽and ensuring you're organising your time effectively.

This typically has two hurdles: firstly,聽finding the time, and secondly,聽using it properly. If you don't do the second, there is little point in doing the first.

See also

Establish short-term and long-term plans to set yourself priorities, reminders and goals.

Weekly planning (short-term)

Planning out study time isn't just about locking in hours at your desk.聽

Longer sessions are needed for some tasks, but estimating聽how long聽your various study tasks can take is an important skill to learn. If time is limited, the best approach is to start a task that can be finished in the available time you have.

Example:聽If you only have 30 minutes, don't try to read an entire chapter. Either skim-read so you have a general overview and return to it later for a more in-depth reading, or take on a smaller task, like checking the citations for an assessment.

Breaking down tasks is also a reminder that you won't have time to complete assessments without starting early.

Let's say you have a 1200-word essay, here's how you can break it down into tasks:

  • Analysing the question and brainstorming the topic
  • Research (finding sources can take longer than you think)
  • Reading and note-making (the longer the essay, the more you'll have to do)
  • Thinking time (your essay won鈥檛 just 'happen' from your reading)
  • Write a plan (indicate thesis and structure)
  • Drafting (you鈥檒l have to write more than just one draft of the essay)
  • Editing.

Task length categories

Short tasks聽only take an hour or less to do. You can generally get these done when you have pockets of time, such as lunch breaks or during public transport journeys.
    • Reviewing lecture notes
    • Completing short readings
    • Previewing long readings
    • Doing problems
    • Revising for exams
    • Jotting down essay plans
    • Reflective journal entries
    • Proofreading an assessment

Medium tasks take about an hour or two. These usually require more concentrated study, so remember to take breaks.
    • Detailed note-reviewing
    • Reading for courses
    • Taking notes from readings
    • Drafting/editing an assessment
    • Revising for exams

Long tasks generally need more than 2 hours,聽as these require deep focus. To avoid losing concentration, schedule a small break at least every hour.
    • Working on an assignment
    • Completing an extensive amount of reading
    • Doing research for assessments
    • Revising for exams

Using a semester planner (long-term)

A semester planner will help you keep track of upcoming deadlines, commitments and progress with your assessments.
    • Ensure your planner is somewhere you can easily access.
    • Schedule assessment and exam dates as early as possible.
    • Work out how long you鈥檒l need to complete each major task and add 'start' dates.
      • Tip:聽Draw lines back from the due dates to your intended 'start' dates. Use different colour pens for different subjects, assessments or exams. This will cue you to begin working on tasks and help you visualise your progress.
    • Leave room for extra workload.
      • If you have several assessments due at the same time, you'll need to start each task even earlier than usual.

Good聽time management starts with balancing work and life.

Learn how to stay prepared for the expected (and unexpected) that may come your way as a university student.

Maximise your study effectiveness and you'll save more time in the long run while also reducing stress:

  • Make the most of the time you do have. The idea that it's only effective to study if you have large chunks of time is a misconception. You can get a lot done in 30 or 60-minute chunks, so plan to use these times to your advantage.聽
  • Take regular breaks. Extended study sessions will happen on occasion while at university, but studying uninterrupted for hours on end can be counterproductive for your concentration. Schedule a break for every 45 minutes of study time.
  • Work out the best study conditions for you. How and when do you work most efficiently, and how does study fit into your life? Be realistic - don't plan a 5am study session if you're not a fan of mornings. On the flip side, don't plan a post-dinner study session if you鈥檙e asleep by 9pm.聽
  • Avoid perfectionism. There's simply not enough time to make every single assessment absolutely perfect. It鈥檚 good to aim high, but don鈥檛 risk burning out.聽
  • Start work on assessments well before they are due. You may have two or more assessments with the same due date, so don't leave things until the last moment. The results are rarely optimal and the stress is not worth it.
  • Set a regular time for ongoing tasks. If you have a term-long assessment that requires an ongoing activity (such as a weekly reflective journal or forum), set a fixed time to complete it. This will prevent a 'log jam' at the end of the semester when other assessments are due.

As you take on more responsibilities, time becomes more of a commodity, so use it efficiently:

  • Use travel time to your advantage. If possible, study while you're travelling. Listen to lecture recordings, review your notes or do some reading.
  • Time 'moveable' assessments wisely. While most assessments have unmovable submission dates, some are more flexible, such as rostered tutorial presentations. When choosing a particular slot, take into account the timing of your other assessments.
  • Make time for life outside university. Studying at university may mean there will be some commitments you鈥檒l have less time for. But always try to fit in some leisure and exercise, as these are important for your wellbeing.

Tme management is mostly about taking responsibility for your work, so you need to set realistic goals:

  • Calculate how much actual time you have for your studies.聽There may be 24 hours in a day, but not all of them can be used to study. After removing time for sleeping, eating, shopping and all other life admin things, you'll arrive at a number that represents the 'real time' you can spend studying.
  • Recognise that different tasks require different amounts of preparation time. You can't produce well-researched and written work unless you give yourself enough time to think, research and write. Start your assessments early on.
  • Remember, your timetable is only a plan. Unforeseen things can happen, and some weeks will be busier than usual. If you miss a planned study period, don't stress - look at the schedule, rearrange your time and catch up.
  • Attend lectures or listen to them online.聽Missing a lecture may seem like a way to save time, but it may actually lead to many hours of extra work later in the term. Skipping lectures is a false economy!
  • Don't rely on extensions. An extension isn't a 鈥榞et out of jail free' card. It will get you through a single emergency, but the extra day or two will use up precious time needed for your other assessments.

Effective time management can't overcome overcommitment.

For example:聽If you study full time, spend more than about 12 hours per week working for a job and spend every evening at the gym, there's little study time left.

Before you undertaking university study, assess all other demands on your time, such as:

  • Paid employment
  • Family obligations
  • Domestic responsibilities
  • Sports and leisure
  • Volunteer or civic commitments.

If you think you may have taken on too much, reassess your commitments, prioritise and compromise.

Changes to priorities, routines and relationships can happen while studying at university.

Let's say you've always put family and friends first. When studying becomes your new priority, they might not be entirely happy. You鈥檙e now less available, and this can be a source of tension. But don鈥檛 feel guilty about the time you spend studying 鈥 your loved ones will survive. Ensure you set boundaries with family and friends until they get used to your student responsibilities:聽

  • Help your loved ones understand that your studies are important. Help them understand the benefits of education, which may include your happiness and wellbeing, your future career and employment prospects.聽
  • Ask your household to respect your at-home study times and avoid interrupting you. Share your timetable with them so everyone knows when you won鈥檛 be available. Close the door and hang a 鈥淒o not disturb鈥 sign as a reminder.聽
  • Include your family and friends in your academic journey where possible. Let them know how much work you have to do. Tell them about the topic you're currently learning. Encourage them to ask you questions and communicate.聽
  • Let your loved ones know how they can best support you. For example, you might need a quiet space at home, some alone time for study, a meal prepared for you or just a moment to go out and relax.

You鈥檒l need to be especially prepared if you have children. Try to:

  • Study at a regular time so they become familiar with your routine and make it part of theirs too. Explain the importance of what you鈥檙e doing to them.聽
  • Plan well ahead for your busiest study periods. Sort out activities to help keep your children occupied, because if they aren't preoccupied, then you will be.聽
  • Set your own early deadlines for assessments.聽Aim for at least a few days before the actual deadlines. A week's worth of buffer will prepare you for any unexpected interruptions.聽
  • Schedule time at your university聽to separate some of your study time from your home environment.聽
  • If possible, consider getting some childcare for occasions when you have to get things done. When you are studying for exams or meeting an assignment deadline, prearrange some time away from the kids.

Sometimes, when you get caught up in your studies, it's also easy to lose sight of your family and friends, and even yourself.

To prevent this, be sure to:

  • Schedule regular time with your family.
  • Catch up with your friends during breaks.
  • Plan leisure time for yourself throughout the week to help you relax without guilt.

Being proactive in scheduling time for socialisation and leisure聽lets you draw boundaries without sacrificing your relationships.

Having trouble with procrastination? Identify what鈥檚 keeping you from being productive and overcome it.

You might procrastinate for different reasons to your peers or in different ways for each of your tasks. It's important to recognise why you're procrastinating, so you can address the problem at its root.

Are you:

鈥淚鈥檓 overwhelmed and anxious! There is so much to do. I don't know where to start or if I can do it.鈥

If you feel this way, you鈥檙e not alone. If everything feels overwhelming or is making you anxious, try these steps to avoid 鈥榝reezing鈥 and continue making progress to your best ability:

  1. Acknowledge and identify the feelings of being overwhelmed or anxious. It's okay to feel that way!聽
  2. Break up your task into smaller, achievable chunks. This way, you're聽not worrying about a big, daunting pile of work.聽
  3. Set priorities. List your tasks in order of importance and urgency, and work through them one at a time.聽
  4. Get started.聽Just writing a few sentences can reduce your anxiety about a task, help you make progress and increase your confidence.聽
  5. Practise persistence. Start by putting in a solid half-hour of work. Next study session, try for 35 minutes. Slowly building persistence will help you feel more capable while increasing your productivity, too!聽
  6. Take a break after ticking off a few tasks.聽
  7. Set a goal and a reward at the same time. Aim to complete a task that you鈥檙e dreading, then reward yourself when you get it done.

鈥淚鈥檓 distracted! I keep doing other things and putting off my task.鈥

There are different types of distractions that will compete for your attention. These may not always be easy to identify as distractions, though.

Clearly unproductive distractions

When you鈥檙e preoccupied by a TV show, a YouTube video, 鈥榙oomscrolling鈥 on social media or chatting with friends, you鈥檒l definitely know you鈥檙e being unproductive. To avoid this:

  • Zone out these types of distractions.
    • Silence your phone and leave it in another room, or download an app that discourages you from opening your phone while studying.
    • Close social media sites, streaming services and other distracting sites.
    • Hang a 鈥楧o not disturb鈥 sign on your door and put on earphones or earplugs to block out external noise or conversation.
  • Reward yourself when you meet your goals for a study session, but only if you鈥檝e been focused.
Daydreaming or drifting off

When you find it hard to focus on studying or are constantly thinking of other things, you might not realise that you鈥檙e distracted. To prevent this, make sure to:

  • Check on your own energy level and concentration.
  • Take a short break or do some exercise every hour.
  • Open a window or step outside for some fresh air.
  • Stay well-fed and hydrated 鈥 avoid skipping meals and keep a water bottle with you. Dehydration and low blood sugar will reduce your concentration.
  • If you drift off, try visualising a red stop light. Hold that image for a few seconds, then switch to a green light and get back to working.
Creating busy-ness

Instead of working on an important assignment, you're opting to focus on irrelevant tasks, like chores, or lots of unnecessary 鈥榩reparation鈥. This 'feels' productive but is still a distraction. Here's how to address this and be productive with your studying:

  • Make a 'to-do' list in order of priority.
  • Set firm goals for yourself and set specific timeframes to complete them with rewards (starting with short-term goals is the easiest).
  • Be conscious of what you're doing. If working on an assignment is your priority and you catch yourself just heading off to quickly wash the car, ask yourself: "Why am I doing this now?鈥. Plan to do it after you reach your study goal.

鈥淚鈥檓 bored! I have no interest in what I need to do.鈥

Lean in, not out. If you鈥檙e bored by a particular topic, challenge yourself to find something of interest. The more you learn about a topic, the more interesting it can become.

Look back on your motivations and choices. If you're bored in general, maybe it's time to ask yourself why you're studying what you鈥檙e studying. If you鈥檙e feeling like you 'have' to study, then make sure your goals are your own. For more immediate motivation:

  1. List all the benefits of getting your task done.聽
  2. Next, list all the difficulties keeping you from completing it.
  3. Compare the two. Use the benefits list as your motivation and try to find a solution to each item on the difficulties list.聽

If you鈥檙e still struggling to find motivation, reach out to someone who鈥檒l understand, such as a friend or a tutor. They may have also felt the same way and can offer some perspective. What did they do? Ask for some advice!

鈥淚鈥檓 a perfectionist! I'll never finish because what I'm doing will never be good enough.鈥

The need to be perfect can actually stop you from getting anything done. High ideals and exacting standards can bring you success in the right contexts. However, it鈥檚 important to remember that you鈥檙e undertaking a task in order to complete it, so your work on it will need to have an endpoint!

Identify what the task requires for satisfactory completion and let this guide you instead of aiming for perfection.

Further reading

Covey, S. 1990, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Simon & Shuster, New York.

Field, D. Gilchrist, G. & Gray, N. 1989, First Year University: A Survival Guide, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.

MacQueen, C. 1998, Getting Ahead in Tertiary Study: A Practical Guide for Business, Social Science and Arts Students, 91色情片 Press, Sydney.

Northedge, A. 1990, The Good Study Guide, The Open University, Milton Keynes.

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