Time management skills
Introduction
Introduction
As a student you will face demands claims on your time, from balancing your study and your social life to potentially holding down a job to pay for your studies or support yourself. Being able to manage your time so that all the demands are reasonable and balanced could be the difference between success and failure during your studies.
As a student you will face demands claims on your time, from balancing your study and your social life to potentially holding down a job to pay for your studies or support yourself. Being able to manage your time so that all the demands are reasonable and balanced could be the difference between success and failure during your studies.
Put simply: time management = study success
Put simply: time management = study success
By the end of this page you should be able to organise, manage and prioritise deadlines, tasks, jobs and social activities, so that you never fall behind in your studies during your time in college.
By the end of this page you should be able to organise, manage and prioritise deadlines, tasks, jobs and social activities, so that you never fall behind in your studies during your time in college.
Time management skills self assessment
Time management skills self assessment
Let's start by seeing what you hope to gain from this page and look at how confident you feel about this skill:
Let's start by seeing what you hope to gain from this page and look at how confident you feel about this skill:
Steps to successful time management
Steps to successful time management
1. Be systematic (have a fixed plan) and organise your priorities to plan your routine
1. Be systematic (have a fixed plan) and organise your priorities to plan your routine
2. Find out and check what time will be required to study in class or start your work shifts
2. Find out and check what time will be required to study in class or start your work shifts
3. Understand and appreciate the time it takes personally to fit things in to complete (no two people work at the same speed!)
3. Understand and appreciate the time it takes personally to fit things in to complete (no two people work at the same speed!)
4. Decide how much time you spend on all activities (study, work or social) now and how it can be changed to allow you to work better
4. Decide how much time you spend on all activities (study, work or social) now and how it can be changed to allow you to work better
5. Prioritise and put in order of their importance, all the tasks and activities you have to complete
5. Prioritise and put in order of their importance, all the tasks and activities you have to complete
6. Plan and keep a diary/planner, working backwards from deadlines and submission dates
6. Plan and keep a diary/planner, working backwards from deadlines and submission dates
7. Do it! Place the plan where you can see it and stick to it, check what issues can wreck it
7. Do it! Place the plan where you can see it and stick to it, check what issues can wreck it
8. Manage distractions, know what can be distractions to you, try approaching them productively. Consider using distraction activities as a reward
8. Manage distractions, know what can be distractions to you, try approaching them productively. Consider using distraction activities as a reward
9. Monitor and make sure you stick to your plan by checking and adding any updates as required
9. Monitor and make sure you stick to your plan by checking and adding any updates as required
Hints and tips
Hints and tips
Planners and diaries are your friend!
Planners and diaries are your friend!
- Use an easily accessible diary or planner.
- Use an easily accessible diary or planner.
- Keep everything mapped out in the same place.
- Keep everything mapped out in the same place.
- This can be a hard copy you carry round or an electronic one like Google Calendar as long as it works for you!
- This can be a hard copy you carry round or an electronic one like Google Calendar as long as it works for you!
Break all tasks down into manageable bites
Break all tasks down into manageable bites
- Break down assignments into chunks/sections. (understand the question, plan your research, carry out research, write first draft, etc etc)
- Break down assignments into chunks/sections. (understand the question, plan your research, carry out research, write first draft, etc etc)
- Plot these bites into your planning
- Plot these bites into your planning
- If you overrun on a task update your entire plan. Don't simply try and play catch up and rush things after
- If you overrun on a task update your entire plan. Don't simply try and play catch up and rush things after
Make time for socialising and relaxation
Make time for socialising and relaxation
- Your mind needs time to unwind
- Your mind needs time to unwind
- Physical exercise is a great way to give the mind time to refocus
- Physical exercise is a great way to give the mind time to refocus
Find a suitable place to study
Find a suitable place to study
- Don't work and study where you would chillout and relax (remember about distractions!)
- Don't work and study where you would chillout and relax (remember about distractions!)
- Find a studious and quiet place to work, such as your local college LRC!
- Find a studious and quiet place to work, such as your local college LRC!
Final time management skills self assessment
Final time management skills self assessment
Finally, let's look at what you have taken away from this page and how confident you feel about finding information now.
Finally, let's look at what you have taken away from this page and how confident you feel about finding information now.