Time management for students: Tips and techniques
Managing time as a student can be difficult when you’ve got lots going on. Attending lectures, studying, going to the gym, learning a new hobby and hanging out with friends can fill up your schedule pretty quickly.
Learning to manage your time is key to avoiding feeling overwhelmed. Let’s take a look at some effective time management tips so you’re ready to get organised and have the best year at uni without feeling rushed or stressed.
What is time management?
Time management is the process of planning how to divide your time between different activities. It’s all about planning ahead, prioritising tasks properly and avoiding procrastination.
Mastering time management skills as a student will help you feel more organised, making you more productive. Once you’ve practised good time management, you’ll feel ready to take on new responsibilities and challenges.
What is poor time management?
If you consistently fail to complete tasks on time, you may have poor time management skills. Poor time management can make you feel stressed and cause you to miss important deadlines.
If you suffer from poor time management, you may be easily distracted, struggling to be on time for meetings or feel as if you’re always rushing. The best way to learn how to manage time effectively is to plan and follow the time management techniques we’ve explored above.
Use time management tools
Nowadays, there are many time management tools at our disposal. Task tracker apps and specific time management techniques can help you manage your busy days.
Not sure where to start? Take a look at some useful time management apps below.
- Todoist - This app syncs across devices and allows you to create to-do lists per project. It’s great when tracking assignments and includes features like due dates, priority levels and reminders.
- Forest - This unique app helps you stay focused by planting a virtual tree that grows as long as you stay focused on a task. The more time you spend, the more beautiful your tree.
- TickTick - This app combines a to-do list, calendar and habit tracker in one place. It’s great for students who want to build positive routines.
If apps aren’t your thing, there are some more traditional methods for managing time as a student.
Create and follow a schedule
This may seem like an obvious tactic for planning your time, but sometimes, we get carried away and lose track of what needs to be done.
To help you create a manageable schedule, try the time-blocking method.
Time blocking involves planning each hour of your day and dedicating a specific amount of time to each task or responsibility. For example, you may block out two hours to revise a subject and an hour to clean your room.
Time management strategies like this work best when you assign your most high-priority task at the most productive time of day. Remember to add a little extra time than expected as a buffer in case you experience delays or need a break.
Another great time management technique is the Pomodoro Method. It was developed by Francesco Cirillo and consists of using a timer to divide your time into 25-minute intervals. Each interval is called a Pomodoro, named after the tomato-shaped timer Cirillo created.
In each 25-minute interval, focus on one specific task. After the timer goes off, take a five-minute break. Once you’ve completed five 25-minute intervals, take a longer break.
This technique is great for setting small goals and accomplishing them as quickly as possible without losing focus.
Set reminders
If you’re struggling to keep track of your classes or deadlines, setting reminders is a great way to jog your memory and manage your time better.
When it comes to having enough time to attend lectures or remember important dates, set reminders on your phone or laptop. It can be a reminder 15 minutes before a class or even a reminder set a week or two before a big assignment deadline.
You don’t even need a fancy reminder app for this - just use your phone to set reminders as you’re able to edit the date, time and frequency of the notifications.
Prioritise tasks
To maximise your time, prioritise your tasks from most to least important.
One great time management technique to try is the Eisenhower Matrix. It was created by former American President Dwight Eisenhower and is used for prioritising, deleting and delegating tasks based on importance.
To put it in action, create a table with four quadrants and delegate your tasks accordingly.
- Do - These are high-priority tasks that need to be completed as soon as possible.
- Schedule - Important but not urgent tasks that can be scheduled in your calendar at a later date.
- Delegate - Unimportant tasks that can either be re-delegated or completed at another opportune time.
- Eliminate - Unimportant tasks that don’t need to be completed and can be deleted.
Establish deadlines
Similarly to creating and following a schedule, setting deadlines for each task can help improve your time management skills. This is especially effective if you’re juggling several important tasks at once.
Make a list of your tasks and order them from most to least important. Afterward, give each task a specific deadline you have to meet. These deadlines must be as detailed as possible so include a specific date and time.
The most important thing to remember is that you have to establish realistic deadlines. Don’t set yourself up for failure - give yourself enough time to prepare and work on each task.
Take breaks
When testing how to improve time management, remember to prioritise breaks. Our brains can’t function productively when we’re feeling overwhelmed or burnt out.
Take regular breaks between long-haul study sessions or take shorter breaks between smaller tasks.
To be your most productive, you also need to be well-rested. Get at least eight hours of quality sleep per night and make time to have fun - having hobbies and spending time with loved ones is an essential part of student life.
How to organise your day as a student
Every day might look different when you’re a student, but there is a way to bring some structure to your day.
Start every morning by writing a to-do list that includes all the tasks you need to complete, as well as the specific lectures, appointments and extracurricular activities that happen during the day.
To help you get the most out of your time management efforts, try to avoid planning too many high-priority tasks every day. This will help you focus better and avoid multitasking.
How can students save time?
Being organised is key to mastering your time management skills. Follow these tips to save time as a student.
- Write to-do lists and schedule reminders so you never forget a task and have to finish it last minute.
- Keep your study space clean and tidy. This way you don’t lose any important paperwork or waste time looking for essential study items.
- Don’t take on too many extracurricular activities. While it can be exciting to get involved in new activities, give yourself enough time to study and rest.
- Consider meal prepping to save time preparing ingredients and cooking. It’s also a great way to save cash.
We hope these time management tips are helpful and make you feel confident in managing your uni schedule.
If you’d like more information about being a student at iQ, visit our website to find accommodation across the UK. You can search via city, university or building. Chat with our team if you have any questions.
