Time Management Tips for Students

Juggling school, work, and a social life can be frustrating and difficult for anyone. It often seems like everything can be overwhelming, and that there just aren't enough hours in the day to accomplish everything that needs to be done. Learning how to manage your time can allow you to get your work done and still have time to relax.

Here are some time management tips for busy students:

Prioritize

This is one of the most effective ways to manage your time. Make a list of everything that needs to be done (a depressing challenge, I know) and decide what is most important. Anything with a pressing deadline needs to be moved to the top of the list. You may be tempted to drop social or family obligations from the list completely, but keep in mind that these things are important too!

Invest in a day planner

A good day-planner is an absolute must for any student. Use it to write down deadlines and assignments, meetings, or scheduled activities. This may seem like common sense, but knowing what lies in store for you on any given day makes you more efficient.

Plan ahead

Consider this situation: you are assigned a lengthy term paper on the first day of classes. It isn't due until finals week. You have a million other things going on, and put the paper off until the week before finals, only to find that you have even more to do then! Think ahead to what your schedule looks like for the entire semester and plan accordingly. Some weeks are busier than others, and a little preparation can make these times more manageable.

Break it down

One time management trick is to not let large projects overwhelm you. Writing a research paper is a time consuming task, but it becomes more manageable when you break it down. Instead of sitting down to work on the paper all at once, consider spending an hour here and there working on pieces of it. Spend some time on brainstorming, library research, outlining, and drafting at different times. If you have some time to spare, work on an individual part of the paper. This allows you to space things out, and also prevents the feeling of being in too deep.

Schedule your time

Successful time management involves discipline. As a student you must schedule your time just like at the workplace. Goofing off and procrastinating will get you fired at an outside job, so why should you put up with it in your school work? Schedule blocks of hours for homework, writing, and studying and stick to it. Consider yourself at work: off limits to friends and distractions. Don't neglect yourself, though. You can also schedule time to see a film or go to dinner with friends!

Overcome procrastination

Procrastination is the enemy of time management, and a student's biggest foe. This is a difficult one to overcome, because humans are hard-wired to prefer instant rewards (like Bejeweled) over long-term rewards (like an A on a paper). It can be difficult to beat procrastination completely, but by eliminating distractions in your work environment (consider temporarily disabling your internet) you can make a good start. Scheduling your time and breaking down your workload into manageable chunks can also help.

Practice efficiency

Make use of the time that you normally spend doing nothing. If you find yourself stuck in a long line or waiting in a doctor's office use this time to get work done. Keep a few short projects on hand for just this situation. Whether you are going over lecture notes or brainstorming for a project, you can be sure that your time is not wasted by reading a magazine from four years ago or staring into space.

Say 'No'

As a student, there is a lot of competition for your time. Though you may want to make a good impression with a professor by picking up an extra research project or helping with departmental activities, know your limits. If you don't have the time to do something, say so. This goes for friends as well. Don't be guilted into watching a movie or staying out late when you don't have time. Politely decline if you can't fit something into your schedule.