Time Management

Research has shown, early preparation is the key to doing well in your courses. Having a keen grasp of how you spend your time each day, will help you on the road to better preparation.

  • Think about how you normally study. Where do you study? What time of the day?
  • How long can you concentrate without a break? If you need a break every 15 or 30 minutes, take a short break. Walk around your room, or stretch to help keep you motivated.
  • Do you take the train or bus to school or to work? While you are waiting take a book with you, and use those few minutes to read another chapter.
  • Do you review the lecture material immediately after class? This gives you the greatest chance of remembering the important details, and will make sure you really do understand it.

Procrastination

  • Do you tend to put assignments, reading or prepping for an exam off until the last minute?
  • Do you always end up cramming for exams at 3am.? Do you always find yourself doing an "all-nighter"?
  • Do you wonder how it is that other people manage to get to class on time, with all reading and homework done, and still look like they've managed to sleep?

Does this sound like YOU? If you said yes, you may be suffering from: PROCRASTINATION

It's a common student disorder affecting up to 37% of students which, if left to run unchecked, may result in missed assignments, low grades, stress and the feeling that you'll never make it.

Quick Tips:

  • Recruit a friend to motivate you/act as study partner.
  • Promise yourself a reward if you get it done in time.
  • PLAN to do it.
  • Just start... Work for 15 minutes. Then give yourself a break.
  • Find a study area that works for you. The library, your favorite chair or the local coffee shop.
  • Keep your study area neat, so you don't get distracted with cleaning/looking for a pen/finding your desk.
  • Get all your materials together: pens, paper, laptop and snacks.
  • Try to get rid of distractions.
  • Most of all do not give up!  Get organized! Time management and developing good study skills takes time.

Time Management Calculator

Sometimes the simple act of writing down and planning out how your time is being spent each day, helps you determine different ways to more efficiently manage your time. This time management calculator may help you manage your time more efficiently. (Adapted from the University of Connecticut)

Instructions

  • Each question is asking you to submit an average
  • You must answer the questions in order.
  • Insert your "Hours Per Day" for Questions 01-05 and click "Multiply" for each.
  • Next, insert your "Hours Per Week" for Questions 06-09.
  • Click "Add" to total your "Hours Per Week" for all activities (except studying).
  • Click "Subtract" to find out how many hours you have left for studying each week.
  Number of Hours per Day Number of Days per week Click the "Function Button" to complete the calculation. Number of hours per week
On the average, how many hours do you sleep in each 24 hour period, including those afternoon naps?
On the average, how many hours a day do you engage in grooming activities?
On the average, how many hours a day do you spend on meals, including preparation and clean-up time?
How much time do you spend commuting to and from campus and how many times do you do this during a week?  Include the amount of time it takes to park and walk from your car or the bus stop to class.
On the average, how many hours a day do you spend doing errands?
On the average, how many hours do you spend each week doing co-curricular activities (student organizations, working out, church, etc.)?
On the average, how many hours a week do you work at a job?
How many hours do you spend in class each week?
On the average, how many hours per week do you spend with friends, going out, watching TV, going to parties, etc?
Click the Add button to compute the number of hours you are spending each week engaged in daily living activities and school activities.
There are 168 hours in a week. Now you can click the Subtract button to find out how many hours remain for studying, since this is not one of the activities included above.