Time Management
In the Beginning…
Trap yourself: Set up your class schedule with early and late classes “anchoring” your days. Whether you live on
campus or off, use the time between classes to study. You’re “trapped” on campus anyway, so why not study?
Face the facts: it’s 1 hour in and 2 hours out (roughly speaking). The rule of thumb is to study at least two hours
per week for each credit hour you are taking. This can vary a lot, depending on the courses you take. Still, if you
don’t put in enough time, you will reduce your chances of getting a top grade.
Mind Games: Tell Yourself...
I’ll put a week in my pocket. During the first week of class, do the reading for the first two weeks; that way you
will have a week “in reserve” to draw upon later if problems arise (illness, family problems, a break-up, etc).
School is my 9 to 5 job. (Get to campus by 9 and leave at 5.)
My PRIME TIME is precious and I won’t waste it. Experiment with studying at different times of day to discover
when your concentration is best. For many students, one hour of daytime study is equivalent to one and a half
hours of evening study.
I’ll start with the hardest. Do your toughest homework first each day (or at least start it). You will be more alert
and the task won’t seem insurmountable.
All those minutes add up! Use every bit of time available – commuting, waiting in an office, taking a break at
work. The trick is to know which type of homework you can realistically do in each place and then bring it with
you: Read on the train. Bring a few math problems to solve during a break at work. Study foreign language
flashcards as you wait for a bus or walk across campus. You can get a lot done during small periods of time...
Even if I don’t feel like studying now, I will study for 15 minutes. The hardest part of studying is getting started.
This is a way to trick yourself into starting.
I'll call myself a liar whenever I start telling myself I’ll study later on. Ask yourself how often you’ve actually
studied “later on” (as soon as I get home, on Saturday, etc).
Break it Up
Break up big jobs into small, very specific tasks. Don’t tell yourself that you will sit down and write a ten-page
paper; tell yourself that you will find three articles and read them. Break up long reading assignments into shorter
ones.
Review your lecture notes within 24 hours of the lecture. This usually takes only 10 minutes and it really pays
off when exams roll around.
Take study breaks. Many students like to study for an hour and then take a five or ten-minute break. This can
vary, depending on the subject you’re reading and how alert you are.
Don’t let a study break lead you astray. Think about the kinds of things that are realistic to do during a break.
Eating a snack is fairly safe, but watching television or checking Facebook or email can easily lead to a two-hour
“break".
If your book is huge, break it up -- literally. Go to Kinko's or a similar place and get the binding cut from your
textbook and the pages hole-punched. Insert the pages in a big binder and keep that at home. Then carry a
chapter at a time in your backpack in a small binder. You'll find that you actually do the reading this way because
you aren't leaving the book at home on account of the weight.
Be Your Own Boss: Schedule your Work
Post a semester calendar above your desk (or somewhere else). This calendar should include exams and
papers, but not reading assignments. You need to be able to see the big picture in order to plan ahead.
Your boss doesn’t say, “Try to get some work done sometime.” Your boss tells you precisely what to do and
when. Do the same with your homework.
Establish the habit of studying at specific times each day. This will keep you from constantly thinking about
whether you should study or not (and then feeling guilty when you aren't studying)
Try using a weekly schedule. Write in all of your fixed items like classes and regular work hours. Next, Xerox
this schedule so that you have one copy for each week of the semester. Finally, every Sunday night (or another
time), sit down and write in specific homework assignments on your weekly schedule.
Try to do lists. If you are a person who prefers more flexibility, use a daily and/or weekly to do list. Sit down
every Sunday night to write a list of all the homework and reading you want to do for the week. Each evening,
write a short list of what you will do tomorrow. (You may want to write your daily list on a post-it note and stick it
on your alarm clock.)
Write a separate to do list for school work and do that first. If you mix items like “read pp.23-56” with items
like “buy a new shirt,” guess which item you will do first? If you try to clear away all your chores before you start
studying, it will be 10:00 p.m. before you open a book.
You are Not a Machine
Get 7 to 9 hours of sleep. There’s no point in shortchanging yourself on sleep. Researchers have found that you
won’t be able to work at top efficiency if you are sleep deprived
Eat right and work out. Don’t get carried away, but a little exercise can help you stay healthy, happy, and more
alert.
Plan to do something fun every weekend. Don’t’ deprive yourself of fun for too long or you may find yourself
getting way off track.
Remember that a schedule is not carved in stone. At times you need to be flexible.
Reality Check (Prioritize)
You only have 24 hours each day and you can’t do everything. Cut back if you find yourself working too
much, participating in too many activities, etc.
Prioritize: What’s most important to you? If school is your top priority, cut back on the other things in your life.
You can’t learn everything. Identify what’s most important in your lectures and books. You might guess
incorrectly at times, but if you try to learn everything, you won’t know anything in depth … and you will miss far
more test questions.
Source: http://www.uic.edu/depts/ace/time_mgmt.shtml