Helping students to manage
their time effectively
Dr Michelle Reid, University of Reading
ADSHE Networking Day 17.06.10
Overview of session
• What time management challenges do university
students face?
• 3 Ps – three crucial areas of time management
• Sharing strategies
• Useful resources – LearnHigher website, video
resources and year planners
www.reading.ac.uk/studyadvice
Avoiding your time sponges
On a post-it note:
Write down one of your time sponges (e.g.
facebook, emails, talkative colleagues)
Pass the post-it to someone next to you and they
write a suggestion for avoiding that distraction
www.reading.ac.uk/studyadvice
Time management at university
• Modular degrees - simultaneous deadlines
• 2nd / 3rd year can be more challenging transitions
• More outside commitments - paid work, desire to
enhance CV
• Less independent - more reliant on parents
• Travel time - commuting / living at home
• Wider variety of distractions - online time sponges
Almost all students have to adapt their strategies
www.reading.ac.uk/studyadvice
LearnHigher research into
student time management
• Planning methods need to be flexible
• Prioritising often more of an issue than planning
• Procrastination causes greatest anxiety
• Formats need to be visual - help students visualise their
time usage
• Flexibility and multi-use more important than being
technologically advanced
• Peer advice and strategies often more engaging
www.reading.ac.uk/studyadvice
Planning
• Being informed (knowing deadlines, where to find info,
visible plans) underpins planning
• Often students believe planning must be rigid
• Adapt to suit learning styles / ways of working
• Build in catch-up time and flexibility
• Different levels – quick fix, short term, long term
• Model breaking down project into stages
www.reading.ac.uk/studyadvice
Prioritising
The key concept to managing time at university:
• Students often don’t realise they can’t (and aren’t
expected) to do everything
• Have to be selective – based on personal goals
• Different learning styles lead to different
priorities and use of time
• Students need to justify their decisions to themselves
• What are the consequences if I don’t do this?
www.reading.ac.uk/studyadvice
Procrastination
• Lack of confidence about study practices
• Overwhelm - failing to plan for multiple deadlines
• Distractions - socialising, too many commitments
• Poor concentration - unsuitable study conditions or
times
• Inability to prioritise - failure to identify goals
• Persistent procrastination - perfectionism or low-self
esteem
www.reading.ac.uk/studyadvice
Sharing strategies
In small groups:
1) Go to one of the A1 sheets (Planning , Prioritising,
Procrastination)
2) Discuss any strategies and resources you have used
to help your students in this area
3) Write them on the sheet
4) After 5 mins – move to the next sheet – do the same
again and add to the list of strategies
www.reading.ac.uk/studyadvice
Time management resources
LearnHigher tutor video resources:
www.learnhigher.ac.uk/videoresources/
LearnHigher website:
www.learnhigher.ac.uk/learningareas/timemanagement/home.htm
LearnHigher Folding Year Planners:
www.learnhigher.ac.uk/learningareas/timemanagement/lhyearplanner.htm
ASK (Assignment Survival Kit):
www.learnhigher.ac.uk/ask/
University of Reading Study Advice website:
www.reading.ac.uk/studyadvice
www.reading.ac.uk/studyadvice
Michelle Reid
michelle.reid@reading.ac.uk
www.reading.ac.uk/studyadvice