Time Management
Student academic skills center
Dr. Marsha Urban
Rusty Walker
Nanci Fowler Morgan
Time Management
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Good time management skills =
academic success.
Time management has two
parts: managing time and
managing goals.
STUDENT ACADEMIC SKILLS CENTER
Manage Time
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Term Calendar
Weekly Schedule
To-do list
STUDENT ACADEMIC SKILLS CENTER
Term Calendar
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Read your syllabus for each class and
record all academic events, deadlines,
and due dates.
Break down large projects into smaller
tasks. (Ex: a large term paper can be
broken down into finding a topic, doing
research, outlining the paper, writing the
paper, editing the paper, and checking
the bibliography.)
Post the calendar on the wall near your
desk to use as a point of reference
throughout the semester.
STUDENT ACADEMIC SKILLS CENTER
Weekly Calendar
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List what you do in a day to “see”
how your time is being used.
Find the spaces of time that are
available (time between classes,
waiting for friends after their
classes, etc.).
Start with a calendar that breaks
the day into hours. Put all
commitments on the calendar.
This is a graphical map of your
time for each week.
STUDENT ACADEMIC SKILLS CENTER
To Do List
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Each day write a to do list on a
small piece of paper or an
index card as a guide for your
day.
This sets your intention to
accomplish specific tasks
during your day.
How are you going to use your
time?
STUDENT ACADEMIC SKILLS CENTER
Strategies
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Use your daylight hours. An hour of
studying during the day is more
productive than an hour after dinner.
During the week, schedule time for
review for every class. This builds an
active review time.
Specify when you will spend time
studying for each class—set beginning
and ending times—create a routine for
success.
Use small chunks of time—even 5-15
minutes between classes—since they
are valuable for study.
STUDENT ACADEMIC SKILLS CENTER
Strategies (cont.)
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Schedule exercise.
Consistent sleep schedules
support deep sleep.
Eat breakfast every day.
Take time for yourself.
Learn to say no.
STUDENT ACADEMIC SKILLS CENTER
Manage your goals
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Goal Setting: (You are more likely to
be a successful student if you have a
clear idea of what you want to achieve
and accomplish.)
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Write out long range goals.
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Why am I attending college?
What do I hope to achieve?
Choose your top five goals.
How can I achieve my goals?
STUDENT ACADEMIC SKILLS CENTER
Manage your goals (cont.)
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Strategies:
 Write specific goals that are
measurable (ex: B+ average and
attend all classes.)
 Write realistic goals. Challenge
yourself, don’t defeat yourself.
 Discuss your goals with a
mentor.
 Post your goals where you can
see them. Periodically review
your goals.
 Goals must be clear, concrete,
and important.
STUDENT ACADEMIC SKILLS CENTER
Review of Time Management
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Manage your time
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Term Calendar
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Weekly Calendar
To do list
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Manage your goals:
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Write out your goals.
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Discuss your goals with a mentor.
STUDENT ACADEMIC SKILLS CENTER
Study Tips
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Identify your best time of the day.
Study difficult and boring subjects
first.
Use the same place for formal
study time.
Use the library.
Avoid distractions.
Use waiting time.
Treat college as a full-time job.
STUDENT ACADEMIC SKILLS CENTER