Time Management Tips And Tricks to Help You Succeed This School Year

We’re in the thick of exam season, and you know what that means—lots of classes and busy schedules. As a recent graduate, I can't even begin to emphasize how important time management is not only to get everything done on time, but also to keep your stress and anxiety levels at bay. 

Studies have shown that a positive correlation exists between improvement in time management skills and the severity of anxiety, depression, and sleep quality. 

Trust me, it's a lot easier said than done. It can seem nearly impossible to squeeze everything into the 24 hours in a day, especially in college, between classes, meals, exercise classes, extracurriculars, social functions, and assignments. Sound familiar? We've come up with a list of time management strategies and tips that you'll want to keep in mind during the academic year and beyond whether you're a freshman in college or heading into your senior year. 

What are 7 tips in time management?

Establish a routine 

Not everyday will look the same and that's okay, however, trying to establish a routine can help foster a sense of normalcy. This can be particularly helpful for incoming students who are still getting acquainted with college life and living away from home. 

Get yourself a planner (digital or paper) and make a list of your classes, extracurricular activities, work responsibilities, and anything else that needs to get done in the week. Plan out what you have going on ahead of time and try to stick to it. At first, you may realize that you left too little or too much time dedicated to certain activities and that's okay. Try to adjust your schedule until you find a routine that works and is feasible for you to follow. If you make a schedule that's too rigid, then you're less likely to follow it. 

While it's important to have an idea of what's going on, remember that things happen and plans change. 

Take breaks 

College is a balancing act whether you're studying for an exam or heading off to work for the evening. You might think that sitting down in the library with your head buried in a textbook is the key to success. Well, that can be true, however, it's equally as important to take breaks. 

Studies have shown that those who take frequent breaks while working actually end up being more productive overall. The brain typically operates in spurts where you'll have about an hour of high productivity before switching into low gear. 

The Pomodoro Technique calls for work sessions of 25 minutes followed by a five-minute break, with a 15-minute break at least once every two hours. 

This work-break technique may not be effective or helpful for individuals with ADD or ADHD so you'll want to talk with your provider about coping strategies and potential medications that can help if that sounds like the case. 

Assess priorities 

On some days, you may find that you have too much to do and frankly not enough time. These instances can be overwhelming, but it can help to assess your priorities and work accordingly. For example, if you have an exam tomorrow you haven't studied for that counts for 40 percent of your overall grade, then you'll probably want to prioritize that over a standard homework assignment for a different class that's only 1 percent of your grade. On the flipside, if you have a club meeting and haven't yet studied for an exam, then you may consider skipping the meeting and spending that time studying instead. 

Get enough sleep 

There's no doubt you'll probably pull an all-nighter at least one time in your college career, however, you don't want to make a habit out of it. According to The Sleep Foundation, college students generally need between seven and nine hours of sleep per night. Not only can this help prevent daytime drowsiness, but also improve concentration, memory, and overall mood. 

If you don't get enough sleep, then you might notice yourself having a difficult time focusing in class or remembering key facts and information, then it might be because you're not sleeping enough. 

As mentioned before, prioritize your sleep — it's more important than any exam or homework assignment you might have (although it may not always feel like it.) 

Use campus resources 

Many college campuses have resources available for students to help them develop time management skills and other strategies that can be beneficial for them during their college career. 

At my university, I was able to meet with an advisor whose job it was to look at my schedule and find areas for improvement. It can seem a bit daunting at first, but trust me, you'll want to nip any scheduling challenges in the bud before the midterms and finals. 

Aside from professional resources, many campuses have peer mentorship programs where you can meet other students and share experiences. This can be helpful to talk with students who were once in your same shoes and can potentially provide insight and advice into time management skills and resources that have helped them. 

Go to therapy 

Most college campuses offer free or low-cost therapy to students during the semester. Therapists on college campuses are well-versed in the common struggles college students face from time management issues and homesickness to anxiety and depression. In some cases, poor time management can cause feelings of anxiety and depressive symptoms which you'll want to get help for before they become unmanageable and more problematic. 

Practice self-care 

Between classes and clubs it can be easy to forget about the most important thing: you. Yes, you need to make your physical and mental health a priority in college. If you're not happy or feeling your best, then that's the point of the rest? 

It's okay to take a step back every once in a while to treat yourself and relax. For some, that might look like gathering in the common room to watch the next episode of Love Island while for others that may be getting a haircut for the first time in months. 

Regardless of how you like to unwind, give yourself permission to do so even when it feels like nobody else is slowing down. 

If there's one lesson I learned in college, it's that if you don't take time to relax, your body will take it for you at a time that's not convenient. 

Now that you have a few time management tips and tricks up your sleeve, it's time to put them into action. Remember, slow and steady wins the race. Start small by perhaps getting a planner and see how that goes. Then, work your way to add other healthy habits into your routine from developing a consistent sleep-wake cycle and taking frequent breaks during the day.

Anxious about school? UpLift has tools to match you with a therapist that works for you—because everyone deserves access to a provider that understands them.