Study Skills and Time Management

Self-help

Study Skills and Time Management

Time management is a skill that takes a lot of practice, and there are many things that can get in the way. Anxiety, expectations of others, personal standards of perfectionism, and distractions are barriers that many students experience. Avoidance is the most challenging obstacle to building time management skills, but incorporating small habits gradually can make a big impact on your ability to optimize your time.

3 Time Management Techniques

01.

Make a Schedule

Use time blocking. Set aside time weekly to organize your schedule and create a plan for the week.

02.

Organize Responsibilities

Assign levels of importance to your weekly tasks or goals using the Eisenhower matrix. Ensure high importance items have prime time on your schedule first. Next add medium, then lower items to the empty spaces.
- Remember the time fallacy tricks us into thinking we are faster at tasks than we are so give extra time for items of importance.

03.

Implement Time Boundaries

Practice boundaries to prevent overscheduling.
- “I appreciate the invite, but I am focusing on (fill in your priority) this week. I will let you know if my schedule changes.”

Helpful Resources

No tool is perfect so explore many options to find the ones that meet most of your needs.

Schedule Tools

Study Tools

Body doubling is a productivity strategy that creates accountability by working with another person present. Schedule time with a classmate for silent study sessions in the same place or on a video call. You can also find videos or live streams for body double study sessions.
Breaks create energy to fuel productivity! Use a pomodoro timer to signal time for breaks. Use short breaks wisely to take a walk or listen to a motivating song instead of getting lost in a video. Use long breaks to incorporate activities that rejuvenate you such as spending time with friends or engaging in your hobbies.

Information and Additional Resources

Utilize Action Tutoring to take ownership of your academic success.
Student Optimization Mini Series; including getting into the study zone and boosting focus
College Info Geek podcast and resource site.
Professors, advisors, and fellow students are your greatest resources because they can provide customized real-life strategies based on your unique situation. You are not alone and support from others provides encouragement when there are not enough hours to complete all of your tasks.