Time Management for Busy Students

Whether you are a “traditional” college student, a retired adult learner, or a part-time student who works a full-time job, time management is vital to your academic success. Here are a few tips to stay afloat in busy times.

Establish a Schedule

Good time management starts with good routines. Make a weekly schedule that suits your life. When do you attend class? When do you have other obligations, like work, clubs, or appointments? Don’t forget about errands and housework, such as laundry and cooking– it helps some people to choose a consistent day and time for these tasks. It is important to be honest with yourself as you write up your schedule. Are you a morning person or a night owl? Save your most important school work for times that you are likely to be in your best cognitive shape. Be sure to include some time for whatever rejuvenates you, whether that is rest, socializing, or exercise. You will struggle to complete your other tasks if you don’t make just a little time for yourself!

Anticipate Challenges

We all get distracted by our vices; for you, maybe it’s checking your social media or finding someone nearby (or on your phone) to talk to. Avoid these activities during time slots that you have dedicated to class work. These distractions can instead become your reward for completing class work or other tasks. You can even indulge in certain preferred activities while completing a necessary task, which James Clear calls “temptation bundling” in his popular book Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones. For example, you can listen to your favorite comedy podcast while you do housework. However, some “time wasters” are just that– wastes of time that don’t add value to your life. If you know you’re scrolling social media too much, you should spend less time doing it, even when it is a reward.

Unfortunately, life happens. Circumstances change, and inconveniences small and large, like illness or car troubles, can surprise you at the worst moments. Try to build buffer time into every week– you never know when you might need it. Prioritizing your tasks is important for this reason, too. Consider which tasks and assignments you can either delay or disregard if you run low on time one week.

Ask for help

Your classmates face some of the same time management challenges you do, and you know they’re working on the same assignments. Get to know them! It might be helpful to find a study buddy so that you can ask questions, discuss course material and share resources. You could also consider finding an accountability partner among your classmates so that you can check in regularly and encourage each other to meet your goals. Remember that HACC’s Learning Commons and Library is available to assist you with your classwork through tutoring, academic coaching and its extensive catalog of books, media and scholarly articles.

If you feel overwhelmed by obligations at work or at home, see if someone there is available to help relieve the burden. Perhaps your housemate can take care of the dishes during a particularly busy week for you, or you can delegate certain tasks to your coworkers. Lean on the people in your life who care about you when your plate becomes too full– they want you to do well in your classes. Just be sure to return the favor!