Managing my time and tasks

Prefer pen and paper? Check local stores or the campus bookstore for academic planners - these can usually be found in daily, weekly, or monthly versions.

Tip: Use color (pens, highlighters, etc.) to differentiate between classes and/or other obligations.

Prefer the digital world? There are also many helpful websites and apps that function as calendars and planners. Your smartphone's built-in calendar app can schedule events and send you reminders, and many phones have a notes or tasks app that let you create a to-do list or write down important dates. Check out recommended Student Planner Apps of 2023 Links to an external site. for a list of options to get you started, or simply search "Student planners" in your app store or online. 

It's often easier to keep track of more obvious uses of our time - how many hours a week you spend in class or at work, for example. But most people have no idea how much time they might spend on things like scrolling social media, socializing with friends, or even walking around campus. Once you're aware of where you're time has been going, you have the information and the power to make changes.

Use this Time Use Log and Chart Download Time Use Log and Chart

to track where your time is being spent and make changes.

At the start of each week, intentionally write down your Ideal Schedule.

• You can use this Ideal Schedule Template Download Ideal Schedule Template
  to get started or you can follow the instructions and use your own paper or digital planner.

While setting a weekly schedule helps with planning and day-to-day scheduling, it's also helpful to be able to look ahead and see a bird's eye view of your whole semester with a Master Calendar. Some weeks will be jam-packed with assignments and activities while others might be pretty open. By knowing which is which, you can plan ahead to offset activities or work from heavy weeks onto lighter ones for better balance.

• Use this Master Calendar Template Download Master Calendar Template
  or follow the instructions on your own planner.

Have everything written down but find yourself procrastinating because you don't know where to start? Prioritize your tasks! This can be as simple as organizing your tasks by time or importance, or you can use a prioritization strategy like the Eisenhower Method. Watch this short "Eisenhower Matrix" Links to an external site. YouTube video or visit the How to Be More Productive by Using the Eisenhower Box Links to an external site. website for an explanation of how to use the method. Then print off this Eisenhower Matrix PDF Download Eisenhower Matrix PDF

 or find and download an Eisenhower Method app to get started!

Do you sit down ready to get started on work, but find yourself getting distracted? Use a Pomodoro Timer! The timer sets a specified time for 'work' and then alerts you when it's time for a break. For example, you may set the timer for 25-minute work blocks, then after 25 minutes you allow yourself 5 minutes as a break, before starting another 25-minute work block. Be sure to actually use the break - get up and stretch, grab a snack, scroll social media, send a text, etc.

Try out this easy-to-use online Pomodoro Timer Links to an external site. or check out other apps and websites you can use with various extra functions.

Find yourself writing 'study time' into your schedule but consistently skipping it for other activities instead? Hold yourself accountable! Set up a reward system for completing work, such as treating yourself to a special dinner once you complete an assignment. You can also set up smaller rewards and break a task into smaller chunks - reward yourself with a special snack or short activity for each completed chunk.

Find yourself still accepting rewards without the work? Create an accountability buddy! Enlist a friend, classmate, or family member to hold you accountable and check in with you about your work. You can even schedule work times together - be mindful to avoid these times becoming social hours though!

It's time to write a paper and you find yourself staring at a blank screen? Try organizing your paper with headers, footers, or sections if applicable. Put in placeholders for information based on section or create an outline of your paper before writing out full paragraphs. Typing anything onto that blank page can trick our brains into feeling less intimidated, making the rest of the process easier.

Finally - one of the biggest distractions students often report is their easy access to the internet. Turn your phone on airplane mode while you work to minimize distractions, or use any 'focus' functions your smartphone may have to limit nonessential notifications. If your assignment doesn't need the internet, consider turning your laptop to airplane mode as well. If you do need internet, consider completing your work on a library or computer lab computer to limit access to frequently visited sites or saved passwords.

Visit Tutorial Services Links to an external site. for one-on-one support in building time management skills and problem-solving scheduling concerns.

Ready to start managing your time more effectively? Log your time for one week, then use it to create an Ideal Schedule and Master Calendar.

Ready to start minimizing procrastination and distractions? Choose one of the five strategies listed above and test it out. Remember - finding strategies and methods that work for you might be a trial and error process. Don't give up!