Time Management Strategies
- Have, maintain, and use a semester calendar to indicate when major projects will be due, exams will be given, and events will be held. Plan ahead to minimize the effect of "crunch" periods.
- Keep and use a date book for appointments, meetings, classes, and errands.
- Take time each week to review what is coming up the next week and plan time for doing assignments, projects, errands, etc. Ask yourself, "What are my goals for the week?"
- Maintain an on-going list of things to do. Better yet, prioritize your "things to-do" according to their importance.
- Use small bits of time effectively. In 15 minutes you can review, edit, and revise your notes from a recent lecture. Think about other ways to effectively use these small bits of time between classes and meetings. Ask yourself, "What is the best use of my time right now?"
- Know what times of day are best for you mentally and physically. Use that information to help you plan your time.
- Handle each piece of paper once. Stop shuffling paper from one pile to the next. Make a decision about what to do with the paper, and do it.
- Have a tough task to do? Do it now. Don't procrastinate. If the task looks overwhelming, use the swiss cheese principle: Bite off small holes in that block.
- Take time for you: exercise, attend cultural activities, maintain healthy relationships, and get plenty of rest, otherwise, stress will mount and your quality of life will plummet.
- Learn to say, "No!