how to manage time wisely essay

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Time Management Is About More Than Life Hacks

• Erich C. Dierdorff

Your productivity hinges on these three skills.

There is certainly no shortage of advice — books and blogs, hacks and apps — all created to boost time management with a bevy of ready-to-apply tools. Yet, the frustrating reality for individuals trying to improve their time management is that tools alone won’t work. You have to develop your time management skills in three key areas: awareness, arrangement, and adaptation. The author offers evidence-based tactics to improve in all three areas.

Project creep, slipping deadlines, and a to-do list that seems to get longer each day — these experiences are all too common in both life and work. With the New Year’s resolution season upon us, many people are boldly trying to fulfill goals to “manage time better,” “be more productive,” and “focus on what matters.” Development goals like these are indeed important to career success. Look no further than large-scale surveys that routinely find time management skills among the most desired workforce skills, but at the same time among the rarest skills to find.

• Erich C. Dierdorff is a professor of management and entrepreneurship at the Richard H. Driehaus College of Business at DePaul University and is currently an associate editor at  Personnel Psychology.

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Essay on Time Management for Students and Children

500+ words essay on time management.

Essay on time management-In today’s scenario people are so busy in their lives that they are not getting time for themselves. Due to which time management has become the need of the hour. Time management is playing a vital role in mankind . Time management creates discipline or vice versa. If you want to be successful in life then you need to manage your time. As a result, various billionaires teach about time management.

The Meaning of Time Management

In our daily life, we have got only twenty-four hours in a day. Therefore we cannot do everything in one day. This creates limitations in our everyday work. In order to manage work, social life and sleep, division of time is important. In a particular way division of time is the need. This will help the person to complete all his tasks. You should write your tasks in a schedule.

Designing has to be in a way that each task gets enough time. Your work should have the highest priority. The second priority should sleep. And the last but not the least your social life. Your social life includes family and friends.

In order to live a happy and peaceful life socializing is important. Too much workload can make a person ill. So, give your mind a little rest. Spending time with family can help you with this. Moreover, the main purpose to work is to fulfill the needs of the family. Since the fulfillment of needs is important. Which makes a person happy.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Importance of Time Management for Students

Though adults are working, the students are not spared with work. The students today have many studies to do. Because of this, they are not getting time to enjoy their childhood. Time management for students has become a crucial need. Education has become vast. Therefore proper scheduling of time is important.

A good student knows the importance of studies . But he should also know time never comes back. Thus a student should take out time for personal development too. Since personal development is important for their proper growth. Moreover, personality development is also important for a student. They should at least take out one hour for sports. Sports teach student teamwork. Since it is enjoyable it lessens the stress of the day.

The daily routine is School or college, and then coaching. This leaves with no time of self-studies. Self-study is an important aspect of education. The student should not neglect this. As the day ends, they get too tired. Due to which there is no energy left. This degrades the performance of the student.

There is a difference between a topper and an average student. That difference is proper time management. A topper student schedules his time. While an average student does not do that. And because he never manages time, he gets no time for self-study. Which in turn leaves him behind.

How to Manage Time?

A person should eliminate unnecessary activities from their daily schedule. On weekends you should do it. Especially should socialize on weekends. Also, include traveling time in the schedule. This ensures accuracy.

Most Noteworthy, make a time table on paper. In which you should write your daily activities. This will create discipline in your life. Moreover, you should complete the task daily. However, there will be some changes in the schedule with time.

Finally, your schedule needs to be practical. You cannot make a schedule unless you know your daily timings. Each persons’ schedule is unique if you copy you won’t progress in life.

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Essay on Time Management

• Updated on  
• Aug 27, 2022

“Time isn’t the main thing, it’s the only thing”- Mile Davis.

Time management is a prestigious topic for budding subconscious minds. It is one of the most crucial skills that you must inculcate from early on. This skill has vital importance when you move into a professional setting. It is extremely important to manage time efficiently as not managing time can create many problems in your day-to-day life. It is also a common essay topic in the school curriculum and various academic and competitive exams like IELTS , TOEFL , SAT , UPSC , etc. This blog brings you samples of essays on time management with tips & tricks on how to write an essay.

Essay on Time Management in 200 words

Time stops for none and is equal for all. Everyone has the same 24 hours in a day but some people make better use of time than others. This is one of the most important reasons some people are experts in what they do. Therefore, time management plays a vital role in both personal as well as professional lives.

Time management is basically an effort made consciously to spend a certain amount of time performing a task efficiently. Furthermore, it is estimated that to have better results, one needs to do productive work. Thus, productivity is the key focus here. Moreover, maintaining a careful balance between professional life, social life, and any other hobbies or activities is a great example of efficient time management.

Time management is also crucial for students from an academic perspective as students require to cover many subjects. Thus, efficiently managing time is an important skill in everyone’s life.  Around the world, there are two views for time management – linear time view and multi-active time view. The linear time view is predominant in America, Germany and England, and it aims at completing one task at a time. Whereas a multi-active view aims at completing a number at once and is predominant in India and Spain. Nevertheless, time management is one of the important traits of a successful individual, students are advised to follow whichever is convenient for them.

Essay on Time Management in 300 Words

Time Management is a key skill for job opportunities as employers recruit candidates who have this efficient skill. Thus, it is advised to initiate inculcating this vital skill as soon as possible. In the academic setting, time management plays a vital role and helps in the accomplishment of tasks efficiently and effectively.

Time management is the process of planning and performing pre-scheduled activities with the aim of increasing productivity, effectiveness and efficiency. Different cultures hold different views on Time Management. However, a multi-active time view and a linear time view are the two predominant views. In a linear time view, the aim is set to complete one particular task at a time whereas, in a multi-active view, the focus is on completing a greater number of tasks at once. Emphasis is given on productivity and effectiveness, but students are free to choose their own view of time management.

Time management is crucial as it is helpful in setting a timeline for achieving a particular goal. Moreover, it also increases the efficiency of the tasks at hand. It becomes necessary for working professionals as they need to balance their personal and professional life. Thus, they do not have time to dwell on each and every detail in every task. In such cases, a multi-active view is one of the helpful methods. Time management works best when a goal or target is set. For instance, a student becomes far more effective at learning when they decide to assign 2 hours for learning a particular concept. This is effectively a method of benchmarking progress. So, every time the activity is performed, one can measure themselves and improve upon various aspects of their tasks.The clear conclusion is that time management is a crucial skill for students and working professionals. Thus, everyone must practise time management to improve productivity and efficiency of tasks.

Tips for Writing an Essay on Time Management

To write an impactful and scoring essay here are some tips on how to manage time and write a good essay:

• The initial step is to write an introduction or background information about the topic
• You are required to use the formal style of writing and avoid using slang language.
• To make an essay more impactful, write dates, quotations, and names to provide a better understanding
• You can use jargon wherever it is necessary as it sometimes makes an essay complicated
• To make an essay more creative you can also add information in bulleted points wherever possible
• Always remember to add a conclusion where you need to summarise crucial points
• Once you are done read through the lines and check spelling and grammar mistakes before submission

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Lastly, we hope this blog has helped you in structuring a terrific essay on time management. Planning to ace your IELTS or looking for cheap foreign universities for Indian students get expert tips from coaches at Leverage Live by Leverage Edu .

Sonal is a creative, enthusiastic writer and editor who has worked extensively for the Study Abroad domain. She splits her time between shooting fun insta reels and learning new tools for content marketing. If she is missing from her desk, you can find her with a group of people cracking silly jokes or petting neighbourhood dogs.

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Time Management Tips For Writing an Essay

How to start, which place are you now, where do you want to go, tips for time management, 1. create a schedule, 2. use a timer, 3. to-do lists help organize your tasks, 4. start writing early or write late in the evening, 5. don't be afraid to wait until you are in the mood to write, 6. widen the definitions of what you mean by writing, 7. start by taking on the tough stuff first, 8. don't be fooled by the myth of multitasking, 9. outsource the fewer essentials, 10. you should spend more time planning and less time editing, 11. make sure you write your words down before you start, 12. utilize your daytime work hours to relax, 13. batch similar activities, 15. delegate tasks, 16. accept your limitations, 17. limit distractions, 18. modify the notification settings on your smartphone, 19. check your email less, the benefits of time management, 1. stress relief, 2. more time, 3. more opportunities, 4. capability to accomplish the goals.

• Joe Eckel Author Having spent more than 25 years guiding students through their theses and dissertations with great attention, Joe Eckel is now sharing his valuable experience with StudyCrumb. As a passionate researcher and instructor, he makes sure that each student gets precious insights on composing A-grade academic writing.

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• How to Manage Your Time in an Exam: 10 Expert Tips

About the Author Stephanie Allen read Classics and English at St Hugh’s College, Oxford, and is currently researching a PhD in Early Modern Academic Drama at the University of Fribourg.

Of all the odious things about doing exams (and I can think of an awful lot of them), two parts of the experience, in my opinion, vie for the title of most unpleasant.

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• The Definitive Guide to Doing Your Absolute Best in Exams
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The first is Achey Hand: that feeling, an hour or so in to any essay paper, that your poor, sore hand is probably crippled forever, and cannot possibly write one single more word without the attention of a doctor with a special qualification in muscle exhaustion. The blistered lump on your middle finger, meanwhile, is probably beyond all help. The second is the feeling of unmediated horror that will overcome most of us, at one point or another, upon realising that something has gone very wrong . Whether it’s answering too few questions or the wrong questions; or simply misreading the question you did answer – this is perhaps the most toe-curlingly horrid experience one can undergo in an exam. And of course, there are plenty of lesser evils in second, third and fourth places, like: the girl in front of you with the stress-induced nosebleed ( please !); the realisation, five minutes before the end, that you could probably have done a better job of 5b than 5a; the invigilator who catches you trying to squish in a last sentence after the exam’s over.

Unless you’re a mad adrenaline addict, you probably won’t enjoy exams. That’s a fact. They’re simply not fun . Perhaps the actual-getting-it-over-with is a bit better than the weeks of flash cards, past papers, and essay plans that precede ; and starting on the last question of the last paper, your freedom only a glimmer away, is one of the best feelings ever; but, to me, most of the other parts of the process seem designed specifically to terrify and enrage. And of course, paradoxically, the reason they can be so unpleasant is that they’re often incredibly important; a two, or three-hour time-slot that might be your only chance to show off everything you’ve learned over the past few years. The most successful students might get in a pickle about exams, just like the rest of us; they might dread them for weeks, and have days where they feel like doing anything but revision – but often, they see the task in a more practical light. Exams are fundamentally a test of your ability to make the most of the time available to show off as much as possible, and collect all the points you can. The key to nailing them is of course to know your stuff beforehand – but it’s just as much about working efficiently and in an organised way; staying cool and calm to avoid silly mistakes; having a system that makes you feel confident and stops you from panicking. Here, we’ve gathered some tips for doing just that.

Before the exam

1. know what you’re up against before you go in.

At school, I often felt like the teachers must think we were all incredibly dim, so often did they repeat phrases like ‘THREE QUESTIONS. You must answer THREE QUESTIONS. ONLY THREE! BUT NO LESS THAN THREE. Have you all got that?!’ Er… yeah! We’ve been going through past papers for three whole months. I think we all know by now how many questions we’ve got to answer… But I was wrong. In his History I.B. exam, a boy in my year who seemed to get top marks at everything he did only answered two questions. Having stressed himself out completely, and stayed up late revising the night before, he’d misread the front of the paper, and against all common sense thought the format must have changed. Now, this was clearly the direct result of nerves, and a desire to start writing quickly in order to make the most of the time available – but because of this mistake, he missed out on the grade he deserved and wanted. And someone will do this in almost every paper – I’ve done it twice, and most people I know have done something like it at least once. It seems silly, but the way to avoid it is to make sure you know exactly what you’ve got to do before you go into the exam room – it’s very unlikely that the format will change without you being told, so alarm bells should ring if the paper doesn’t look like what you expected. If you were expecting three questions and it looks like you’ve only got to do two, take a deep breath, read the instructions again – maybe even check with the invigilator – and don’t leap in without being absolutely sure of what to do.

2. Practise writing quickly

If you don’t do practice papers before an exam, you might be surprised at how difficult it is to write quickly and legibly. Messy handwriting is a very good way to annoy the person marking your paper before they’ve even started; but equally, you don’t want to undersell yourself by not finishing your answer. This might sound like overkill, but pens make a huge difference: I find I can scrawl a lot quicker with an ink pen than a biro, because I don’t have to press down on the page. Do a past paper a few days before and time it really strictly – work out a way to write quickly and neatly so that you don’t waste your first exam cracking this.

3. Be realistic

Know before you go into the exam what sort of answers you can realistically write in the time you’ve got. If you’ve got 45 minutes for an essay question, does that mean you can fit in an introduction, three main points and a conclusion? Know the amount of detail and sophistication you’ve got time for. Don’t make the mistake of setting the scope of an answer too wide, and then not being able to finish it – something concise and complete will read much better than something broadly conceived and unfinished.

In the exam: keeping on top of things

4. first: read every question carefully.

In most exams these days, you’ll have to select to answer one or two from a range of questions. Before you leap in, take a deep breath and read every question carefully. Don’t skim-read, and don’t dismiss an option before thinking about it for at least a few seconds. Examiners have a nasty habit of dressing simple questions up in bewildering language: don’t miss a gem because it’s been confusingly-worded. Similarly, once you’ve chosen a question: MAKE SURE YOU READ IT PROPERLY. A bit like doing too many or too few questions, misreading a question (especially a long answer one) can result in you missing out on marks that you deserve to get. No matter how brilliant, inspired, or interesting an answer is, if it answers the wrong question , it’ll probably be a disaster. Make sure you avoid a nightmare by reading everything carefully.

5. Divide your time up

Before an exam, when you’re double- and triple-checking how many and what sort of questions you’ve got to do, make a plan of how long you’re going to spend on each thing – and then make sure you stick to it . Students who do well in exams always know how they’re going to approach a paper, and how to portion out their time so that they don’t run out.

How you structure your time will of course vary according to the way you work, and the sorts of questions you’ve got to answer. Start by working out what carries the most marks, and how long you’re going to need to get those marks: if you’ve got to do three essays and thirty short answer questions in the space of two hours, you don’t want to spend ages on a difficult short question at the expense of the essays. When you’re planning how to spend your time, make sure you assign some time at the beginning for planning, and at the end to check and finish things off. If I’ve got to write three essays in a three-hour exam, I spend fifteen minutes at the beginning reading the paper and jotting down three short plans, and then fifty minutes writing each, with fifteen minutes at the end to read and check. However, I know people who find it much easier to launch in immediately and write the bodies of their essays in forty-five minutes each, and then leave a few blank pages at the end of each essay to come back in the last forty-five minutes and write three conclusions. Before the exam, try a few different ways of answering and find out what works best. Crucially, whatever your plan is, you must stick to it religiously. If you know you’ve got twenty minutes each for three answers, DO NOT, whatever you do, let yourself spend twenty-five minutes on the first. It’s always incredibly tempting to give yourself just another few minutes to try and squeeze one last point into your conclusion, but have the discipline to resist, because a rushed final answer will probably do more damage than an excellent first one can make up for. If you’re really tempted to spend a little more time than you’re allowed on a question, leave a blank page after your answer, and determine to come back to it at the end if you can.

6. Start with something you can really do

Some people like to launch straight into the hard stuff: to get a question they’ve been dreading out of the way, knocked on the head, leaving lots of time at the end to do everything else at a more leisurely pace. I like to start strong: with a favourite topic, or a question I know I can nail – doing something like that early, I find, makes me feel confident – I can do this . I also tend to leave the questions I’m dreading most until the end, and allot a little more time to attempt them: getting everything else out of the way so that I can concentrate on my nightmare question . This is very subjective, though: again, it’s all about experimenting before the exam to find a method that suits you best.

7. Plan long answers

As I’m sure you’ve been told a million times before, plan your long answers or essay questions, because this will enable you to write quickly and confidently, and construct better answers. But remember, your plan won’t get marked. I don’t hold with this idea that you should spend half, or even a third of your time planning – use all the time possible on actually writing , to show off how well you can express your thoughts. Frequently, new ideas occur to you as you write, that you’d never have thought of while planning. Don’t spend ages deciding exactly what you’re going to say at the expense of actually having time to say it.

8. And if disaster strikes…

If you go totally blank and find you can’t answer something, realise you’ve answered the wrong number of questions, or discover you’ve misread the question, do not panic. Quickly write down what you’ve done in your script, so that the examiner can see what’s happened, and then use the remaining time to write a new, or alternative answer in bullet-points. Get in as much information as you can; hopefully, whoever marks the paper will be sympathetic and realise that this sort of thing can happen to anyone. If you can show them that you’ve realised the problem and tried to correct your error, and that you do know your stuff, they’ll most likely be kind, and try to give you as many marks as they can.

Other bits ‘n bobs

9. ask for new scripts before you need them.

If you’re a cramming-it-all-in, mad-hurry, writing-at-the-speed-of-light sort of person, it can be incredibly frustrating waiting for the invigilator to shuffle their way over to you with more paper. If you know you’re going to need more paper in a few minutes’ time, stick your hand up while you keep writing; not only will it save you precious minutes, but stop that feeling of panic when you think the invigilator, moving at a snail’s pace and seemingly almost blind, is never going to notice your sweaty, anxiously-waving hand.

10. Don’t leave early

The temptation to leave an exam early (especially if it’s your last one, or you’ve got another later on the same day) can be almost irresistible: freedom, and an escape from the palpable tension of the exam hall. But whatever you do, resist. Sit and re-read what you’ve written; double-check all of your answers; check your spelling and rewrite any illegible, hastily-scrawled words. Twenty minutes hanging about outside the exam room, waiting for your friends to finish, or in the library preparing for the next one, are fairly inconsequential, but you can guarantee that if you leave early, you’ll immediately realise you’ve missed something important or done something catastrophically wrong. Your two hours are precious! You’ll never get it back, but you will have endless time to waste after you’re done.

Time Management: The Essay Writing/Life Balance

With everything going on in your life, how are you supposed to find the time to write your college application essay? Believe it or not, it’s easier than you think. With these simple time management tricks, you will dig up pockets of time you never knew you had, learn to use every hour of your day wisely, and maybe even find a little time to spare! (OITNB marathons do need to be finished, after all.)

Plan Out Your Day

Make a schedule of everything you would like to get accomplished during your day (we recommend doing this either the night before, or even a full week in advance).. Map out room for classes, after school activities work and any other obligations — and then add in time for essay-writing. An essay writing slot could consist of just an hour or two a day set aside to brainstorm, free write or play with your draft. Hours add up fast, and  a few hours a week can go a long way.

Take a Break

To keep your focus, take short breaks in between writing. Use this time to take a quick walk, check your messages, or get a snack (keep those energy levels up!). Plan your breaks so they’re short and contained. Watching a documentary on Netflix is not “a break” (though we do recommend that during non-essay writing time). One or two Beyonce videos (excluding Lemonade , obvs) should be enough to do the trick.

Turn off Your Phone

We know. It’s hard. PHONES ARE LIFE. Yours is probably an extension of your arm that you only put down before you hop in the shower or dive into a swimming pool (and tech accessory companies are already trying to find workarounds for those scenarios ). But we promise — you will live if you turn off your phone for an hour. Not only will you survive, you will thrive. Start by trying a single hour without your electronic devices on blast. Disconnect from the internet while you type out your essay. You will be amazed by the number of times you instinctively  itch to check your Twitter account, and also by the time you have to write when the ability to scroll through your feeds is not there.

We love a bowl of mac and cheese as much as anyone else (maybe even more).  But all the hoopla about the benefits of eating healthy is not just hype. Eating well will actually help improve your energy levels, unlike chowing down on something like candy which, after its initial boost wears off, is bound to make you sluggish. Try eating high-antioxidant foods such as blueberries and dark chocolate, whole grains, fish (hey, sushi is a brain food too), nuts, and please, please don’t skip breakfast!  

Get Your Zzzzz’s

Sleep is one of those things you don’t think you need more of until you finally feel what it’s like to have enough of it. The difference between your mind’s ability to focus and flourish when it is fully rested versus when you are running on an empty tank is astonishing.Of course, we know what you’re thinking: “How am I supposed to find time to sleep if I already don’t have time to write my essay?” Just trust us. Build 7-8 hours of sleep into your schedule and your whole LIFE will become more efficient. Tasks that would take two hours when you’re tired may only take you an hour to complete after a good night’s rest. Reset your body so you can give all you’ve got to that nifty schedule you made and make the most of every day.

Use Your Free Periods

Do you have a lunch period or a study hall? Well, instead of gossiping in the cafeteria or heading to the Dairy Queen, use at least one or two free periods a week to work on your college essay. These are also great times to do research on colleges, consult with a guidance counselor for advice, or work your way through the many supplements you have to write. Even if you don’t have a free period, you might be able to find time during the average school day to do some brainstorming or editing. Did you finish the test early? Substitute teacher? Any amount of free time could help you work toward your goal of a fabulous essay.

Now, get to writing and you’ll be done sooner than you think!

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Written by CEA HQ

Category: College Admissions , Essay Tips

Tags: Admissions , college applications , college essay , college essay advisors , college essay tips , time management , time management tips

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8 Time Management Tips for Students

Don't let a hectic schedule get the better of you with these time management tips.

Lian Parsons

College can be a stressful time for many students and time management can be one of the most crucial — but tricky — skills to master.

Attending classes, studying for exams, making friends, and taking time to relax and decompress can quickly fill up your schedule. If you often find yourself wishing there were more hours in the day, this guide will offer time management tips for students so you can accomplish what you need to get done, have fun with your friends, and gain back some valuable time for yourself. 

1. Create a Calendar

Don’t be caught by surprise by an important paper due two days from now or a dinner with your family the same night you planned for a group study session. Create a calendar for yourself with all your upcoming deadlines, exams, social events, and other time commitments well in advance so you can see what’s coming up. 

Keep your calendar in a place where you can see it every day, such as in your planner or on your wall above your desk. If you prefer a digital calendar, check it first thing every day to keep those important events fresh and top-of-mind. For greater efficiency, make sure you can integrate it with your other tools, such as your email.

Digital calendar options include: 

• Google Calendar 
• Outlook Calendar
• Fantastical

2. Set Reminders

After you’ve created your calendar, give yourself periodic reminders to stay on track such as to complete a study guide in advance or schedule a meeting for a group project. Knowing deadlines is important; however, staying on top of the micro tasks involved in meeting those deadlines is just as important. You can set an alarm on your phone, write it down in a physical planner, or add an alert to your digital calendar. The reminders will help to prevent things from slipping through the cracks during particularly hectic days.

Make sure you’ve allotted enough time to study for that big test or write that final paper. Time management is all about setting yourself up for success in advance and giving yourself the tools to accomplish tasks with confidence. 

Read our blogs, Your Guide to Conquering College Coursework and Top 10 Study Tips to Study Like a Harvard Student , for more suggestions.

3. Build a Personalized Schedule

Each person’s day-to-day is different and unique to them, so make sure your schedule works for you. Once you’ve accounted for consistent commitments such as classes or your shifts at work, add in study sessions, extracurriculars, chores and errands, and social engagements.

Consider your personal rhythm. If you typically start your day energized, plan to study or accomplish chores then. If you fall into an afternoon slump, give yourself that time to take a guilt-free TV break or see friends.

Having a schedule that works for you will help maximize your time. Plus, knowing exactly when your laundry day is or when your intramural volleyball practice is every week will help you avoid trying to cram everything in one day (or running out of clean socks!)

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4. Use Tools That Work For You

Just like your calendar and schedule, the tools you use to keep you organized should be the right fit for you. Some students prefer physical planners and paper, while some prefer going totally digital. Your calendar can help you with long-term planning, but most of these tools are best for prioritizing from day to day.

Explore what best suits your needs with some of the following suggestions:

Planners can help you keep track of long-term deadlines, such as important essay deadlines, upcoming exams, and appointments and meetings. They often provide a monthly overview each month, as well as day-to-day planning sections, so you can stay ahead. 

• Papier – Offers a 20% student discount 

If your schedule is jam-packed and you have trouble figuring out what to do and when, scheduling day by day—and sometimes even hour by hour—can help you slot in everything you need to do with less stress.

• Structured app

Note Taking

From class to study sessions to errands, keeping track of everything can feel overwhelming. Keeping everything in one place, whether on the go or at your desk, can help keep you organized.

• Bullet journals

5. Prioritize

Sometimes there really is too much to do with too little time. In these instances, take just a few minutes to evaluate your priorities. Consider which deadlines are most urgent, as well as how much energy you have. 

If you are able to complete simple tasks first, try getting them out of the way before moving on to tasks that require a lot of focus. This can help to alleviate some of the pressure by checking a couple things off your to-do list without getting bogged down too early.

If you are struggling to fit everything in your schedule, consider what you can postpone or what you can simply say no to. Your friends will likely understand if you have to meet them for coffee another time in order to get in a final library session before a challenging exam. 

6. Make Time to Have Fun — And For Yourself

Time management isn’t just about getting work done. It’s also about ensuring that you can put yourself and your mental wellbeing first. Consistently including time for yourself in your schedule helps to keep your mental health and your life in balance. It can also be helpful to have things to look forward to when going through stressful periods.  

Whether it’s going for a bike ride along the river, spending time with your friends and family, or simply sleeping in on a Sunday, knowing you have space to relax and do things you enjoy can provide better peace of mind. 

7. Find Support 

Preparation and organization can sometimes only get you so far. Luckily, you have plenty of people rooting for your success. Keep yourself and your classmates on task by finding an accountability partner or study buddies. Remind your roommates when you need extra space to work on a paper. 

Your school’s academic resource center is also there to support you and point you in the right direction if you need additional help. Getting—and staying—organized is a collaborative effort and no one can do it on their own. 

8. Be Realistic and Flexible 

Sometimes unforeseen circumstances will come up or you simply may not be able to get to everything you set out to do in a given day. Be patient with yourself when things don’t go exactly to plan. When building your calendar, schedule, and priorities list, be realistic about what you can accomplish and include buffer time if you’re unsure. This can help to reduce obstacles and potential friction.

Time management isn’t just about sticking to a rigid schedule—it’s also about giving yourself space for change.

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About the Author

Lian Parsons is a Boston-based writer and journalist. She is currently a digital content producer at Harvard’s Division of Continuing Education. Her bylines can be found at the Harvard Gazette, Boston Art Review, Radcliffe Magazine, Experience Magazine, and iPondr.

Managing Stress in High School

Our reasons may vary, but everyone experiences stress. Here are some of the common reasons high school students feel stressed, and what they can do about it.

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How to manage your time as a university student

Time management is an elusive skill the evades even the best of us; here are some tips that university students can use to help them keep on schedule.

Seeta Bhardwa

As soon as you wake up in the morning with the whole day in front of you, it can seem as though you have plenty of time to get a million things done. 

At 10am it’s easy to think that you will be able to read three chapters of one of your set texts, write 1,000 words of an essay, tidy your room, cook a healthy meal and go for a 10k run. But by 4pm, you find that instead you‘ve watched far too many cat videos on YouTube and have only read two pages of an article. 

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Giving yourself an unrealistic expectation of how much you can get done in a day is only going to set you up for failure. Plus it would be difficult to maintain this level of productivity for a long period of time – you will just end up burnt out and tired. 

But on the other hand if you don’t have a proper plan and aren’t strict with yourself, procrastination can creep in and stop you from achieving anything. 

So here are some tips on how to manage your time effectively. This is especially important now that university students are having to study at home and have more control of their studies. 

1. Stick to your timetable

Most lecturers are now conducting their lectures online and chances are they are sticking to their regular timetable and delivering their lectures at the exact time they would under normal circumstances. 

This means you should still attend these online lectures at the same time and not assume you will be able to access the videos at a later date. Sticking to your original lecture times means you can maintain some of the routine that you had before and will also give you a way to structure your day. 

2. Write down a list of three things you want to do each day

To-do lists are a great way to keep you on task and ensure that you get the things done that you need to. But to-do lists can be counterproductive if they are too long and just overwhelm you so much that you don’t know where to start. 

Instead, make a general list of everything you need to get done, from university work to life admin. Creating one big to-do list and dumping it onto paper will clear your mind and ensure you aren’t spending too much time trying to remember every single thing you need to do . 

Then every night before you go to bed, take three things from your “life to-do list” and write them down on a daily to-do list to get done the following day. This way you aren’t giving yourself too much to do and you’ll find you feel far more productive when you’ve ticked all three things off your list. 

Video: Five essential studying tips for students Eight tips for a balanced university life How to stop procrastinating – from a procrastination psychologist Eight ways to make the most out of your time at university

3. Set a timer

Now that you are having to spend more time studying at home, it can be easy to get distracted by everything in your room. Or even to just sit and stare into space while you put off writing that essay. 

Try setting a timer for half an hour so that you work solidly until the buzzer goes and then take a 15-minute break. Get up and walk around your room for a few minutes, do some stretches, make yourself a cup of tea – getting away from your books even for a few minutes can help you feel refreshed.

Setting the time also means that you are more likely to get work done if you think you have to work for just an half an hour, rather than sitting and working solidly for three hours. 

4. Limit distractions

And by distractions I mean your phone. Put it somewhere you can’t reach and you’ll be amazed at how much you get done when you aren’t scrolling through Instagram or Twitter every five minutes.

Alternatively if you must have your phone near you, turn off all notifications or download an app that discourages you from unlocking your phone, such as Forest. Forest grows a tree across your lock screen and the tree dies as soon as you unlock your phone. 

Identify if there might be any other distractions such as the TV, your reading book or anything else that could draw your attention away from the task at hand.

5. Figure out when you are most productive

Very few people can say that they can maintain high levels of productivity for an entire day. For most people there is a window in the day when their brain is most focused, when they are less likely to succumb to distractions and when they are able to do their most productive work.

Regardless of whether it is morning, afternoon or evening, try to structure your day around this or at least tackle your trickiest tasks during the time you feel the most alert. 

6. Set a daily schedule

This is slightly different from writing your to-do list for the day. This is more about setting a schedule for the day and ensuring that you stay on top of all the things you have to get through, but also ensuring that you schedule in leisure time, time for exercise etc. 

Not only will it keep you on track, but it also gives you things to look forward to and means that you are more likely to schedule things into the day that aren’t just university work. 

 Read more:  Tips for studying online and at home for university students

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Time Management Essay Outline: Boost Productivity & Success

Rosie Landry

As a professional writer, I know that time management is crucial for achieving success. Without it, tasks can pile up, deadlines can be missed, and stress levels can skyrocket. That’s why in this article, I’ll be discussing the importance of effective time management and how it can boost your productivity and success.

Table of Contents

Time management is not just about making the most of your time, but also about making the most of yourself. It’s a skill that can be learned and improved upon, and mastering it can have a significant impact on your personal and professional life.

Key Takeaways:

• Effective time management is crucial for achieving success
• Time management is a skill that can be learned and improved
• Mastery of time management can have a significant impact on personal and professional life

Understanding Time Management

Hello, and welcome to my article on time management! In this section, I’ll be discussing what time management is and why it’s so important in both our personal and professional lives.

Time management is the process of planning and organizing how much time you spend on various activities. This includes setting goals, prioritizing tasks, scheduling appointments, and making sure you have enough time to relax and unwind.

Effective time management is crucial because it allows us to make the most of our time. When we manage our time well, we’re able to get more done in less time, which means we have more time to focus on other things we enjoy. Additionally, time management helps minimize stress and increase overall productivity, leading to greater success both at work and in our personal lives.

Developing Time Management Skills

Effective time management is essential for achieving success in both personal and professional life. To develop strong time management skills, I recommend the following:

• Set goals: Clearly define your short-term and long-term goals to ensure that your time is spent on tasks that align with these objectives. Creating a list of priorities will help you prioritize tasks and track progress.
• Create a schedule: Map out your day and week, allocating time to specific tasks. This helps you stay on track and ensures that you have enough time to complete important tasks.
• Avoid distractions: Eliminate or minimize distractions during work hours. This includes social media, phone notifications, and even email notifications.
• Take breaks: Taking short breaks throughout the day can increase productivity and prevent burnout. Go for a walk, practice meditation, or simply step away from your workspace for a few minutes.
• Use time-saving tools: Automation tools can help streamline repetitive tasks and save time. For example, you can use tools like Grammarly to check your writing, or calendar apps to schedule meetings and appointments.

By implementing these strategies, you can boost your productivity and achieve more success in every aspect of your life.

Creating a Time Management Essay Outline

Now that we understand the importance of time management and have explored techniques for developing effective time management skills, let’s dive into how to create a time management essay outline.

The purpose of creating an outline for your essay is to organize your thoughts and ensure that your content flows logically. Here’s how to structure your time management essay:

• Introduction: Begin with an attention-grabbing statement or statistic to introduce the importance of time management. Provide some background information and explain the purpose of your essay. End with a thesis statement that outlines the main points you will cover in your essay.
• Point: Start with a clear and concise statement about the point you want to make.
• Explanation: Explain why this point is important in the context of time management.
• Example: Provide an example or anecdote to illustrate your point and make it more relatable to your readers.
• Conclusion: Summarize the main points covered in your essay and emphasize the importance of effective time management . Reinforce your thesis statement and leave your reader with a final thought or call to action.

By following this outline, your time management essay will be well-structured and easy to follow. Remember to keep your writing clear, concise, and relevant to the topic at hand.

Importance of Time Management in Academic Success

As a student, managing time effectively is crucial for achieving academic success. With competing demands such as lectures, assignments, and exams, effective time management can help you stay organized and focused.

One key benefit of good time management is improved studying quality. By allocating time for reading, research, and note-taking, you can optimize your study sessions and retain information more effectively.

Effective time management can also help you complete assignments on time, reducing the stress and anxiety associated with deadlines. With a clear schedule and specific deadlines set, you can work steadily towards completing tasks and avoid the last-minute crunch.

Furthermore, time management skills can enhance your exam preparation. By setting aside specific blocks of time for revision and practice exams, you can feel more confident and prepared when it comes to test day.

Overall, mastering time management skills can have a positive impact on your academic success. By allocating your time effectively, you can optimize your studying, complete assignments on time, and prepare thoroughly for exams.

Strategies for Effective Time Management

As a professional copywriting journalist, I know that effective time management is essential for achieving productivity and success. But knowing how to manage your time efficiently can be a challenge. Here are some strategies that have worked for me:

1. Prioritize Tasks

One of the most important steps you can take to manage your time effectively is to prioritize your tasks. Make a to-do list at the beginning of each day and rank tasks in order of importance. Focus on completing the most critical tasks first and work your way down the list.

2. Eliminate Distractions

Distractions can be a major time-waster. Try to eliminate distractions as much as possible. Turn off your phone or put it on silent mode, close unnecessary tabs on your computer, and find a quiet work environment. If you work in a noisy environment, consider using noise-cancelling headphones to help you focus.

3. Use Time-Saving Tools

There are many tools available to help you manage your time more efficiently. One example is time-tracking software, which allows you to monitor where you are spending your time and identify areas where you can improve. Other tools like calendar apps and project management software can help you stay organized and prioritize tasks.

4. Practice Time-Blocking

Time-blocking involves breaking your day into specific time blocks and allocating tasks to each block. For example, you might block off time for email and social media in the morning, then devote the afternoon to completing a specific project. This technique helps you stay on track and avoid procrastination.

5. Learn to Say “No”

One of the biggest time-management challenges is taking on too many tasks. Learn to say “no” to requests that are not essential or do not align with your goals. This will help you avoid overcommitting and ensure you have enough time for your top priorities.

By implementing these strategies, you can improve your time management skills and achieve greater productivity and success.

Balancing Work and Personal Life with Time Management

As a journalist balancing a demanding career and personal life, I understand the importance of effective time management in achieving a healthy work-life balance. It can be challenging to juggle multiple responsibilities, but with the right time management strategies, it’s possible to find harmony between work and personal commitments.

By implementing these tips, it’s possible to achieve a work-life balance that promotes overall success and well-being. Remember, effective time management isn’t about working more, it’s about working smarter and prioritizing what’s important.

Overcoming Time Management Challenges

As a professional copywriting journalist, I understand the challenges that come with managing time effectively. The constant distractions and interruptions can make it difficult to stay focused and productive. However, there are strategies you can implement to overcome these challenges and improve your time management skills.

Procrastination

One of the most common time management challenges is procrastination. It’s easy to put off tasks until the last minute, but this only leads to increased stress and reduced productivity. One way to overcome procrastination is to break down tasks into smaller, more manageable steps. Set deadlines for each step and hold yourself accountable. Additionally, try to eliminate any distractions that might be tempting you to procrastinate, such as your phone or social media.

Lack of Motivation

Another challenge is a lack of motivation . When you don’t feel motivated to complete a task, it can be hard to find the energy to get started. One technique for overcoming this challenge is to focus on the benefits of completing the task. For example, remind yourself of how good it will feel to cross the item off your to-do list. Additionally, try to find ways to make the task more enjoyable, such as listening to music or working in a comfortable environment.

Interruptions

Interruptions are another challenge that can disrupt your time management efforts. Whether it’s a co-worker popping into your office or the constant ping of incoming emails, interruptions can make it difficult to stay focused and productive. One way to overcome this challenge is to establish boundaries. Let your co-workers know when you are working on an important task and cannot be interrupted. Additionally, consider turning off notifications on your phone and computer to limit distractions.

By implementing these strategies, you can overcome common time management challenges and improve your productivity. Remember, effective time management takes practice and commitment, but the benefits are well worth the effort.

Time Management Techniques for Students

As a student, managing your time effectively can make the difference between academic success and failure. Here are some time management techniques that can help you maximize your productivity and achieve better results:

• Create a schedule: Planning your day in advance helps you stay on top of your schoolwork and other activities. Allocate blocks of time for studying, attending classes, and completing assignments.
• Use productivity apps: There are many apps available that can help you organize your tasks and stay focused. Some popular choices include Trello, Evernote, and Focus@Will.
• Practice time-blocking: This involves breaking your day down into segments and dedicating each one to a specific task. For example, you could dedicate one hour to studying for a particular subject.
• Optimize study time: When studying, it’s important to make the most of your time. Avoid distractions by studying in a quiet place, and take regular breaks to avoid burnout.
• Manage extracurricular activities: It’s important to balance your schoolwork with other activities. Prioritize your commitments and avoid overcommitting yourself.

By implementing these time management techniques, you can reduce stress, stay organized, and achieve your academic goals.

Benefits of Effective Time Management

Mastering time management skills can have numerous benefits for both your personal and professional life. Here are some of the key advantages:

Overall, effective time management can help you lead a more balanced, productive, and fulfilling life.

Conclusion on Time Management Essay Outline

As a professional copywriting journalist, I understand the value of time management in achieving success and productivity. In this article, we discussed the significance of time management in personal and professional life and explored tips for developing effective time management skills. Creating a time management essay outline is crucial for structuring your thoughts and ideas.

We also emphasized the role of time management in academic success, provided strategies for balancing work and personal life, and identified common challenges in managing time effectively. We discussed specific time management techniques that are helpful for students, such as time-blocking and using productivity apps.

The benefits of effective time management are numerous, including reduced stress, increased productivity, and improved overall well-being. It is essential to master time management skills for long-term success.

Implementing time management strategies can be challenging, but with perseverance and dedication, anyone can achieve success. By prioritizing tasks, eliminating distractions, and using time-saving tools, you can maximize your efficiency and productivity. Remember, time is a valuable resource, and managing it effectively is the key to success.

FAQ on Time Management Essay Outline

Q: what is time management.

A: Time management refers to the practice of planning and organizing one’s time effectively to achieve maximum productivity. It involves setting goals, prioritizing tasks, and allocating time appropriately to different activities.

Q: Why is time management important?

A: Time management is important because it allows individuals to make the most out of their finite time. By managing time effectively, one can accomplish more tasks, reduce stress, and achieve success in both personal and professional endeavors.

Q: How can I develop effective time management skills?

A: Developing effective time management skills can be achieved by setting goals, prioritizing tasks, creating schedules, and minimizing distractions. It is also essential to learn to delegate tasks and practice self-discipline.

Q: How do I create a time management essay outline?

A: To create a time management essay outline, start by introducing the topic and its importance. Then, structure your essay with a clear introduction, body paragraphs discussing relevant points, and a conclusion summarizing your key arguments.

Q: Why is time management important for academic success?

A: Time management is crucial for academic success as it allows students to effectively manage their study time, complete assignments on time, and adequately prepare for exams. It also helps in maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

Q: What are some strategies for effective time management?

A: Strategies for effective time management include setting priorities, eliminating distractions, using time-saving tools, and practicing good organization skills. It is also important to take regular breaks and avoid overloading oneself with tasks.

Q: How can time management help in balancing work and personal life?

A: Time management plays a key role in achieving a work-life balance by helping individuals allocate time for work, personal commitments, and self-care. It enables better planning and prioritization of activities to ensure all aspects of life are given proper attention.

Q: How can I overcome time management challenges?

A: Overcoming time management challenges can be done by addressing issues like procrastination, lack of motivation, and interruptions. Strategies such as setting realistic goals, breaking tasks into manageable steps, and practicing self-discipline can help overcome these challenges.

Q: What are some time management techniques for students?

A: Time management techniques for students include creating schedules, using productivity apps, practicing time-blocking, and setting specific study goals. It is also important for students to prioritize tasks, avoid multitasking, and seek help when needed.

Q: What are the benefits of effective time management?

A: Effective time management provides numerous benefits, including reduced stress levels, increased productivity, improved overall well-being, and the ability to achieve personal and professional goals. It also allows for better time utilization and enhances work-life balance.

Implementing effective time management strategies is crucial for boosting productivity and achieving success in various aspects of life. By managing time wisely, individuals can accomplish more, reduce stress, and lead a more fulfilling life.

About the author

I’m Rosie Landry, your friendly guide through the exciting world of practical management here on this blog. Here, I delve into everything from practical tips to complex theories of time management, combining scientific research with real-life applications. When I’m not writing about time management, you can find me with my nose in a gripping mystery novel, creating culinary delights, or out exploring nature with my faithful golden retriever, Marley. Join me as we discover how to take control of our time and enhance our lives together. If you need to reach out, do so here.

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• Time Management for Busy College Students

Time Management Tips for Busy College Students

Time is a finite resource. Balancing responsibilities at your job, home, and school is not easy. No matter what, you’re always left with the same 24 hours in a day to check items off to-do lists, spend time with family and friends, and unwind. By planning ahead and using your time wisely, you’ll be able to accomplish more and enjoy added free time.

Follow these eight time management tips and strategies to ensure that you meet deadlines, are well prepared for exams, and have time for yourself while pursuing a college degree.

1. Identify Time-Wasters and Set Goals

It’s easy to get distracted. Pay attention to what draws your focus away from your studies and assignments.

• Are you spending too much time checking social media?
• Are you prone to texting and answering personal phone calls while studying?
• Do you find that a lot of time has passed while you aimlessly browse the web?

No matter what is wasting your time, set a goal not to engage in that behavior during dedicated study time. Instead, use those activities as a reward for staying focused and accomplishing the tasks you set out to complete.

2. Plan Ahead by Creating a To-Do List

Identify what you need to do, and then prioritize the tasks based on when the assignment is due and how much time you need to complete it. This gives you a set plan for the day. Whether it’s just a list of priorities or a full schedule for the day, having a plan will ensure that you know what to do and when.

Unless there’s a pressing priority, it’s important to also consider what sort of work you’re in the mood to do.

• Do you feel creative? You may want to prioritize working on a writing assignment.
• Do you feel focused? You could spend the day studying for an upcoming exam.

3. Tackle Small Tasks to Start

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by large projects and big exams, and the anxiety can make you want to procrastinate. Start with shorter, simpler to-do items, and then move on to larger projects or assignments.

• What can you complete in the shortest time that has the fewest dependencies?
• What needs more time or has more complicated workflows?

4. Do One Thing at a Time

If you’re trying to juggle multiple assignments and tasks, you’ll likely end up being less productive. To combat the urge to multitask, ask yourself:

• What are your most common distractions (email, social media, electronics, etc.)?
• Can you turn off the devices or applications?

Turn off any devices that you can. And no matter what, don’t switch to another task until the one before it is complete. This may be a hard habit to break, but it’s worth it.

5. Establish Routines

A set routine can also help you accomplish the things you need to do. Is your home quietest in the early morning? You may want to get in the habit of regularly using that time to study or read. The more often you do this, the less you’ll have to think about when you’ll accomplish the tasks you need to finish that day.

6. Use Breaks Wisely

The time between work, classes, activities, and meetings can be used to complete tasks. People who use the Pomodoro Technique , developed in the 1990s, work in short intervals and take short, regular, timed breaks — “Pomodoros." For example, you might use a timer to work in 25-minute sprints, broken up by 5-minute breaks away from your workspace. Every fourth Pomodoro, take a longer break

7. Take Time Off

It’s important to take time for yourself. Long study sessions or chunks of time working on assignments should be broken up with time away from screens or textbooks. You need to give your mind a rest.

Many scholars have studied the impact of meditation on reducing the effects of stress-induced conditions such as back pain, irritable bowel syndrome, and insomnia. The National Institutes of Health gathered these studies and published them in “ Meditation and Mindfulness: What You Need To Know .” 

8. Learn to Delegate

While your significant other, family members, or roommates won’t be able to study for you, you can ask them to help out more around the house while you continue your education. Freeing up a little more time by having others help with household chores and errands will ensure that you can stay focused on your studies and coursework or that you can take a well-deserved break.

Additional Time Management Tips for Online College Students

As an online college student, it’s vital that you implement good time management techniques. In fact, research shows that online students who are able to self-manage their behavior are less likely to drop out of their courses and have better academic outcomes.

While all of the above tips are applicable to online college students, there are a few additional considerations:

• Establish a study space . Having a designated spot for studying can help you avoid distractions, especially if you’re trying to study in parts of your home that are regularly used for entertainment.
• Get dressed. You don’t have to go all out, but just the act of getting dressed for the day can help your brain shift from lounging mode to working mode.
• Check in each day. Studying can become easy to dismiss when you're not physically going into your classes. Therefore, make sure to visit your virtual class chatrooms, chime in on conversations, and ask your instructor questions. This will keep you engaged in the class and on top of your assignments.
• Create physical reminders. Many people these days use their phone for reminders and calendars, but getting on your phone can lead to time-wasting activities. Instead, use a physical desk calendar, sticky notes, etc.

Time Management Resources

To create and manage lists, try these apps:.

Any.do – This easy-to-use desktop and mobile app keeps your to-do lists and calendar in one central location and syncs between devices and platforms.

Remember the Milk – This is another fun app that helps you manage to-do lists across multiple devices and users.

Todoist – This app balances power and simplicity, using natural language processing to simplify scheduling as well as integration with multiple apps so you can keep all of your tasks in a centralized location. 

To Increase Productivity, Try These Apps:

RescueTime – This app runs in the background of your desktop computer or smartphone, tracking how much time you spend on various sites and apps, and it then provides a detailed report on where you spend your time. Use this information to tweak your browsing habits and work more efficiently.

Streaks – Using gamification, this app helps you form good habits. It allows you to enter up to 24 tasks and how often they should be completed. As you mark off tasks, it tracks your completion rate and streak score.

Freedom – Reduce distractions and improve productivity with this app that blocks websites and apps on your smartphone or desktop computer.

To Set Goals, Try These Strategies:

Learn how to set SMART goals — those that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

Learn more about goal setting from The National Society of Leadership and Success .

To Get More In-Depth Time Management Help, Try These Books:

• The Productivity Revolution: Control Your Time and Get Things Done! by Marc Reklau
• The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right by Atul Gawande
• Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown

Ask for Help

Take advantage of academic resources that help busy college students balance studies, work, and life. Many online schools offer peer-to-peer and faculty support. For example, Purdue Global offers personalized student support through Academic Tutoring and Support Centers . 

To learn more about online programs offered by Purdue Global,  request more information today.

About the Author

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8 Ways to Help You Manage Your Time Wisely

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It’s not about how much time you have. It’s about how effectively you  manage your time . – R.L. Adams

One of the most effective skills you can have in life is powerful and effective time management.

If there’s one thing I have learned over the years, it’s the importance of paying attention to how you use the precious time you have.

As busy parents and entrepreneurs, finding work-life balance is always challenging, but the truth is, it doesn’t need to be overwhelming.

I can tell you as a work-at-home mom that it CAN be done. Even the busiest mom can carve out pockets of breathing room within the day – with the right system in place.

Managing your time is not just good practice, but it is also good for productivity and organization. Follow a time management system that will help you get things done in order to achieve success with your goals. By managing your time properly and efficiently, you can create an organized life!

Here are some simple strategies to help you manage your time:

1. get up early.

Take a good look at your morning routine . What time do you usually start your day? How do you spend the first hour (or two)?

There are plenty of examples of how the most successful people are early risers and have a morning routine in place. Morning routines often include:

• Visualization
• Reading/Learning
• Healthy Eating
• Planning/Prioritizing
• Establish a regular morning routine to ensure that you start your days successfully. This is extremely important, as this will set the tone and pace of your entire day.

If you want to keep track of your exercise routine, here is a running routine chart that you can use. Want all of the organizing printables? Subscribe for instant access to the vault.

2. Create a To-Do List

Creating a to-do list should be a regular habit undertaken daily.

To help you feel like a superhero and finally cross every item off your list, I recommend you select three goals for each day to ensure that you can complete them. Don’t forget to prioritize the items on the list and review them throughout the day. I like to tackle the most important tasks first, particularly the ones that would take up the most time.

When you work from the hardest task to the simplest, you can actually free up more time later in the day. Also, checking off items as they are completed will give you a sense of accomplishment and motivation.

3. Use Sticky Notes

Some of us use our phones to remind us of our tasks. But you may miss an important reminder if your phone dies or accidentally hits the snooze button!

With Sticky Notes, on the other hand, you can be sure that you don’t miss a task on your to-do list.

Sticky Notes are ideal for displaying reminders of tasks, motivational quotes, and visualizations. They now come in various colors, sizes, and designs, so it should be a fun and interesting way to get things done!

For example, if you’ve got a pile of letters that need to be mailed and that’s an item on your to-do list, why not put a sticky note on top of the pile with a deadline for posting them? It’ll serve as a reminder to get them posted and cleared out of your way.

4. Record It

Of course, you can record your notes digitally using note-taking apps or in a text document, or use pen and paper but have you thought of recording them using a digital recorder?

This is a fast and easy way to get things done if writing things down is too much of a fuss.

You can get free recording apps for smartphones. By making a voice recording you can replay the recording and listen to your ideas. This will give you the opportunity to listen from a different perspective.

5. Create a Schedule

Online calendars now make it so easy for us to create schedules.

Using an online planner such as Google Calendar will ensure that you are able to access your schedule on your smartphone, tablet, or computer wherever you are.

I love how you can color code different categories of entry and share with friends, family, and colleagues as necessary!

6. Use Pen and Paper

Many of us have gone digital, but I still love the process of writing down things with pen and paper.

For your most important events, tasks and notes use the traditional recording method of pen and paper – use a diary, planner, or bullet journal.

You can keep it with you at all times. It won’t distract you with messages or run out of power. You’ll also be able to flick through at a glance to see how much you’ve achieved, past or forthcoming events, and outstanding tasks.

7. Prioritize

Be realistic. Not all tasks and events are created equal, and surely, you can’t do everything!

Find a way to highlight events that are essential so that you can see them at a glance and be sure not to miss them.

On your to-do lists always prioritize these events and complete the most important first. If there are items that aren’t important or not time-sensitive, then consider moving them off your current list and on to another day.

8. Delegate

I am the queen of delegating! From my groceries and bulk shopping (think Amazon or Instacart!) to professional tasks I can hire out, I’ll delegate it.

The truth is that you don’t need to try and be a superhero and do everything yourself.

Kids can tidy away their toys and when old enough learn how to load the dishwasher, set the table, do their laundry, water the plants, and do other simple chores. By enlisting the help of other household members, you not only empower them by teaching life skills they’ll use for life, but you will also get more accomplished in less time.

Managing your time properly and efficiently with these tips is one of the keys to staying organized. When you implement a few smart rules in your daily routine, you will surely have some extra time for yourself. Be sure to do something wonderful and kind, something you truly enjoy. You so deserve it!

Helena Alkhas é Personal Organizer nos Estados Unidos desde 2010. Criadora do curso online para personal organizers, Profissão Personal Organizer®, Helena treina profissionais de organização ao redor do mundo. Helena é autora do livro Vivendo Sem Empregada e compartilha suas dicas de organização no blog, Instagram e YouTube.

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Time Management: 10 Strategies for Better Time Management

The term Time Management is a misnomer. You cannot manage time; you manage the events in your life in relation to time. You may often wish for more time, but you only get 24 hours, 1,440 minutes, or 86,400 seconds each day. How you use that time depends on skills learned through self-analysis, planning, evaluation, and self-control. Much like money, time is both valuable and limited. It must be protected, used wisely, and budgeted.

• Are more productive.
• Have more energy for things they need to accomplish.
• Feel less stressed.
• Have more free time to do the things they want.
• Get more things done.
• Relate more positively to others.
• Feel better about themselves. (Dodd and Subdheim, 2005)

Finding a time management strategy that works best for you depends on your personality, ability to self-motivate, and level of self-discipline. By incorporating some, or all the ten strategies below, you can more effectively manage your time.

1. Know How You Spend Your Time

A time log is a helpful way to determine how you use your time. Record what you are doing in 15-minute intervals for a week or two. Evaluate the results:

• Did everything you needed to do get done?
• Which tasks require the most time?
• What time of day when you are most productive?
• Where is most of your time is devoted (i.e. job, family, personal, recreation)?

Identifying your most time-consuming tasks and determining whether you are investing your time in the most important activities can help you to determine a course of action. Having a good sense of the time required for routine tasks can help you be more realistic in planning and estimating how much time is available for other activities. Many apps exist to help you keep track of your time, as mentioned in Strategy 3.

2. Set Priorities

Managing your time effectively requires a distinction between what is important and what is urgent (MacKenzie, 1990). Experts agree that the most important tasks usually aren’t the most urgent tasks. However, we tend to let the urgent tasks dominate our lives. Covey, Merrill, and Merrill (1994) categorize activities into four quadrants in their Time Management Matrix: urgent, not urgent, important, and not important. While activities that are both urgent and important must be done, Covey et al. suggests spending less time on activities that are not important (regardless of their urgency) to gain time for activities that are not urgent but important. Focusing on these important activities allows you to gain greater control over your time and may reduce the number of important tasks that become urgent.

Creating a "to do” list is an easy way to prioritize. Whether you need a daily, weekly, or monthly list depends on your lifestyle. Be careful to keep list-making from getting out of control. List manageable tasks rather than goals or multi-step plans. Rank the items on your “to do” list in order of priority (both important and urgent). You may choose to group items in categories such as high priority, medium priority, or low priority; number them in order of priority; or use a color-coding system. The goal is not to mark off the most items, but to mark off the highest priority items (MacKenzie, 1990). A prioritized “to do” list allows you to set boundaries so you can say “no” to activities that may be interesting or provide a sense of achievement but do not fit your basic priorities.

3. Use a Planning Tool

When using a planning tool:

• Always record your information on the tool itself. Jotting notes elsewhere that must be transferred later is inefficient and wastes more time.
• Review your planning tool daily.
• Keep a list of your priorities in your planning tool and refer to it often.
• Keep planning tools synchronized. If you keep more than one, make sure your phone, computer, and paper planning tools match.
• Keep a back-up system.

Apps on your phone can be great planning tools. Apps typically fall into one of the following categories:

• Time Trackers – Gain an awareness of how you spend your time.
• Time Savers – Increase productivity and break time-wasting habits.
• Task Managers – Prioritize and organize tasks to improve time management.
• Habit Developers – Create healthy habits to encourage time management.

4. Get Organized

Disorganization leads to poor time management. Research has shown that clutter has a strong negative impact on perceived well-being (Roster, 2016). To improve your time management, get organized.

Set up three boxes (or corners of a room) labeled "Keep," "Give Away," and "Toss." Sort items into these boxes. Discard items in your “Toss” box. Your "Give Away" box may include items you want to sell, donate, or discard.

The next step is to improve the time you spend processing information. For example, tasks such as email can eat up your day. To combat wasted time, implement an email organization system that allows you to process the information in each email as efficiently as possible. Use folders, flagging, or a color-coded system to keep track of what’s what.

5. Schedule Appropriately

Scheduling is more than just recording what must be done (e.g., meetings and appointments). Be sure to build in time for the things you want to do. Effective scheduling requires you to know yourself. Your time log should help you to identify times when you are most productive and alert. Plan your most challenging tasks for when you have the most energy. Block out time for your high priority activities first and protect that time from interruptions.

Schedule small tasks such as drafting an email, creating a grocery shopping list, reading, watching webinars or listening to podcasts for long commutes or when waiting for a call or appointment. Capitalize on what would otherwise be time lost. Avoid nonproductive activities, such as playing games or scrolling through social media. Limit scheduled time to about three-fourths of your day to allow for creative activities such as planning, dreaming, and thinking.

6. Delegate: Get Help from Others

Delegating means assigning responsibility for a task to someone else, freeing up your time for tasks that require your expertise. Identify tasks others can do and select the appropriate person(s) to do them. Select someone with the appropriate skills, experience, interest, and authority needed to accomplish the task. Be specific. Define the task and your expectations while allowing the person some freedom to personalize the task. Check how well the person is progressing periodically and provide any assistance, being careful not to take over the responsibility. Finally, reward the person for a job well done or make suggestions for improvements if needed. (Dodd and Sundheim, 2005). Another way to get help is to “buy” time by obtaining goods or services that save time. For example, paying someone to mow your lawn or clean your house, or joining a carpool for your children’s extracurricular activities frees time for other activities. The time-savings from hiring someone for specialized projects is often worth the cost.

7. Stop Procrastinating

People put off tasks for a variety of reasons. Perhaps the task seems overwhelming or unpleasant. To help stop procrastination, consider “eating the big frog first.” A quote commonly attributed to Mark Twain says, “If it’s your job to eat a frog today, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the big frog first.” Unpleasant tasks we procrastinate completing are “big frogs.” Complete these tasks as your first action of the day to get them out of the way. Another option is to “snowball” your tasks by breaking them down into smaller segments, completing preparatory tasks, and eventually completing the larger task at hand. Whether you choose the “big frog first” or “snowball” method, try building in a reward system for completed tasks to help stay motivated.

8. Manage Time-Wasters

Reduce or eliminate time spent in these activities by implementing some simple tips.

Handheld Devices

• Take advantage of voice-to-text features such as transcribed voicemails or to make notes or draft emails and text messages when you are on the go.
• Avoid small talk. Stay focused.
• Take any necessary action immediately following a call.
• Impose screen time limits and regularly monitor your digital wellness (see Strategy 10).
• Schedule breaks from your devices.
• Set aside a specific time to view and respond to email, but don’t let it accumulate to the point it becomes overwhelming to sort.
• Turn off notifications for email.
• Handle each item only once if possible.
• Immediately delete or unsubscribe from junk emails.
• Keep address books up-to-date and organized.
• Utilize built-in shortcuts to sort email.

Unexpected Visitors

• Schedule time for face-to-face visits.
• Inform visitors of your time constraints and politely offer to reschedule.
• Set a mutually agreeable time limit for the visit.
• When someone comes to the door, stand up and have your meeting standing to help keep it brief.

In-Person and Virtual Meetings

• Know the purpose of the meeting in advance.
• Arrive early.
• Start and end the meeting on time.
• Prepare an agenda and stick to it. Use a timed agenda, if necessary.
• Don’t schedule meetings unless they are necessary and have a specific purpose or agenda.
• Use recording software or designate a note-taker.

Family Obligations

• Use and sync virtual calendars for easy sharing between busy family members.
• Make each family member responsible for consulting the master calendar for potential conflicts.
• Create a central area or agreed upon app for posting communications such as appointment reminders, announcements, and messages.

9. Avoid Multi-tasking

Psychological studies have shown that multi-tasking does not save time. In fact, the opposite is often true. You lose time when switching from one task to another, resulting in a loss of productivity (Rubinsteim, Meyer, and Evans, 2001). Routine multi-tasking may lead to difficulty in concentrating and maintaining focus. Do your best to focus on just one task at a time by keeping your area clear of distractions, including turning off notifications on your devices, and set aside dedicated time for specific tasks.

10. Stay Healthy

The care and attention you give yourself is an important investment of time. Scheduling time to relax or do nothing helps you rejuvenate physically and mentally, enabling you to accomplish tasks more quickly and easily. Be sure to monitor your screen time as a part of your digital well-being, setting boundaries to stay healthy. A study conducted by Google showed that four out of five study participants who took steps to improve their digital well-being believe their overall well-being was positively impacted as well (Google, 2019). To improve your digital well-being, set time limits or utilizing built-in software on electronic devices such as phones and tablets to help maintain your digital wellness. Blue light blockers and grayscale mode may also help you improve your digital well-being. Set a time each night to shut off all digital devices to give your mind time to relax; this can also help improve your sleep schedule.

Unfortunately, poor time management and too much screen time can result in fatigue, moodiness, and more frequent illness. To reduce stress, reward yourself for time management successes. Take time to recognize that you have accomplished a major task or challenge before moving on to the next activity.

Whatever time management strategies you use, take time to evaluate how they have worked for you. Do you have a healthy balance between work and home life? Are you accomplishing the tasks that are most important in your life? Are you investing enough time in your own personal well being? If the answer is “no” to any of these questions, then reevaluate your time management strategies and transition to ones that will work better for you. Successful time management leads to greater personal happiness, more accomplishments at home and at work, and a more satisfying future.

Previously updated by: Roxie Price, University of Georgia Extension Dana Carney, University of Georgia Extension Rachael Clews, K-State Research and Extension

Originally written by: Sue W. Chapman, retired, UGA Extension Michael Rupured, retired, UGA Extension

Covey, S. R., Merrill, A. R., & Merrill, R. R. (1994). First things first: To live, to love, to learn, to leave a legacy . Simon & Schuster.

Dodd, P., & Sundheim, D. (2005). The 25 best time management tools and techniques: How to get more done without driving yourself crazy . Peak Performance Press, Inc.

Google, Global (DE, ES, FR, IT, PL, U.K., U.S.). (2019). Digital wellbeing survey (General population, 18+ years, n=97).

MacKenzie, A. (1990). The time trap (3rd ed.). American Management Association.

Roster, C., Ferrari, J., & Jurkat, M. (2016, March 16). The dark side of home: Assessing possession ‘clutter’ on subjective well-being. Journal of Environmental Psychology , 46 , 32–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2016.03.003

Rubinsteim, J., Meyer, D., & Evans, J. (2001). Executive control of cognitive processes in task switching. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 27 (4), 763–797. https://doi.org/10.1037/0096-1523.27.4.763

Status and Revision History Published with Full Review on Apr 25, 2014 Published with Minor Revisions on Aug 26, 2020 Published with Full Review on Feb 19, 2024

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How to Manage Your Time

Last Updated: February 21, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Alyssa Chang . Alyssa Chang is a nutrition coach and trainer, based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She uses her extensive background in brain-based neuroscience to work with clients on improving their connections with their brain and body to heal, reach goals, and move pain-free. She holds a BS in Kinesiology and Exercise, Nutrition and Wellness from the California State University, East Bay and is certified in Precision Nutrition, Z-health Performance and is certified by the National Council for Strength and Fitness. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,907,036 times.

Time management can help you excel in your studies, shine at work, and feel less stressed from day to day. But how can you make sure you're managing your routine effectively? It's actually way easier than you'd think. It all comes down to prioritization, scheduling, and productivity. By teaching you a few simple tricks, we'll show you how to totally transform your time management skills. To learn everything you need to know, read on!

Following a Daily Schedule

• It can take awhile to identify your energy peaks. Try tracking your energy level and overall focus throughout the day for a week or so. This should help you figure out when you would be the most productive.

• For example, say you work from eight to four and need to call your grandmother for her birthday and pick up your dry cleaning after work. In the morning, figure out what order you should do those activities.
• If your grandmother is in a later timezone, plan to call her after work so it's not too late where she is. Then, plan on picking up your dry cleaning.

• Schedule large breaks or interruptions in addition to tiny deviations from your work throughout the day.
• For example, plan to have an hour-long lunch at one in the afternoon each day and to watch half an hour of television to unwind after returning from work.
• You can also plan tiny interruptions during daily tasks. For example, say you're writing a paper. Allow yourself five minutes to check Facebook per 500 words you write.

• For example, you could briefly check and review e-mails during the weekend and then send out a few so that you'll have fewer e-mails piled up by Monday. Alternatively, you can just flag those that will require immediate attention on Monday morning.

Using Your Time Productively

• Before making your list, write down categories in terms of important. For example, tasks labeled "urgent" must be done today. Tasks labeled "important, but not urgent" are important to do, but can wait. Tasks with labels like "low-priority" can be put off if necessary.
• List tasks under each category. For example, if you need to finish a report for work, that would be an urgent task. If you need to begin another work project, but the deadline is not for another two weeks, that would be an "important, but not urgent" task. If you would like to go for a run after work, but it's not vital, that would be a "low-priority" task.

• For example, if you have five e-mails you need to respond to and a report that must be proofread, do that as soon as you get into the office.
• Stop any unnecessary socializing before you start your priority tasks.

• If you're a student, think about investing in some audiobooks or recording your lectures. While waiting in line or walking to class, you can listen to material for your courses.

• For example, return all your emails. Then, log out of your email account and move on to another task. Do not worry about your email for now. If you need to return more emails later in the day, you can do that after you complete the task at hand.

• For example, maybe a particular artist inspires you. Invest in a few prints of their paintings and hang these up on your walls.
• If you can choose a particular space to work, choose a space free of distractions. Working in front of your television may be a bad idea, but maybe you can push a desk into the corner of your bedroom and work there.

Minimizing Distractions

• If it's necessary for you to have your phone on for work, place it across the room. If it's not as easy to access your phone, you're less likely to do it. You can also turn off any notifications on your phone that are not necessary to work.

• Challenge yourself to only have one or two tabs opened at a time.

• SelfControl is an app for Mac users that blocks access to any sites you choose for a set period of time. It is free to download.
• If you need to get offline altogether, the app Freedom allows you to block your access to the internet for up to eight hours at a time.
• The Firefox add-on Leechblock allows you to limit your use of certain sites to a set period per day.

• For example, if you realize you need to return an e-mail while you're in the middle of something else, do not stop to return the e-mail. Instead, jot down somewhere that you need to send the e-mail and get to it after you finish the task at hand.
• Keep in mind, sometimes disruptions are inevitable. If you receive an urgent phone call during a task, for example, you should definitely take the call. Do your best to avoid interruptions, but do not beat yourself up over the occasional distraction during your work.

Why Is Time Management Important?

Time-Management Tools and To-Do List Template

Expert Q&A

• Be flexible and relax. Allow for the unexpected in life. Other things may take precedence over a rigid and methodical routine. With most unusual circumstances, it may take no more than an hour or a few days to return to your usual schedule. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Create an image of how you want to see yourself in the future. Keep envisioning that image each time you feel like postponing any task. Work on becoming that person by doing specific things to get closer to achieving your goal. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Tips from our Readers

• Disable your social networks or don't log into them until you complete your tasks. Mindless scrolling can eat up a lot of your time, especially during exam season.
• Try the Pomodoro Technique to manage your time. After working for 25 minutes, take a 5-minute break. Then, take a 15-30 minute break after 2 hours of work.
• During breaks, eat a meal, chat to someone, or step outside to refresh your mind.

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.washington.edu/drs/academic-skills/planning-tools-and-tips/planning-calendars/using-a-digital-calendar/
• ↑ Alyssa Chang. Life Coach. Expert Interview. 16 October 2019.
• ↑ https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-started/inside-the-classroom/8-ways-to-take-control-of-your-time
• ↑ https://www.entrepreneur.com/living/10-time-management-tips-that-work/299323
• ↑ http://www.creativitypost.com/create/work_smarter_not_harder_21_time_management_tips_to_hack_productivity
• ↑ https://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-tools-tips/healthy-sleep-tips
• ↑ https://worklife.msu.edu/article/the-characteristics-of-a-positive-work-environment/
• ↑ http://quickbooks.intuit.com/r/employees/7-tips-for-effective-time-management/
• ↑ https://www.ecampusnews.com/it-leadership/2014/11/03/apps-media-distractions-947/
• ↑ https://www.purdue.edu/stepstoleaps/explore/well-being-tips/well-being-tips-2021/2021_0222.php

About This Article

To manage your time, start by listing your tasks in order of importance so you know what needs to be done first. Next, use your downtime to get work done, like returning work emails while in line at the grocery store or reading for work or school while on the bus. However, try to avoid multitasking work tasks as this can lead to less productivity since your focus will be scattered. Indeed, when possible, minimize distractions by turning off your phone, closing unnecessary browsers, and blocking social media. To learn how to stick to a daily schedule to best manage your time, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to use time wisely (essay)

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