Our lives are not static. Activities and events fill up our weeks, sometimes with little or no notice. Despite these random events, however, most of us have activities that do happen on a schedule.
By making a list of these planned events on a weekly and semester-by-semester basis, you’ll find that it’s possible, most of the time, to plan for the random events that take our attention. And, when you do this, it makes it much easier to set aside time to study and complete your schoolwork.
As a student, your key to effectively managing your time is to plan for the time that you have free. Find the spots in your day that are not already blocked off, and have a “To Do” list that can be completed during that time.
Semester Calendar
Creating a calendar each semester will help you plan your weekly calendars—and doing both will give you an advantage by helping you understand when you have free time and when you have course work due.
To create your calendar:
- Use any monthly calendar that will be easy for you to access -- for example, the calendar in ANGEL, or on your cell phone, or one hanging in your home.
- At the beginning of each semester, go through your course syllabus to determine important dates for that course, such as when assignments, projects, and papers are due, and when quizzes and exams need to be completed. Mark these due dates on your calendar.
- In addition, mark down other important events that are out of the ordinary that will take your time. This may include doctor’s appointments, children’s sporting events, travel for work, etc.
- Review your calendar each month to make sure you know what needs to be done. This way, you can make weekly plans for when you are going to do the work to complete those assignments.
- Don’t wait until the last day of the month to look at next month’s calendar. Give yourself time to make plans for the next month, especially if something is due at the beginning of that month.
Weekly Time Management Schedule
The Weekly Time Management schedule is a template for managing your time.
- Blank Weekly Time Management Schedule (PDF)
- Example of a Filled-Out Weekly Time Management Schedule (PDF)
How to use the schedule:
Get a highlighter and pen and do the following on a printed schedule or on an electronic calender, if that is what you would typically use:
- Mark on your schedule the times and activities that are routine and don’t change, such as work, preparing meals, driving children to practice, regularly scheduled standing appointments, getting children ready for bedtime, favorite TV show, etc.
- Then mark off activities that are not regularly occurring, such as a doctor’s appointment, attending your child’s dance recital, a special family event, etc.
- Now you want to mark off the time you will use to study.
- Plan on studying nine to twelve hours per week for each 3-credit course you are taking.
- Break up your study time throughout the week. You will be less productive if you plan all of your study time in one day.
- Plan a five- to ten-minute break for each hour you study; get a snack, look at a magazine, take a short walk, etc.
Daily “To Do” list
Each day, you should create a “To Do” list for the next day. Prioritize what must get done and be gentle on yourself if you do not complete your list. Save a few hours later in the week in case you have to catch up on work.
Tip: Plan ahead! Take some time at the beginning of each week to plan your upcoming days. Make it part of your routine. Then it’s easy to refer to it throughout the week and keep yourself on track.