Managing Your Time at University

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There is no mystery about the importance of managing our time! We all have 168 hours each week to eat, sleep, study, exercise, and, socialize. A combination of improved time management skills and effective study and learning strategies will result in you feeling more in control of your life and more likely to achieve your academic goals. The magic in getting things done with minimal stress rests in planning, self-discipline and recognition of a job well done.

Self Reflection Questions:

Why should I use time management skills in

a) my life and
b) in my academic setting?

Am I having trouble organizing & managing my time?
If so, do I want to improve my time management skills?
If the answer to this last question is YES, read on!

The common challenges faced by university students are feeling overwhelmed by the volume of work required, and not knowing how to tackle those tasks efficiently. The amount of homework time you'll need to allocate at a basic minimum is

The ratio may shift for any individual course up to 3:1 depending on:

• your goals for the course (e.g. what mark you want)
• completion of lab reports or problems
• research requirements
• volume and speed of reading
• knowledge of vocabulary and course specific jargon

So, school is a full time job!

Most strategies are simple and take a short time to implement, help you organize your schoolwork, and also help you achieve a healthy balance in your personal life. The strategies, described here, are grouped around central themes:

1. your values
2. awareness of your current habits
3. goal setting and prioritizing
4. organization
5. procrastination

 

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