8 Steps to Manage Your Time Better as a Student

This is a call out post directed towards anyone who has ever frantically worked on an assignment a few hours before it’s due, running only on iced coffee and the promise of a giant nap later.

Folks, this has to stop.

Time management can be tricky for students because schedules are busy, procrastination is common, and the internet is just so darn distracting. That’s why we’ve put together our best tips for better managing your time and actually getting stuff done with as little stress as possible.

1. Figure out what you’re doing right now.

Before you start trying to overhaul your entire life, take a day or two to figure out what it is you’re doing now. Keep track of how you’re spending your time -- like how many times you reach for your phone in the middle of a study session, or what kinds of tasks make you start daydreaming 10 minutes in. Basically, you’re gonna act like a zoologist observing a lion out in the wild, except you’re somehow both the zoologist and the lion (woah).

What you learn from this will inform what you need to change (or maybe even what to keep, if you’re already doing things that work for you).

2. Make a schedule, not just a to-do list.

Knowing what you have to do is a good first step, but knowing when you’re going to do it is the real key. So bust out your calendar app and block off some time to get stuff done. Yes, you do have to write it down (either virtually or physically) because it’ll help you remember and stick to it. It’s not that we don’t trust you to keep mental tabs on things...it’s just best to not take any chances.

When you get assigned something, add it to your running to-do list. Then when you have a chance later, put dedicated time in your calendar to work on it (always assume you’ll need more time than you think). Your to-do list gives you an idea of all the things you need to get done and a place to jot them down quickly -- like when you’re in the middle of class or a club meeting. Your calendar is where the real planning happens, and it’ll take a little more thinking in terms of scheduling (more on that below).

3. Break it up, and spread it out.

The fastest way to get overwhelmed by a project is to try and do it all in one sitting. It doesn’t matter if you have all of Sunday free to get your research paper done -- if you’re opening a blank document in the morning and turning in a draft in the evening, you’ll be stressed all day. Instead, break it up into baby steps, and spread them out over time.

An 8-page research paper can be split up across a week (or more) by researching one day, outlining another, and then writing a page or two each day until the deadline. With enough time, you can spread your work into SUPER short sessions, like 20 minutes each day over the course of a month -- that’s 10 total hours of work that’ll feel no heavier than an episode of Friends each day.

4. Seriously, make it itty-bitty, baby steps.

What do you do when a step that’s already broken down still feels like a huge hurdle? Go smaller. Take our previous example -- starting to do research for your paper is a good first step, but it might not feel any less intimidating than writing the whole thing. So take steps within the step (step-ception, if you will).

To get research done you have to:

• Get out of bed (we’re assuming you’re marathoning those Friends episodes right about now).
• Get your computer.
• Think about the questions you want to answer.
• Open a document.
• Write your questions down.
• Open a browser.
• Search them.

And that’s before any actual research even gets done. Maybe you can’t imagine yourself ~researching~, but getting out of bed or opening a document isn’t as much of a stretch. It’s all about how you’re thinking about the work that motivates you to do it (or not). Take a tiny step, and then another, and then another, and eventually you’ll be making some real progress.

5. Schedule around your own needs and rhythm.

Some folks work really well in the morning, some folks are more productive at night, and some folks are at their best under a full moon (...okay, that last one was werewolves, but the point remains). Whatever works for you is what you should schedule around.

That means that your most important work (big presentations, papers, and projects) should happen when you have the most energy. All the smaller stuff (like easy worksheets or short readings) can wait for those times when you’re not necessarily on your A-game.

The same applies to the length of your sessions. You know yourself best, so you can make the call whether to go for shorter sprints or longer stretches of work. There are plenty of methods to choose from, from the fast-paced Pomodoro method to the longer ultradian rhythm technique. Find what works for you!

6. Schedule breaks and fixed stop times.

Your calendar isn’t just for work -- it’s equally important to make time for fun. Remember those steps we talked about? Take little breaks as needed between steps and tasks. Grab lunch in the middle of your study session, or take a quick walk between researching and outlining your paper. These buffers will clear your mind and give you something to work towards when you’re, well, working.

Be sure to also block out clear end times for tasks. If you’re giving yourself Thursday night to work on your study guide, mark in your calendar that you’ll stop at 9 p.m., and then actually stop at 9 p.m.. Knowing when you’re going to stop keeps you from thinking you have all day and goofing around or putting stuff off until later.

Pro tip: whether you’re taking a break or stopping for the day, make a little note for yourself about what you did and what you need to do next so that you can easily pick it up the next time.

7. Clear your distractions.

Look, we both know that it’s really easy to get distracted from work -- especially when it’s work that you’re not too wild about doing. The biggest distractor is probably your phone (because slime videos, deep-fried memes, and your friends’ snapchats are just a few taps away), so here are some quick ways to keep your focus where it needs to be:

• Put your phone on airplane mode, or mute notifications.
• Make your phone password annoyingly long (like 20-30 characters).
• Temporarily delete the apps that distract you most.
• Or disconnect from wi-fi and block mobile data on those apps.
• Just put your phone in a different room entirely.

8. Address why you’re procrastinating in the first place.

Okay, time to get a little real with you. These techniques can help you manage your time better, but it’s also worth getting introspective about the reasons why you might be procrastinating or avoiding work in the first place.

For a lot of people, it boils down to a fear of failure or criticism. Writing an essay may feel hard because you’re worried that your words won’t turn out the way you want them to. Tackling a big presentation may be intimidating because you don’t want to embarrass yourself in front of your classmates. It’s not that you can’t do the work, you might just be paralyzed by the thought that it has to be perfect.

We can’t magically make those feelings go away, but we’re here to tell you that no one expects your work to be flawless, and fear shouldn’t stop you from trying. At the end of the day, you have to turn in something, so take it step-by-step, get some work in, and edit as you go -- once you’re actually doing it, it’ll feel so much easier. We promise.