Students are too busy to take their time lightly. Finding a balance between work, home, university life, and personal space is not an easy task. You can’t do without strategic organisation and planning skills. These tips will help you establish the right balancing priorities between academic success and personal life.

Top time management student tips

#1 Use a flexible calendar

Avoid any surprises like a last-minute paper or a conflicting dinner by planning. Create a calendar with all your upcoming deadlines, exams, social events, and commitments. Keep it where you’ll consistently see it, like in your planner or on the wall above your desk. If you prefer a digital calendar, integrate it with your email and check it regularly. Some options include Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar, Fantastical, and Calendly.

#2 Learn to refuse without qualms

Getting involved offers numerous advantages, such as networking, skill development, and enhancing your résumé. As a student, you’re often asked to join various clubs, and councils, or take on extra shifts at your part-time job. However, it’s important to remember that you have the power to say no.

Overcommitting can lead to poor time management. With only 24 hours in a day if you dedicate all your time to unimportant obligations, you’ll end up exhausted, frustrated, and unable to focus on what truly matters. Striking a balance between commitments is crucial for effective time management.

#3 Plan your day

To optimise your productivity, effectively managing your time is crucial despite the demands of seminars, classes, and workshops. One way to achieve this is by utilising a daily schedule template. By doing so, you can stay organised, prioritise tasks, and overcome procrastination. “Time blocking,” a method used by successful individuals such as Elon Musk and Bill Gates, involves creating a detailed plan for allocating every minute of your day. Hence, students will benefit greatly from adopting this efficient time management technique.

#4 Develop effective study habits

You should optimise those processes that require a lot of your time but can be replaced with the help of technology. A good example is the delivery of student work. You don’t have to carry them to the nearest location with a fax machine or travel to the university in person to receive a review from a supervisor. It is enough to have a fax app. With the best app to fax from iPhone, you can quickly send documents and receive them with the necessary corrections. This is just one example of effective habits that illustrate why you should integrate technology into your life.

#5 Set reminders

After creating your calendar, schedule periodic reminders to help you stay on track. These reminders can include completing study guides ahead of time or scheduling group project meetings. It’s crucial to not only know the deadlines but also stay on top of the micro tasks involved in meeting them. You can set alarms on your phone, jot them down in a physical planner, or add alerts to your digital calendar. These reminders will prevent things from falling through the cracks on busy days.

Ensure that you have allocated sufficient time for studying for the important test or writing the final paper. Effective time management involves preparing for success in advance and equipping yourself with the necessary tools to confidently complete tasks.

#6 Divide into parts

Proper goal-setting involves separating major goals from smaller daily tasks. This approach helps maintain focus and prevents procrastination. It can be tempting to procrastinate when faced with a daunting project. However, taking the first step is crucial to building momentum.

#7 Prioritise

When faced with an overwhelming amount of tasks and limited time, take a few minutes to evaluate your priorities. First, consider the most urgent deadlines and assess your energy levels. Begin by completing simple tasks to lighten the load before tackling more demanding ones. This approach helps alleviate pressure by crossing off items from your to-do list without becoming overwhelmed early on.

If you find yourself struggling to fit everything into your schedule, consider postponing or declining certain commitments. Your friends will likely understand if you need to reschedule coffee to prioritise a final library session before a challenging exam.

#8 Leave room to rest

Ensure you take breaks to unwind and contemplate. It’s easy to lose track of your actions and their importance. An overwhelmed, chaotic, and disordered mind can hinder long-term productivity.

Pause and indulge in a brisk run or spend time in deep thought. This will allow you to return to your tasks or assignments with a refreshed and focused mindset.

Conclusion

Time management skills are what separates an effective person in any endeavour from one who is in chaos. In order to complete your course project on time, and also not forget about yourself, you need time planning. In this case, you will be able to devote time to friends and maintain good academic performance at university.