10 Effective Tips For Time Management In College

Time management is a very important aspect in a student’s life. 

By taking the time to organise your priorities, you can increase your chances of remaining on track and organised throughout the whole semester, which may assist in lowering stress levels. How you organise your time can be the difference between success and failure at college.

Let’s take a look at 10 tips on how to effectively manage your time in college.

What is time management?

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Time is a finite commodity that must be handled efficiently. Planning and limiting the amount of time you spend on certain tasks is what time management is all about.

Individuals who use effective time management can assign particular time slots to tasks based on their value. Because time is always scarce, time management refers to making the greatest use of it.

10 tips for managing your time in college

Here are 10 tips you can follow to manage your time in college:

1. Plan out your semester

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It's never too early to begin planning how you'll complete all of the assignments in each of your classes. In fact, the first day of courses is a good time to start. Write all your tasks in your planner or iPad. 

Make a list of weekly assignments, quizzes, exercises, and short papers. Then make a schedule for your regular weekly studying, assignments and finals. Don’t forget to note down assignment submission dates in your planner!

2. Get used to a routine

Developing a schedule might help you feel more confident about when and how you'll squeeze homework and study time in between school and other engagements. 

Create a routine before the start of the semester so you can get used to it and determine whether you have any time left over for other commitments.

3. Utilise your technology wisely

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Our phones are the number one distraction for most of us. With millions of interesting things to do and watch on our phones, we can’t help but use them for hours. 

However, this behaviour can be detrimental to your productivity in college. With a little self-discipline, you can make your phone one of your finest assets for prioritising and saving time.

For instance, you can use the calendar or reminder app on your phone to set a schedule or make a to-do list for the week. Setting reminders might help you remember key dates and responsibilities as you go about your day.

Moreover, you also have access to various productivity tools on the App store. You can also limit screen time on your electronic devices if you find yourself using some apps more than you should. 

4. Start with small tasks

Large projects and examinations may easily overwhelm you, and the worry might cause you to procrastinate. Begin with smaller, easier tasks and work your way up to larger projects or assignments. Break down large projects into smaller parts that are manageable. 

Doing this will increase your productivity because also smaller tasks are usually easier to do compared to larger ones.

5. Attend your classes

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Attending courses is one of the most time-effective activities you can engage in. When you miss class, learning the subject you missed takes considerably longer than it would have taken if you had gone to class in the first place. And you'll never be able to master it.

6. Avoid multitasking

According to research, it was found that multitaskers have an IQ decrease equivalent to someone who hasn't slept the night before. 

Some students believe that recopying their notes, listening to the same lecture again, or doing the reading three times would help them learn more effectively. However, this will backfire on you as it does not increase your productivity.

Hence, doing more than one thing at the same time is basically inefficient. To get the most out of your time, concentrate on one activity at a time.

7. Keep yourself healthy

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Regular exercise can help you maintain your energy levels, resulting in a more engaged mind when it comes to schoolwork. 

People also believe that obtaining enough sleep at night may save college students time since it not only allows them to avoid taking afternoon naps but also improves their attentiveness and reduces their stress levels.

8. Learn to keep focus

Continuous attention is required in college, whether in lectures, readings, or problem sets. Learn to concentrate for 15 to 20 minutes without taking breaks or being distracted. 

It is understandable that it is indeed difficult to retrain your brain. However, doing so will save you from having to refocus and save you more time. 

9. Take a break

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It's critical to set aside time for oneself. Long study sessions or periods of time spent focusing on tasks should be interspersed with time spent away from computers or textbooks. You should take some time to relax your thoughts.

You can reward yourself with breaks or coffee when you finish a task. Doing this will give you some time to rest and also motivate you to actually finish your assignments.

10. Only take on what you can manage

We all want to graduate from college as soon as possible. So, in order to do so, we tend to enrol ourselves into as many classes as can possibly fit into our schedule.

Doing this will not help in the long run as it’s hard to juggle too many things. Each lecturer will have their own schedule, expectations and assignments you have to complete in a set time.

If you can’t manage your workload and try to do things for various classes at the same time, your work quality and productivity will decrease.

Why is time management important?

Here are a few benefits of proper time management:

• Managing your schedule lowers your stress level and boosts your self-assurance. Taking charge of your schedule might help you feel less stressed and anxious.
• A better school-life balance is one of the most essential advantages of time management. You may be more productive at work and have more time to focus on your most important relationships if you establish a better work-life balance.
• Time management is essential for improving your attention and prioritisation. You can improve your attention and take charge of your day by better managing your time.
• When you manage your time better, you'll have more time to accomplish greater and better goals.
• Learning how to manage your time in college or university will give you great benefits when you start working. 

How to manage time during covid-19?

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It’s no secret that the pandemic has forced us to accept new norms. The majority of adults have been working from home for over a year now. College students were pushed to take classes remotely too.

While there are numerous advantages to online learning that make it the favoured option for millions of students, it is not without its drawbacks, particularly for students who are more accustomed to in-person classes.

Nevertheless, you can still follow the steps mentioned above as time management follows the same protocol wherever or whatever you do. 

The only thing you have to pay more attention to is the amount of distractions you will have at home. If you're still tempted to use your phone, turn off social media and other non-essential app alerts. 

Ensure your usual routine isn't too far from what you'd do on a normal day outside of quarantine. Dress as though you're going to classes, and wake up and go to bed at the same time every day to set a daily routine. This sense of normalcy can help you be more productive at home.

On another note, you can still enrol yourself in a programme at UOW Malaysia KDU. Currently, classes at our university are done remotely but students have access to school facilities, online learning tools and more.

Our lecturers are also available to guide you through your courses even if they are doing so online. To learn more about this, send your enquiries here.

Final remarks

Managing your time in college is very important to ensure you get your work done while also enjoying your university life with your friends. Get started today and make your very own study schedule.