Managing Your Time At University

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Introduction

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.


How Much Studying Should I Do?

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 1 hour homework : hour lecture

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

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    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!

    So, school is a full time job!


    This module focuses on strategies to help you effectively manage your time at university. The strategies are simple and take a short time to implement. They will help you organize your schoolwork, and also help you achieve a healthy balance in your personal life.

    We have grouped the strategies around four central themes which are organized sequentially, but you may also access them individually as your needs require:

    1) Becoming aware of your values and current habits

    2) Setting and prioritizing goals

    3) Getting organized

    4) Overcoming procrastination


    In each section we have included reflective questions to help to understand your style; a discussion of the issues; some simple and practical strategies; and hands-on tools which you can print off and use at home.