Do you feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day and wish you could stop the
clock? As a college student, this is normal as you are likely trying to balance academic,
social, work, and personal obligations. Also, you may have classes meeting in different
formats with various expectations and competing deadlines to meet.
Success will require time management, effective learning strategies, motivation, and consistent engagement with course content. Use our valuable tools and strategies to help manage it all.
Time Management Tools Quick Links
For information on the best way to fill out the following time management tools, please see our "Using Time Management Tools" section.
Semester Calendars
Fall 2024 Semester Calendar (PDF)Accessible Fall 24 Semester Calendar
Calendar updated on Aug 15, 2024
Organization Tools
Finals Calendar
How to Manage Time Effectively
Cultivate a Daily Routine 
Even if you’re not coming to campus or attending face-to-face classes, make sure to do the following every day:
- Wake up at a regular time
- Eat breakfast
- Get dressed
- Check Moodle and email
A good routine can set you up with a mindset for success and keep you on track.
Have a good space (or two) to do your work that is:
- Distraction-limited
- Comfortable (but avoid studying in bed!)
- Ready with all your supplies
When you feel stuck, change your environment, but avoid studying in bed!
Organize Your Classes
- Use this Class Organizer (Accessible Class Organizer) to take stock of where you are in class and make the most of your remaining opportunities
to succeed.
- You can view our Class Organizer Example to get an idea of how to capture your important class details.
Time management doesn’t have to be a tricky situation with these helpful tools to guide you in getting the most out of your time.
The CAS semester calendar gives a quick snapshot of important university dates and deadlines for the entire semester.
This semester calendar guide will help you carefully review Moodle and course syllabi to add due dates for assignments, exams, and other important dates to help you set up your personal calendar. It will give you a “big picture” view of your entire semester so that you can determine when your heavy weeks are.
Use the CAS weekly planner along with the weekly planner guide to plan your schedule in detail.
- Plan Your Class Time
- Consistently plan routine “class time” so you keep up with the course content
- Write in scheduled courses
- First, write in times for classes that will be meeting either online or face-to-face at scheduled class times (For example, Biology lecture at 9:00 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays via Zoom.)
- Identify times for other courses
- Next, plan out your “class time” for all other courses. (E.g., “Attend” Psychology
MWF 9 -10 a.m.) Use this time to engage with your instructor or classmates on Moodle,
or to get introduced to new course content for the first time (like watching posted
videos or reading a new chapter)
- Next, plan out your “class time” for all other courses. (E.g., “Attend” Psychology
MWF 9 -10 a.m.) Use this time to engage with your instructor or classmates on Moodle,
or to get introduced to new course content for the first time (like watching posted
videos or reading a new chapter)
- Plan Your Study Time
- Identify open times
- Once you’ve entered all your class times, blank spaces where time is available should be apparent. This is where you need to schedule our study time (called Focused Study Sessions)
- Plan Focused Study Sessions
- On your weekly schedule, plan at least two Focused Study Sessions in between each class session. (Set a goal, execute without distractions, take a 10-minute break, then review your progress. What’s still muddy? What will you tackle next?)
- Identify open times
Use this Master To-Do List template (Accessible Master To-Do List) to identify and prioritize your responsibilities.
The Master To-Do List can be used in many different ways. One way is to create a game plan for the week on Sunday night or use it to prepare for exams.
Sunday Night Game Plan
- Review your syllabi and list tasks to complete for each course that week
- Identify tasks that you can tackle in your Focused Study Sessions
- Assign priorities to tasks
- You can identify which tasks are highest priority, which are lower priority, and which would be nice to get done if time permits
Quiz or Test Preparation
- Identify main topics that will be covered on the exam and write the main topics on the top row
- Write the subtopics that need to be studied under the related main topics
- After you feel you have mastered each topic, check it off the list and focus your time on the items that still need to be mastered
View this Master To-Do List example that illustrates how to fill in the list with action items from a set of courses.
Use the CAS Final Exam Planner (Accessible Final Exam Planner) to plan ahead for your final exams. You can also use a Master to Do List for each course to keep track of what you need to do to prepare for each exam.
This Finals Planner example (Accessible Example Final Exam Planner) will give you ideas on how to customize a plan for yourself.
One of the key elements of effective time management is establishing specific and
clear goals. Creating SMART goals will help you define attainable goals to ensure
success.
SMART Goals Method
Goals should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time bound. Creating goals that reflect these characteristics will hold you accountable and establish proper time management.
To learn more about this strategy, please visit our Learning Journey Moodle Course Module 2: Get Organized and Manage Your Time.
Have you ever wondered where the time goes? One helpful tip is to create a time audit
so you can specifically see and understand where all of your time is being spent.
By tracking your activities throughout the day, you can be more intentional about
taking back control of your time. For example, look at how much time you’re spending
on games, social media, etc. using the Screen Time feature on iPhone and Android.
One of the biggest challenges to proper time management is procrastination, which
students often experience in their academic career. (Even many professionals face
procrastination in their careers!)
Try to determine exactly why you’re procrastinating and find a direct solution to counter that reason.
| Common Causes | Possible Solutions |
|---|---|
| Perfectionism |
|
| Lack of Motivation |
|
| Unclear Directions |
|
| Fear of Failure |
|
| Distractions |
|