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20 Effective Time Management Strategies and Tools for Students

Teachers can use these too!

One of the most important life skills for anyone to master is time management. Keeping track of everything that we have to do and carving out the time to get it all done can be a real struggle. Try these time management strategies and techniques, plus find helpful tools for staying on track.

General Time Management Strategies

Time management techniques, time management tools.

These time management strategies work for everyone, helping you set goals and prioritize, then set a schedule to get things done.

Visualize the big picture

Use a calendar of some type to lay out all your big-picture goals for a year, month, or week. Include major projects and assignments, as well as school and personal events. This is your place to get an overview of everything that’s on your plate. Keep items to broad descriptions: “History Project” or “Spring Play Opening Night.” You’ll get into the details next.

Break it down

The next step is to take major projects and assignments and break them down into smaller, more manageable parts. This is an incredibly effective way to overcome that feeling of “I’ll never get this all done!” It also prevents procrastinating on an entire project until the very last minute. Set smaller, more manageable goals with their own due dates in advance of a complete project or event.

For example, imagine your big-picture calendar says “History Project Due Feb. 23.” Breaking that down could look like this:

• Choose topic and presentation method: Jan. 9
• Initial research: Jan. 10-30
• Presentation outline: Jan. 31
• Write presentation script: Feb. 1-5
• Create visual aids: Feb. 6-12
• Rehearse presentation: Feb. 13
• Fine-tune presentation: Feb 14-16
• Final rehearsals: Feb. 17
• Give history presentation: Feb. 23

At first, this method might feel a little overwhelming, because it may make you feel like there’s too much to get done. But as you use it, you’ll see how it can actually make you feel more prepared and in control, and make your time easier to manage.

Determine priorities

Sometimes it’s simply true: You don’t have enough time in a day to get all the things done that you’d like to. That’s where setting priorities becomes vital. In the “Time Management Techniques” section below, you’ll find several different ideas for determining the priority of different items on your lists.

Once you’ve figured out which items are the most important, try a color-coding system to indicate which items get a higher priority. This will help you identify at a glance what you need to do now and what can wait until another day.

Make daily to-do lists

Make it a habit to start each day by creating a to-do list. (Not a morning person? You can do this the night before too.) Include high-priority items, as well as things you’d like to do but may not have to complete. Throughout the day, as you complete an item, revisit your list and check it off. It’s incredibly satisfying to cross things off, and checking in with your list a few times a day ensures you don’t forget important things.

Limit multitasking

Today’s world places a lot of value on multitasking (doing several things at once). But when you’re doing multiple things at the same time, you’re probably not doing any of them well. So keep your multitasking to a minimum. When it’s time to work on something, set your focus to that particular thing. Other stuff can wait.

But some multitasking is OK. For instance, you might throw your clothes in the washing machine, then work on your math homework while waiting for them to be ready for the dryer. Later on, you could fold and put away the laundry while practicing conjugating Spanish verbs out loud. This type of multitasking works because the physical tasks are ones that don’t require much concentration, leaving your brain free for academic subjects.

On the other hand, avoid something like trying to listen to a podcast for your history class while also doing your math homework. Your attention won’t be fully on each, and your learning will suffer.

Remove distractions

Some people are capable of deep focus no matter what’s going on around them. Most of us, though, need to find ways to remove distractions when it’s time to get down to work. Here are some examples to try:

• Turn off your phone, or set it to alert you only in case of emergencies.
• Wear noise-cancelling headphones or earplugs to block out distracting sounds. A white-noise machine or app can help with this too.
• Close miscellaneous tabs in your web browser (like social media or news sites), and use only the tabs you need for your work.
• Go into a quiet room and shut the door. Ask friends and family not to disturb you.
• Check your to-do list before you start to make sure you’re on track. Then, clear your mind of other projects or tasks, and focus on what’s at hand.

Do an end-of-day review

At the end of each day, sit down with your to-do list. Was there anything you didn’t get to? Move it to another day. Did you feel too rushed today? Think about how you might make tomorrow run a bit more smoothly. Where do you stand in terms of your big-picture goals? Take a few minutes to adjust any plans accordingly.

Try a time audit

It’s OK if you don’t get to everything on your list every day. But if you find that there’s never enough time to get things done, you might benefit from a time audit. Over the period of a week or two, write down exactly how you spend your time, hour by hour. Then, look it over and see if you can identify problem areas. You might need to cut down on some optional activities and give that time to high-priority items instead. Learn how to do a time audit here.

The time management strategies we’ve talked about so far are general ways to stay on track and get stuff done. But there are multiple ways to approach some of these strategies, especially when it comes to actually settling down to work. Check out these popular time management techniques and choose one or more that seem right for you.

Eisenhower Decision Matrix

President Eisenhower developed this matrix and used it to help him prioritize his tasks. He looked at each item to evaluate it by importance and urgency, then broke them into four categories:

• Do First: These are urgent, important tasks with high priority.
• Schedule: These are important tasks that aren’t quite as urgent.
• Delegate: You may be able to delegate less important but still urgent tasks to someone else.
• Don’t Do: These non-urgent, unimportant items can be eliminated entirely or postponed indefinitely.

Here are some possible student examples for each category:

• Do First: Homework that’s due tomorrow takes top priority, as might doing laundry if you’re out of clean clothes.
• Schedule: Set aside time (see Time Blocking) for smaller parts of long-term projects, such as research time or writing an outline. That could be today or one day in the near future.
• Delegate: Students aren’t always able to delegate their tasks, but they can ask for help. For example, if your schedule is incredibly tight, you could ask your dad if he’d be willing to throw your clothes in the dryer when the washer is done.
• Don’t Do: These are often bad habits you need to break, like surfing the web aimlessly instead of working, or texting your friends for hours instead of doing your chores.

Find out much more about the Eisenhower Matrix and how to use it for time management strategies here.

ABCDE Method

This is another time management strategy for prioritizing the tasks at hand. Assign each item a letter:

• A: Highest priority
• B: Should do soon, if not today
• C: Could do, but no serious consequences if not done
• D: Delegate or ask for help
• E: Eliminate from your list

This is very similar to the Eisenhower Matrix, with a little more flexibility around should-dos and could-dos. Learn more about the ABCDE method here.

Most Difficult First (Eat That Frog)

This method is based on a quote often attributed to Mark Twain: “If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And If it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.”

In other words, don’t put off the biggest, hardest tasks. Get them out of the way first. Then, everything else you have to do will seem easy in comparison.

For some people, though, this concept can be counterproductive. If you’re already feeling overwhelmed, tackling something extremely difficult can be too much and cause you to shut down entirely. In that case, it’s just fine to choose smaller, simpler items. The key is to make progress, one step at a time.

Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro Technique is a simple time management method: You work for 25 minutes at a time, then take a 5-minute break to rest and recharge. Simply set a timer for 25 minutes, and focus on one single task until it goes off. Then, you can spend 5 minutes stretching, resting your eyes, or checking your social media feeds. When the 5 minutes are up, set the timer for another 25 minutes, and get back to work. If you do four 25-minute sessions in a row, take a longer break afterwards. Learn more about the Pomodoro Technique here.

If 25 minutes seems too short and you’d like a little more uninterrupted time, try Flowtime instead. This stretches out both the work and break time proportionally. If you work for 25-50 minutes, take an 8-minute break. For 50-90 minutes, you get a 10-minute break. And if you’ve been at it for more than 90 minutes, take 15 minutes to recharge. Learn about Flowtime here.

Parkinson’s Law says that work will always expand to fill the amount of time available. Timeboxing seeks to shrink tasks back to the size they truly need to be. When you timebox, you set a specific amount of time for a task and complete it within that time.

In other words, you might look over your study planner and decide that you need one hour for tonight’s geometry and chemistry assignments, plus you’d like to spend another hour working on your English essay.

Set a timer and work on your geometry and chemistry for an hour, with no other distractions. When the timer goes off, reassess and adjust your goals as needed. Since you have to finish that homework tonight, you’ll probably need to add more time if you’re not finished.

Your English essay isn’t due for two weeks, though, so if you’ve boxed out one hour for working on it today, that’s all you need to do. Set a timer, determine your goals for day, and get to work. When the timer goes off, you’re done for today.

Here’s more on timeboxing.

Time Blocking

This method is similar to timeboxing, but it involves setting blocks of time aside on your calendar for specific tasks. For example, you might block out 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. each day for daily homework, 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. for working on your biology research paper, and 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. for piano practice. Some people like to start each day by blocking time out on their calendar, figuring out how they’ll make the most of their time. Find out more about time blocking here.

Once you’ve selected some time management strategies to try, you’ll find plenty of tools to help make them work. Check out these top time management tools for students, from planners to timers and beyond.

Student Planners

Traditional paper planners come in a variety of styles, with some made especially for students. The most important thing is to choose one you’ll actually use, and keep it on hand at all times. See our selection of the top student planners here.

Planner Apps

Planner apps and online calendars are nice because you have access to them everywhere you go. For students, we really like:

• My Study Life

See more details on each of these here, plus more options.

Study Planners

Study planners are specific to academics, and they are a simple way to keep track of both short-term and long-term assignments, projects, and more. Check out these free printable options:

• Develop Good Habits: Study Planner
• Alex Marie: Weekly Assignments Due
• Sophia Lee: Homework Planner Pack

Time Management Apps

Planner apps are a good start, but other time management apps can help you stay on track by eliminating distractions or setting time limits. Here are a few to try:

• Pomofocus : A free online 25–5 timer with the ability to add a task list for each work segment
• Rize : An AI productivity coach that uses time tracking to improve your focus and build better work habits
• Forest : Eliminate distractions, stay on task, and grow a digital forest to celebrate your achievements

Bullet Journal

Bullet journaling has a lot of benefits, and some page setups are especially good for time management:

• Daily Schedule
• Project Planner
• Study Tracker

Check out our big roundup of bullet journal ideas here.

What time management strategies do your students find most effective? Come share your thoughts and ask for advice in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, ultimate study skills guide: tips, tricks, and strategies for every grade ..

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11 Free Time Management Worksheet for Students & Adults

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Do you find yourself constantly rushing to get important tasks done at the last minute? Have you ever missed important deadlines? Do you have a reputation for being constantly late for meetings, classes, or other important events?

At work, you probably find it a challenge to keep on top of all the tasks you need to finish. Your productivity may have taken a nosedive, and you’re not the only one who has noticed.

If you’re a student, you might be having difficulties meeting the demands of academics and extracurricular commitments. Perhaps you are even dissatisfied with your academic performance.

At home, you are probably faced with a seemingly endless parade of chores, and no longer have quality time for your family and yourself.

If any of the above scenarios resonate with you, it could be that you need some help managing your time.

Table of Contents

How Can I Effectively Manage My Time?

Effective time management requires two things: planning and organizing.

Time management involves a three-step process:

Step 1: Assessing how you currently use your time.

Step 2: Creating a schedule.

Step 3: Following the schedule.

It is important that you establish your daily schedule around your activities and commitments.

Make sure that you identify which activities are flexible and which are fixed. For instance, work hours are usually set to eight hours each day, so that’s a fixed schedule. Meanwhile, sleep and recreational activities are usually flexible.

As much as possible, be specific in your schedule-making. For example, if you just write “do chores” for Saturday morning, that could mean anything from a few minutes spent washing the dishes to half a day’s work of organizing the hallway closet. Estimate the time you need for the activity and block that time out in your timetable.

In addition, you can use some time-management tools and techniques to become more organized.

The Pomodoro Technique helps increase your productivity. Meanwhile, the Pareto Principle teaches you how to get maximum results in the least amount of time. Finally, the Eisenhower Matrix helps you identify which activities are urgent and important so you can act on them appropriately.

Applying all these strategies can help you manage your time more effectively.

To get you started on the habit of managing your time well, we have listed 11 time management worksheet examples. These worksheets are all downloadable and printable, free of charge.

Let’s check them out.

11 Time Management Worksheet Examples

1. daily time management log.

Download the PDF

Are you hard-pressed to finish several daily tasks and not sure where to start? Our time management log can help keep you from becoming overwhelmed by everything you need to accomplish. This template features a section for specifying your top three goals for the day. Then, a large section of the template is dedicated to supporting activities and to-dos that help achieve the top three goals. A column in the template lets you tag an activity’s level of importance (0 = Not Important to 3 = Urgent!).

Most importantly, through colored dots, this log allows you to track how productive you are by identifying your energy level while doing an activity. You can indicate whether you’re very energized (green), moderately energized (yellow), or low on energy (blue) while doing any of the activities you’ve logged for the day into the template.

2. Weekly Time Management Log

Looking for an appropriate time management log for all your weekly activities? We designed this template just for that purpose. Near the header is space for writing your top three goals of the week. An eight-column table offers enough space to record your schedule for the week and plot out how to manage your time well.

You can use colored highlighters to highlight specific activities and indicate your energy level while doing this activity. As a suggestion, green can mean highly energized and very productive; orange can represent moderately energized and moderately productive; and blue can mean low energy or did nothing.

3. Time Manager

via Humboldt State University

College life can be hectic, especially when it comes to your schedule.

It takes some strategic planning to stay on top of everything. That’s why it’s essential to find the right time-management tool.

A time manager like this one ensures that students don’t miss classes and important events. It also helps keep track of priority tasks.

This worksheet also has space where you can write down to-do items that you need to accomplish for the week.

The worksheet features a time block with one-hour intervals for the weekdays. There isn’t any time blocking for the weekend schedule, which is meant to encourage students to take time off from academic work and focus more on self-care .

4. Time Tracking Worksheet

This worksheet helps you track your activities. It features a column for the estimated duration of your task, and another column for recording the actual time you spent on the activity.

Furthermore, it has space for recording the frequency of the activity, which is useful for tracking your weekly schedule.

Finally, there is a column for identifying whether the task is important or not. This way, you can pinpoint which of your activities are significant or merely time sinks.

5. Where Does My Time Go?

Need support for your new time-management habit? This worksheet applies several strategies and principles for effectively managing your time.

The worksheet has 30-minute intervals to keep track of the precise time you spend on every activity. It also has an Eisenhower Matrix to help you identify if a task is your highest priority or if it can be done later in the day. ( Check out this post for an in-depth discussion and helpful tips on how to effectively use the Eisenhower Matrix .)

With this template, you also have the opportunity to reflect on how your schedule for the day went. The template has space where you can list “activities that deserve more time,” as well as those that deserve less. Lastly, a space is also provided where you can write initial plans for the following day.

6. Weekly Time Management Tracker

This time tracker has been designed to work with your schedule. Once printed out, it gives you a clear view of your daily schedule so you can identify which activities are consuming most of your time.

To maximize this tracker’s potential to help manage your time better, you can use categories to track how you spend your day . Examples of categories include:

• Self-care activities (massage, meditation, etc.)
• Work-related activities (including meetings, special assignments, etc.)
• Health and fitness activities (time at the gym, meal preparation, etc.)

7. Daily Time Blocking Worksheet

Schedules can be hectic, so we need a system to help us stay on top of things. This time-blocking worksheet helps keep the stress at bay when you need to get a lot of things done.

Although effective time management is a serious matter, we can still infuse it with fun elements. One way to do this is by using colorful pens when filling in your timetable. Moreover, stickers and printables can add visual interest and give you an amusing way of categorizing and tracking your schedules.

8. Bullet Journal Time Tracker Printable

This time tracker serves you well as a daily or weekly time log.

The heart at the beginning of each line represents the category of the activity you list down. This tracker’s creator suggests color coding the hearts to represent each category of activity.

Space for the color code “key” is also provided at the top right part of the tracker page to help you navigate this worksheet.

There is also a space where you can write down notes, reminders, and other information you want to keep a record of about your day.

9. 31-Day Time Tracker

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This time tracker lets you track how you spend your 24 hours every day for 31 days. You can use a color-coded system to identify the activities that you do throughout the day.

Mildliners and Stabilo highlighters work well for this type of time tracker.

10. Your Time Buttoned Up

This worksheet has a time-blocking feature with 30-minute intervals. The template lets you track your schedule for the whole week, from 7 am to 2 am.

However, the standout feature here is color-coded dots that correspond to how productive your activity is. Green is very productive; orange is moderately productive; and red is wasted time (perhaps it’s time to admit that Facebook addiction and kick the habit).

11. Daily Time Log

Logging all of your activities trains your mind to consider time a valuable commodity. It encourages you to engage in activities that are of value to you.

The advantage of having a tracker like this is that, over a certain period, you will be able to see a pattern of how you use your time.

Is it for something that enriches you? Or do you spend a huge chunk of the day on time-sink activities like excessive social media use ?

With this information, you can adjust your priorities and manage your time more effectively.

Final Thoughts

There you have it—time management worksheet examples to inspire you as you work your way toward improved productivity and better health and well-being.

When you use a time-management tool such as the worksheets featured today, avoid dwelling on the things you fail to achieve. You always have the option of rescheduling them. Instead, focus on celebrating the tasks you do accomplish.

For more ideas, read our post on effective time management activities and exercises . If you're using the Pomodoro Technique, check out our favorite time blocking templates here . And if you need more guidance, check out these SMART goals examples for time management .

Remember to reward yourself when you’ve achieved your goals. We’ve got some awesome suggestions on how you can reward yourself in this post .

Furthermore, remember to take a break after accomplishing important activities. Allow yourself to decompress.

Always take your health and well-being into consideration when implementing time-management strategies for productivity. Make sure that you do not sacrifice sleep in an effort to get things done.

Here’s to a more organized and productive year!

Finally, if you want to level up your productivity and time management skills, then watch this free video about the 9 productivity habits you can build at work .

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Homework: Helping Students Manage their Time

Two simple strategies for guiding students to improve a crucial skill.

This is the second of two parts. Part one can be found here: Is Homework Helpful?: The 5 Questions Every Teacher Should Ask .

Teachers assign work each and every day, either in class or for homework. That is the easy part. Put it on the board, tell students to copy it down, and move on to the next item on the day’s agenda. But why don’t teachers help students figure out how much time to allot to assignments? How do students know if an assignment should take 10 minutes or 40?

It is a blind spot in my own teaching. I never realized until lately that I wasn’t supporting students with time management skills. I wasn’t developing their ability to assess an assignment and correctly evaluate how much time it should take. 

Why is this important? With good time management, students know how much time they have, how long it will take to get assignments done, and what they can accomplish in the time they have. This gives them more breathing room, which reduces the feeling of being rushed, which in turn leads to less frustration and stress.

Here are two ways to support students in understanding time management.

Do the assignment yourself.  See how long it takes you to complete the work. Then remember, you are the expert with this material. Ask yourself, how long would it take for a proficient student to complete it? What about students with disabilities, what might hinder their progress? Then provide students with a range of times. If you believe an assignment should take 15-25 minutes, let them know. The benefit of this is that it allows students to plan better. They can situate homework in the context of their entire day. A student may get home from school at 3:30 and has soccer practice at 5pm. He now knows that he can complete your homework in any 25-minute window between the end of the school day and the start of practice. The downside to this is that some students may lose confidence and doubt themselves if an assignment takes much longer than you suggested. 

Rate the assignment.  Classify assignments into three categories with time frames for each so that students know what type it is and how long it should take to complete. Here are three ways that I categorize assignments:

Quick checks:  These assignments are measuring sticks of understanding and they are short and sweet. I expect students to spend 20-50 seconds on each question on these types of assignments. A 20-question quick check should take 6-10 minutes.  

Thorough Responses:  When you want answer with more substance and more development, I look for thorough responses. These types of assignments are different than quick checks because I expect students to spend 2-4 minutes per question. Thorough responses typically have fewer questions consequently.Thorough response assignments take my students 20-35 minutes.

Sustained Thought:  When students must access new material, when there is challenging reading, or when they must chew on ideas before they formulate responses,  students can expect to spend 30-40 minutes to complete an assignment. 

This piece was originally submitted to our community forums by a reader. Due to audience interest, we’ve preserved it. The opinions expressed here are the writer’s own.

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8 Time Management Tips for Students

Don't let a hectic schedule get the better of you with these time management tips.

Lian Parsons

College can be a stressful time for many students and time management can be one of the most crucial — but tricky — skills to master.

Attending classes, studying for exams, making friends, and taking time to relax and decompress can quickly fill up your schedule. If you often find yourself wishing there were more hours in the day, this guide will offer time management tips for students so you can accomplish what you need to get done, have fun with your friends, and gain back some valuable time for yourself. 

1. Create a Calendar

Don’t be caught by surprise by an important paper due two days from now or a dinner with your family the same night you planned for a group study session. Create a calendar for yourself with all your upcoming deadlines, exams, social events, and other time commitments well in advance so you can see what’s coming up. 

Keep your calendar in a place where you can see it every day, such as in your planner or on your wall above your desk. If you prefer a digital calendar, check it first thing every day to keep those important events fresh and top-of-mind. For greater efficiency, make sure you can integrate it with your other tools, such as your email.

Digital calendar options include: 

• Google Calendar 
• Outlook Calendar
• Fantastical

2. Set Reminders

After you’ve created your calendar, give yourself periodic reminders to stay on track such as to complete a study guide in advance or schedule a meeting for a group project. Knowing deadlines is important; however, staying on top of the micro tasks involved in meeting those deadlines is just as important. You can set an alarm on your phone, write it down in a physical planner, or add an alert to your digital calendar. The reminders will help to prevent things from slipping through the cracks during particularly hectic days.

Make sure you’ve allotted enough time to study for that big test or write that final paper. Time management is all about setting yourself up for success in advance and giving yourself the tools to accomplish tasks with confidence. 

Read our blogs, Your Guide to Conquering College Coursework and Top 10 Study Tips to Study Like a Harvard Student , for more suggestions.

3. Build a Personalized Schedule

Each person’s day-to-day is different and unique to them, so make sure your schedule works for you. Once you’ve accounted for consistent commitments such as classes or your shifts at work, add in study sessions, extracurriculars, chores and errands, and social engagements.

Consider your personal rhythm. If you typically start your day energized, plan to study or accomplish chores then. If you fall into an afternoon slump, give yourself that time to take a guilt-free TV break or see friends.

Having a schedule that works for you will help maximize your time. Plus, knowing exactly when your laundry day is or when your intramural volleyball practice is every week will help you avoid trying to cram everything in one day (or running out of clean socks!)

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4. Use Tools That Work For You

Just like your calendar and schedule, the tools you use to keep you organized should be the right fit for you. Some students prefer physical planners and paper, while some prefer going totally digital. Your calendar can help you with long-term planning, but most of these tools are best for prioritizing from day to day.

Explore what best suits your needs with some of the following suggestions:

Planners can help you keep track of long-term deadlines, such as important essay deadlines, upcoming exams, and appointments and meetings. They often provide a monthly overview each month, as well as day-to-day planning sections, so you can stay ahead. 

• Papier – Offers a 20% student discount 

If your schedule is jam-packed and you have trouble figuring out what to do and when, scheduling day by day—and sometimes even hour by hour—can help you slot in everything you need to do with less stress.

• Structured app

Note Taking

From class to study sessions to errands, keeping track of everything can feel overwhelming. Keeping everything in one place, whether on the go or at your desk, can help keep you organized.

• Bullet journals

5. Prioritize

Sometimes there really is too much to do with too little time. In these instances, take just a few minutes to evaluate your priorities. Consider which deadlines are most urgent, as well as how much energy you have. 

If you are able to complete simple tasks first, try getting them out of the way before moving on to tasks that require a lot of focus. This can help to alleviate some of the pressure by checking a couple things off your to-do list without getting bogged down too early.

If you are struggling to fit everything in your schedule, consider what you can postpone or what you can simply say no to. Your friends will likely understand if you have to meet them for coffee another time in order to get in a final library session before a challenging exam. 

6. Make Time to Have Fun — And For Yourself

Time management isn’t just about getting work done. It’s also about ensuring that you can put yourself and your mental wellbeing first. Consistently including time for yourself in your schedule helps to keep your mental health and your life in balance. It can also be helpful to have things to look forward to when going through stressful periods.  

Whether it’s going for a bike ride along the river, spending time with your friends and family, or simply sleeping in on a Sunday, knowing you have space to relax and do things you enjoy can provide better peace of mind. 

7. Find Support 

Preparation and organization can sometimes only get you so far. Luckily, you have plenty of people rooting for your success. Keep yourself and your classmates on task by finding an accountability partner or study buddies. Remind your roommates when you need extra space to work on a paper. 

Your school’s academic resource center is also there to support you and point you in the right direction if you need additional help. Getting—and staying—organized is a collaborative effort and no one can do it on their own. 

8. Be Realistic and Flexible 

Sometimes unforeseen circumstances will come up or you simply may not be able to get to everything you set out to do in a given day. Be patient with yourself when things don’t go exactly to plan. When building your calendar, schedule, and priorities list, be realistic about what you can accomplish and include buffer time if you’re unsure. This can help to reduce obstacles and potential friction.

Time management isn’t just about sticking to a rigid schedule—it’s also about giving yourself space for change.

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About the Author

Lian Parsons is a Boston-based writer and journalist. She is currently a digital content producer at Harvard’s Division of Continuing Education. Her bylines can be found at the Harvard Gazette, Boston Art Review, Radcliffe Magazine, Experience Magazine, and iPondr.

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Table of Contents

Why is time management important for students, 10 time management skills and techniques for students, working smarter to enhance productivity, the benefits of good time management, how well do you manage your time, general time-management tools, time management in practice, implications of poor time management, how to better manage your time at work, choose the right program.

Effective time management is all about achieving the right balance between your homework, university/college life, and your free time. As a student, organizing your days will eliminate stress and ensure that you are productive. The general time management tips for students, such as sleeping well, scheduling, and prioritizing, are some important tips that can help students in the long run. A more strategic approach is required to optimize the time a student has in a day.

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Time management for students (and everyone else) is about making your day purposeful. It is about taking control of the time you have and optimizing it for focus, productivity , and above all, balance. Before we list out the time management tips for students, it is crucial for students to understand why time management is important.

All of us should make the most of the limited amount of time we have in a day. It is very easy to get wrapped up in a fury of various activities and accomplish less. Managing time effectively enables students to become more confident, and organized, and learn more efficiently. Effective time management skills are particularly essential for high school students, as they have to deal with more subjects, tests, assignments, and extracurriculars. Time management techniques can help students be on track and cope with the stress of added responsibilities. 

Following are a few more reasons why time management is important for students:

Enables You to Accomplish Your Goals Faster

Appropriate time management makes one more effective and encourages you to give your best to what you are doing and what you can, thus helping you achieve your goals much faster.

Enables You to Prioritize Your Work

When creating a timetable, you prioritize and arrange essential tasks that need immediate attention. For example, students have to complete assignments before attending a session. A student can fit in time to work on the assignments before attending a study group with correct time management.

Enables You to Get More Done in Less Time

Dedicating a specified amount of time to a particular task helps you focus on it. Instead of working on a given task with no predefined time assigned, you can complete the same task by sticking to a time plan. Without a time plan, you might completely forget to finish a task.

Reduces Stress Levels 

Time management skills can help you prioritize the time required for essential tasks; prioritizing tasks and having enough time to accomplish those tasks means reduced stress levels.

Helps You Become More Efficient

Effective time management helps you to be more focused at school/college/university, thus increasing your efficiency and enabling you to accomplish more within less time.

So, how can students learn to manage time more effectively? We have collated a list of the best time management tips for students to beat procrastination, stay focused, and be more productive.

Efficient time management is one of the primary keys to success, and thus, it is worth learning. Following are time management strategies for students to help them manage their time in the best possible manner.

1. Make Use of a Daily Schedule Template to Plan Your Day

Seminars, classes, and workshops may take up a chunk of your day, but how one schedules their own time makes all the difference. It is essential to master your schedule.

A daily schedule template helps you manage and control your time each day. It will enable you to stay organized and focus on what matters most and even help you overcome procrastination. The method that most successful people from Elon Musk to Bill Gates use is “time blocking”. Time blocking is creating a template for how you intend to spend every minute of your day. Students should therefore follow this method to manage their time more fruitfully.

2. Understand How You are Currently Spending Your Time (And Where You Are Losing It)

Your schedule will offer you an ideal version of your day, but you need to analyze how you spend your time to develop better time management habits. Without understanding how you are spending your time each day, it is impossible to build better time management strategies for students to stay focused.

3. Set Proper Goals to Measure Your Progress

Goals are an excellent way to get you motivated to do school work. However, the problem is that goals are just the result, with you not knowing how to achieve them. So, focus on what needs to be done to achieve that goal by focusing on constant progress and developing better habits. For example, if you need to write a 5,000-word essay in a month, set a daily goal of writing 500 words. If you continue this, you can complete your essay in a week.

4. Break Large Projects Into Smaller, Actionable Tasks

A part of proper goal-setting is to segregate large goals from smaller daily tasks. Doing this will help you stay focused and stop you from procrastinating. It is easy to procrastinate when a project feels like a huge task. However, taking that first step is all you need to build momentum.

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5. Be Realistic About the Time You Need to Complete a Task

Once you begin to schedule your tasks for the day, you may get overly optimistic about how much you can achieve. Psychologists also have a name for this – The Planning Fallacy. One of the most effective time management tips for students is to counter the planning fallacy. Students should add a buffer to their schedule depending on how familiar they are with the task. If it is something that has been done before, then 1-1.5X time must be allocated to the time they think it may take to complete the project.

6. Pay Attention to Your Body’s Natural Energy Highs and Lows

We all have moments in the day when we are more energetic and alert. And if you want to exploit the time you have each day to its maximum, you cannot fight against your body’s natural state. What does this mean in terms of time management tips for students ? Simply put, students should do their most essential work when they feel most energetic. This means scheduling intense projects during energy highs and scheduling passive activities when the body is at its natural low.

7. Take Breaks at the Right Time

Take more breaks to manage your productivity over time. But when exactly is the right time to take a break? Sleep researcher Nathaniel Kleitman states, “our minds naturally crave breaks after every 90 minutes of intense work. Even if you do not have a timer going, your body will let you know that you need a break by turning sleepy, fidgeting, hungry, or losing focus”. When you begin to feel this way, you know it is time to take a break.

8. Remove Distractions

Between social media, cell phones, and friends, there are so many activities that can distract students from their school work. When it is time to get down to doing school work, students need to turn off their cell phones and sign out of social media accounts. Any amount of time that is devoted to school work must be television and cell phone free!

9. Avoid Multitasking

It may be tempting for students to feel that they can multitask when their schedule is jam-packed. But the more one tries to do it at once, the longer each thing takes. Instead, studies have found that deeply focusing on one task at a time can be around 500% more productive.

10. Build Better Routines and Habits for Long-Term Success

We are what we repetitively do. One of the best time management strategies for students and everyone else is to develop routines and habits that endorse the kind of actions you would like to do more of, for example, following a morning routine that concentrates on getting an early win and prepping yourself for a productive day. Or, ensure your evening routine preps you for an effective next day by setting your goals and schedules the night before.

When planning, prioritize the more extensive, more complex, and time-consuming chores at the beginning of the week (or day), so you may complete them first and relax more as the week progresses. Front-load your week to maximize your chances of success. This is similar to Eat That Frog, a productivity strategy that recommends performing the most important or influential activity first every day to ensure it gets done.

Constant meetings, social media, and an endless stream of emails may make it challenging to create a productive day. Developing effective habits at work will enable you to accomplish your best job regularly. You have two options for increasing your productivity. You may work longer hours if you bring your job home with you. You may also work smarter by boosting efficiency without sacrificing quality. Let's look at some significant benefits of good time management are: 

Stress Relief

One of the primary causes of increased stress is poor time management. When you have a lot to accomplish and are unsure how to do it, you usually perform a rush job under pressure. However, with proper time management, you can schedule your daily chores so that you work smarter rather than harder. For example, you may prepare critical tasks for when you're most productive or set aside additional time for things you suspect will take longer than expected. So, even if you work longer, you will have enough time to complete everything while being calm.

By identifying task completion time, you can use less energy and worry less about whether you can achieve everything you need to do today. Instead, make time to take a break from your typical routine. You may preserve energy for your spare time since time management helps you to plan when your task will be completed before you begin it. Having more free time can help you achieve a better work-life balance and ensure you make time for yourself.

More Opportunities

Effective time management may help you achieve more success by improving the quality of your work. When you manage your time well, you not only provide excellent work on schedule, but you also work without stress. This displays improved decision-making abilities and potential for leadership . In other words, you exhibit traits that are necessary for job advancement. This will provide you with greater and more chances.

Ability to Realize Goals

You may simplify your day and spend less time selecting what to do or how to accomplish it if you use time management to arrange what you need to complete each day. For example, deciding what to do for each step before commencing the project may be beneficial if you have a complex project with an outline that requires several yet unclear phases. The project is then reduced to a short set of activities that give guidance. You save time by preparing your objectives rather than finding them out as you go. This might mean spending less time pondering what you should be doing and more time doing it.

There are several approaches you may use based on your time management abilities and experience, but the goal is to explain a system that works for you and makes sense in the position you're going for. In other words, if you're working in a team atmosphere, discuss an efficient time management approach for teamwork, such as getting everyone acquainted with project management software. Then, discuss the advantages of employing this method for time management. Going into depth about how this technique has worked for you demonstrates to the interviewer that you have real-world experience adopting this way to manage your time and aren't simply making it up.

Time management is critical to your success. You may achieve any goal you set your mind to by using an excellent time planner and master list. These are common time management tools and practices that you should employ to maximize productivity and personal organization. Each of these takes some effort to learn and perfect, but they will pay you back in increased efficiency and effectiveness for the rest of your life.

Prioritization

The 80/20 rule was developed by the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto. It's believed that 20% of activities are accountable for 80% of results. The purpose of Pareto analysis is to assist you in prioritizing tasks that are most successful at issue resolution. List some of the difficulties you are experiencing. Determine the fundamental source of each issue. Assign a score to each problem and arrange them by cause. Add the scores from each group: The topic should be addressed first in the group with the highest score. Take some action.

Scheduling is the art of preparing your activities so that you may accomplish your goals and prioritize your priorities in the time you have available. When done correctly, it can assist you in realizing what you can do with your time. Ensure you leave adequate time for import duties and only take on what you can do.

Goal Setting

Smart goals enable people to plan and attain their objectives in a reasonable amount of time. It can also aid in improving time management in professional contexts such as school and the workplace. Smart goal planning may give direction for your aims and help you build practical measures to attain those goals if you want to manage your time wisely.

Concentration and Focus

Distractions are a major impediment to personal time management. Close the door to avoid as many distractions as possible. Only pay attention to what you're doing right now.

In terms of significance, describe your top two distractions over the next two weeks. Remember that staying focused during the day necessitates proper sleep habits and enough fluids.

Effective time management entails completing more vital tasks in a single day. Effective time management is more important than efficient time management. The most successful time managers are also the most efficient. Try some time management software. The first time management tool you require is a time planner, which provides all the information you need to plan and arrange your life. The most excellent time planners, whether looseleaf or electronic, allow you to prepare for the whole year, the month, the week, and each day.

We all know that there never seems to be enough time in the day, and as a result, things slip by the wayside. While this occurs to the best of us from time to time, students who battle with time management regularly are doing themselves no favors.

Poor Workflow

Poor efficiency results from a failure to plan and keep to goals. For example, completing related chores concurrently or sequentially is an intelligent approach if many significant tasks need to be accomplished. However, if you plan, you may be able to bounce back and forth, or backtrack, in your job. This equates to decreased efficiency and output.

Wasted Time

Wasted time arises from poor time management. For example, chatting with pals on social media while working on an assignment is a distraction and a waste of time.

Loss of Control

You will lose control of your professional life if you do not know the next assignment. This might lead to increased tension and worry.

Poor Quality of Work

The quality of your work could be better when you manage your time well. Quality is often degraded when things are rushed at the last minute.

Poor Reputation

When clients or your company cannot rely on you to finish things on time, their expectations and impressions of you suffer. A client who needs to trust you to complete a task on schedule will likely look for another service provider.

Your ability to manage your time affects how productive you are each day. You can accomplish more in less time with effective time management, which also helps you feel less stressed and advance in your profession. Instead of just using the following tools as a timetable to complete more tasks, make them represent your values—what is most important to you. When you arrange and calendar your time and make the split-second decisions essential to efficient time management for balance and well-being, remember these principles.

1. Know How You’re Spending Your Time

You need to keep track of what you do with your time to identify any activities or routines preventing you from achieving your desired objectives. You must start and end each day with a purpose to make the most of your time.

You have two choices for keeping track of your time:

• Spend a day or two manually recording your activities in a "time log."
• To automatically log your time, use a free program like RescueTime.

2. Stick to a Daily Schedule

While making a to-do list is a common theme in time and productivity management advice for students, mastering your daily schedule is even more crucial. 

Time blocking is the strategy of choice for many of the most successful people in the world, including Bill Gates and Elon Musk. But time blocking is planning how to spend each minute of your day.

• Create Realistic Timelines: A schedule must be practical to be effective. Plan your study time wisely to increase your study skills. The study techniques of the students vary from one another. This entails scheduling time for breaks, meals, exercise, social interaction, phone calls to loved ones, and all other "non-school" activities that keep you content and motivated.
• Give your undivided Attention: Your best friend in this situation is "self-discipline" and "self-control." If you must take a break, do so, but try to avoid sneaking away to other websites while working. Turn off your phone or put it away until it's time for a scheduled break.

3. Prioritize

1440 minutes make up one day. Within these hours, you must set practical priorities. Setting suitable priorities for your study goals is one of the sage study advice. If you have a lot of material to learn, start breaking it down into manageable chunks and choose what is most crucial. One of the best study strategies is making the most of your morning hours when nobody is awake to disturb you since they are asleep.

• Do immediately: Tasks that are crucial and have clear deadlines, or ones you've put off so long they're past due.
• Schedule for later: Crucial assignments with no set deadlines.
• Delegate: Those tasks that others can execute.
• Delete: Activities you can skip since they are optional to achieving your objectives or carrying out your mission.

4. Tackle the Most Difficult Task First

You should complete your most crucial tasks when you're most energetic. This entails arranging writing or other demanding tasks for when your energy levels are at their highest and reading or other passive pursuits for when they are at their lowest.

Brian Tracy's renowned Eat That Frog productivity technique is quite effective for those who delay or find themselves procrastinating frequently or who may have difficulty avoiding distractions. It suggests starting with the task that is the hardest, most complicated, and most critical, i.e., the one you're most inclined to put off for later. Once you've "devoured that frog," only then should you move on; that too without much stress.

5. Batch-Process Similar Tasks

Task batching is when you organize related jobs or tasks into groups and finish them all at once. Using this method, you can easily cut down on multitasking and extend your time to give all your projects your full attention.

For instance: At around 10 to 11 a.m. daily, organize and respond to emails and organize your digital study materials simultaneously.

6. Set Reasonable Time Limits

Focus on what has to be done to reach and surpass the objective instead of starting at the end and moving backward. You might take a full day to finish two different tasks that could be completed in only three hours if you had a full day to do so. There's a good possibility you'll still reach the earlier deadline if you give yourself a shorter window.

What can you do every day to further your ultimate aim? This entails putting an emphasis on steady improvement and forming improved routines. Even better, seeing daily progress will spur you to do more. Work "expands to occupy the time given to do it," according to Parkinson's law.

7. Learn When to Say No

Our energy levels are limited each day and tend to decrease with time. It is wise to know your limits and be prepared to say no to prevent doing subpar work. Understand your advantages and disadvantages. It is ideal for concentrating on one's strengths and delegating tasks that others can complete more quickly and effectively.

8. Avoid Multitasking

Concentrate on one item at a time to manage your time and commit it to study effectively. Nothing gets accomplished when you attempt to perform too many tasks at once. So, starting with one activity, finishing it, and moving on to another is one of the greatest study- focus- ideas .

When your schedule is packed, believing you can multitask is tempting. But everything takes longer the more you try to complete it at once. Instead, studies show that concentrating intently on a single activity can increase productivity by up to 500% . The American Psychological Association claims that mental juggling comes with "switching costs" that reduce your output. Changing tasks may take a few seconds each, but it adds up if you multitask regularly. Your potential for error also increases.

9. Keep Things Organized

Efficiency will rise if your workspace is tidy and organized because you won't have time to look for paper. Learning how to be organized is a talent that can be known. Start with these fundamentals.

• Maintain a clean work desk: The office's physical surroundings greatly impact how you operate. When your environment is chaotic, you are too. You can also be affected by clutter in less direct ways. Research has demonstrated that your physical settings substantially impact your cognition, emotions, and behavior, affecting how you make decisions and interact with others.
• Coordinate your computer files and shared drives: Loss of files and decreased productivity might result from improperly arranging shared files. Nothing is more confusing than spending most of your working hours searching your system for files. Create distinct folders for your files according to their categories to save yourself the hassle.
• Use a calendar: Using a well-organized calendar, you can manage your time to keep on top of your to-do lists and maintain focus throughout the workday. Although many executives have secretaries who work their calendars, anyone may utilize the same procedures to become more productive.

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Time management for students is highly intimidating, especially when you have multiple things on your to-do list. It is one of the most challenging tasks for students as they are expected to fare well and produce good results while handling the pressures of school assignments, homework, projects, and maintaining a social life. However, with our list of time management tips for students, we are confident that students will be able to come up with an arrangement to ensure that every day is as productive as possible. 

As you know, there is never an end to learning. To make your day more effective, you can always take up courses as a student to boost your career. A PMP® Certification Training  from Simplilearn will help you master core project management tools as a strategic tool for business transformation.

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Time Management for Homework

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Tutor Aniela of Prepped and Polished teaches you better time management skills for your homework.

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Hi there, it’s Aniela with Prepped and Polished. Thank you for joining us today. Today we’re gonna talk about time management for homework, how to set yourself up for success when attacking just a single day of homework assignments. So the number one thing you want to do is set a schedule for yourself. Maybe you have practice after school and you know you’re going to come home and eat and then attack your homework, but you need to set the time aside to actually complete the homework. So you might say, I’m gonna do my homework from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM and that’s it, or maybe you don’t have practice right after school and you can come home and do your homework right away. I’m gonna sit down from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM and do my homework. If you set an actual schedule for yourself, you are more likely to sit down and actually complete the work.

Step two is gonna be prioritizing. Make a list of what you have to do and make sure that you know when each assignment is due. Homework that’s due the next day is going to take priority and then anything that’s a long-term assignment or due maybe in two days is going to get pushed down lower on the list. Make sure that you also put timed periods for your assignments. If you have three or four different pieces of homework that you need to do, make sure that you time yourself, maybe give yourself 20 minutes to do your math, 20 minutes to do your English, to make sure that you get to each assignment. If you don’t finish them, that’s okay, you can come back to them at the end and finish them. But what happens often is that you think something’s going to take you 20 minutes and then you end up spending the entire two hour period completing one assignment and you don’t get the rest of your homework done. And making sure that you’re keeping yourself to your time limits, you’ll get to every piece of homework and you’ll keep yourself from getting too bored with a specific assignment to sort of wake yourself up if you have to switch tasks and change the brain and how it’s working from math to English, history to science, etc.

Last thing you’re gonna wanna do is make sure that you prep your workspace for success when attacking your homework. You’re probably going to get thirsty or hungry. Make sure that you have snacks and drinks with you so that you don’t get up and go to the kitchen and get distracted. You’re also gonna want to think about how to use your phone appropriately. It’s likely that you probably wanna listen to music while you’re doing your homework. That is totally okay, but make sure that you turn off all notifications for Snapchat, for Instagram, for your text messages. Put those notifications on complete silence so that you don’t get distracted by the group chats that you’re in every, you know, 10 seconds coming in and you won’t be able to focus on your work.

Just to recap quickly, to successfully set yourself up to attack your homework on a day to day basis, make sure that you’ve set actual time apart to complete homework. You prioritize assignments based on when they’re due. You set your space up for success in terms of having snacks, drinks. And making sure that your technology is being used appropriately during your homework time. If you found this video helpful, please give us a thumbs up and visit preppedandpolished.com.

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Time Management: 10 Strategies for Better Time Management

The term Time Management is a misnomer. You cannot manage time; you manage the events in your life in relation to time. You may often wish for more time, but you only get 24 hours, 1,440 minutes, or 86,400 seconds each day. How you use that time depends on skills learned through self-analysis, planning, evaluation, and self-control. Much like money, time is both valuable and limited. It must be protected, used wisely, and budgeted.

• Are more productive.
• Have more energy for things they need to accomplish.
• Feel less stressed.
• Have more free time to do the things they want.
• Get more things done.
• Relate more positively to others.
• Feel better about themselves. (Dodd and Subdheim, 2005)

Finding a time management strategy that works best for you depends on your personality, ability to self-motivate, and level of self-discipline. By incorporating some, or all the ten strategies below, you can more effectively manage your time.

1. Know How You Spend Your Time

A time log is a helpful way to determine how you use your time. Record what you are doing in 15-minute intervals for a week or two. Evaluate the results:

• Did everything you needed to do get done?
• Which tasks require the most time?
• What time of day when you are most productive?
• Where is most of your time is devoted (i.e. job, family, personal, recreation)?

Identifying your most time-consuming tasks and determining whether you are investing your time in the most important activities can help you to determine a course of action. Having a good sense of the time required for routine tasks can help you be more realistic in planning and estimating how much time is available for other activities. Many apps exist to help you keep track of your time, as mentioned in Strategy 3.

2. Set Priorities

Managing your time effectively requires a distinction between what is important and what is urgent (MacKenzie, 1990). Experts agree that the most important tasks usually aren’t the most urgent tasks. However, we tend to let the urgent tasks dominate our lives. Covey, Merrill, and Merrill (1994) categorize activities into four quadrants in their Time Management Matrix: urgent, not urgent, important, and not important. While activities that are both urgent and important must be done, Covey et al. suggests spending less time on activities that are not important (regardless of their urgency) to gain time for activities that are not urgent but important. Focusing on these important activities allows you to gain greater control over your time and may reduce the number of important tasks that become urgent.

Creating a "to do” list is an easy way to prioritize. Whether you need a daily, weekly, or monthly list depends on your lifestyle. Be careful to keep list-making from getting out of control. List manageable tasks rather than goals or multi-step plans. Rank the items on your “to do” list in order of priority (both important and urgent). You may choose to group items in categories such as high priority, medium priority, or low priority; number them in order of priority; or use a color-coding system. The goal is not to mark off the most items, but to mark off the highest priority items (MacKenzie, 1990). A prioritized “to do” list allows you to set boundaries so you can say “no” to activities that may be interesting or provide a sense of achievement but do not fit your basic priorities.

3. Use a Planning Tool

When using a planning tool:

• Always record your information on the tool itself. Jotting notes elsewhere that must be transferred later is inefficient and wastes more time.
• Review your planning tool daily.
• Keep a list of your priorities in your planning tool and refer to it often.
• Keep planning tools synchronized. If you keep more than one, make sure your phone, computer, and paper planning tools match.
• Keep a back-up system.

Apps on your phone can be great planning tools. Apps typically fall into one of the following categories:

• Time Trackers – Gain an awareness of how you spend your time.
• Time Savers – Increase productivity and break time-wasting habits.
• Task Managers – Prioritize and organize tasks to improve time management.
• Habit Developers – Create healthy habits to encourage time management.

4. Get Organized

Disorganization leads to poor time management. Research has shown that clutter has a strong negative impact on perceived well-being (Roster, 2016). To improve your time management, get organized.

Set up three boxes (or corners of a room) labeled "Keep," "Give Away," and "Toss." Sort items into these boxes. Discard items in your “Toss” box. Your "Give Away" box may include items you want to sell, donate, or discard.

The next step is to improve the time you spend processing information. For example, tasks such as email can eat up your day. To combat wasted time, implement an email organization system that allows you to process the information in each email as efficiently as possible. Use folders, flagging, or a color-coded system to keep track of what’s what.

5. Schedule Appropriately

Scheduling is more than just recording what must be done (e.g., meetings and appointments). Be sure to build in time for the things you want to do. Effective scheduling requires you to know yourself. Your time log should help you to identify times when you are most productive and alert. Plan your most challenging tasks for when you have the most energy. Block out time for your high priority activities first and protect that time from interruptions.

Schedule small tasks such as drafting an email, creating a grocery shopping list, reading, watching webinars or listening to podcasts for long commutes or when waiting for a call or appointment. Capitalize on what would otherwise be time lost. Avoid nonproductive activities, such as playing games or scrolling through social media. Limit scheduled time to about three-fourths of your day to allow for creative activities such as planning, dreaming, and thinking.

6. Delegate: Get Help from Others

Delegating means assigning responsibility for a task to someone else, freeing up your time for tasks that require your expertise. Identify tasks others can do and select the appropriate person(s) to do them. Select someone with the appropriate skills, experience, interest, and authority needed to accomplish the task. Be specific. Define the task and your expectations while allowing the person some freedom to personalize the task. Check how well the person is progressing periodically and provide any assistance, being careful not to take over the responsibility. Finally, reward the person for a job well done or make suggestions for improvements if needed. (Dodd and Sundheim, 2005). Another way to get help is to “buy” time by obtaining goods or services that save time. For example, paying someone to mow your lawn or clean your house, or joining a carpool for your children’s extracurricular activities frees time for other activities. The time-savings from hiring someone for specialized projects is often worth the cost.

7. Stop Procrastinating

People put off tasks for a variety of reasons. Perhaps the task seems overwhelming or unpleasant. To help stop procrastination, consider “eating the big frog first.” A quote commonly attributed to Mark Twain says, “If it’s your job to eat a frog today, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the big frog first.” Unpleasant tasks we procrastinate completing are “big frogs.” Complete these tasks as your first action of the day to get them out of the way. Another option is to “snowball” your tasks by breaking them down into smaller segments, completing preparatory tasks, and eventually completing the larger task at hand. Whether you choose the “big frog first” or “snowball” method, try building in a reward system for completed tasks to help stay motivated.

8. Manage Time-Wasters

Reduce or eliminate time spent in these activities by implementing some simple tips.

Handheld Devices

• Take advantage of voice-to-text features such as transcribed voicemails or to make notes or draft emails and text messages when you are on the go.
• Avoid small talk. Stay focused.
• Take any necessary action immediately following a call.
• Impose screen time limits and regularly monitor your digital wellness (see Strategy 10).
• Schedule breaks from your devices.
• Set aside a specific time to view and respond to email, but don’t let it accumulate to the point it becomes overwhelming to sort.
• Turn off notifications for email.
• Handle each item only once if possible.
• Immediately delete or unsubscribe from junk emails.
• Keep address books up-to-date and organized.
• Utilize built-in shortcuts to sort email.

Unexpected Visitors

• Schedule time for face-to-face visits.
• Inform visitors of your time constraints and politely offer to reschedule.
• Set a mutually agreeable time limit for the visit.
• When someone comes to the door, stand up and have your meeting standing to help keep it brief.

In-Person and Virtual Meetings

• Know the purpose of the meeting in advance.
• Arrive early.
• Start and end the meeting on time.
• Prepare an agenda and stick to it. Use a timed agenda, if necessary.
• Don’t schedule meetings unless they are necessary and have a specific purpose or agenda.
• Use recording software or designate a note-taker.

Family Obligations

• Use and sync virtual calendars for easy sharing between busy family members.
• Make each family member responsible for consulting the master calendar for potential conflicts.
• Create a central area or agreed upon app for posting communications such as appointment reminders, announcements, and messages.

9. Avoid Multi-tasking

Psychological studies have shown that multi-tasking does not save time. In fact, the opposite is often true. You lose time when switching from one task to another, resulting in a loss of productivity (Rubinsteim, Meyer, and Evans, 2001). Routine multi-tasking may lead to difficulty in concentrating and maintaining focus. Do your best to focus on just one task at a time by keeping your area clear of distractions, including turning off notifications on your devices, and set aside dedicated time for specific tasks.

10. Stay Healthy

The care and attention you give yourself is an important investment of time. Scheduling time to relax or do nothing helps you rejuvenate physically and mentally, enabling you to accomplish tasks more quickly and easily. Be sure to monitor your screen time as a part of your digital well-being, setting boundaries to stay healthy. A study conducted by Google showed that four out of five study participants who took steps to improve their digital well-being believe their overall well-being was positively impacted as well (Google, 2019). To improve your digital well-being, set time limits or utilizing built-in software on electronic devices such as phones and tablets to help maintain your digital wellness. Blue light blockers and grayscale mode may also help you improve your digital well-being. Set a time each night to shut off all digital devices to give your mind time to relax; this can also help improve your sleep schedule.

Unfortunately, poor time management and too much screen time can result in fatigue, moodiness, and more frequent illness. To reduce stress, reward yourself for time management successes. Take time to recognize that you have accomplished a major task or challenge before moving on to the next activity.

Whatever time management strategies you use, take time to evaluate how they have worked for you. Do you have a healthy balance between work and home life? Are you accomplishing the tasks that are most important in your life? Are you investing enough time in your own personal well being? If the answer is “no” to any of these questions, then reevaluate your time management strategies and transition to ones that will work better for you. Successful time management leads to greater personal happiness, more accomplishments at home and at work, and a more satisfying future.

Previously updated by: Roxie Price, University of Georgia Extension Dana Carney, University of Georgia Extension Rachael Clews, K-State Research and Extension

Originally written by: Sue W. Chapman, retired, UGA Extension Michael Rupured, retired, UGA Extension

Covey, S. R., Merrill, A. R., & Merrill, R. R. (1994). First things first: To live, to love, to learn, to leave a legacy . Simon & Schuster.

Dodd, P., & Sundheim, D. (2005). The 25 best time management tools and techniques: How to get more done without driving yourself crazy . Peak Performance Press, Inc.

Google, Global (DE, ES, FR, IT, PL, U.K., U.S.). (2019). Digital wellbeing survey (General population, 18+ years, n=97).

MacKenzie, A. (1990). The time trap (3rd ed.). American Management Association.

Roster, C., Ferrari, J., & Jurkat, M. (2016, March 16). The dark side of home: Assessing possession ‘clutter’ on subjective well-being. Journal of Environmental Psychology , 46 , 32–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2016.03.003

Rubinsteim, J., Meyer, D., & Evans, J. (2001). Executive control of cognitive processes in task switching. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 27 (4), 763–797. https://doi.org/10.1037/0096-1523.27.4.763

Status and Revision History Published with Full Review on Apr 25, 2014 Published with Minor Revisions on Aug 26, 2020 Published with Full Review on Feb 19, 2024

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Do you find yourself rushing to complete your homework assignment at the last moment? Are you always starting your homework when you're supposed to be going to bed? The root of this common problem may be time management.

This easy exercise will help you identify the tasks or habits that take time away from your studies and help you develop more healthy homework habits.

Keeping Track of Your Time

The first goal of this exercise is to get you to think about how you spend your time . For instance, how much time do you think you spend on the phone per week? The truth may surprise you.

First, make a list of common time-consuming activities:

• Talking on the phone
• Listening to music
• Watching TV
• Playing games/surfing web
• Spending time with family

Next, jot down an estimated time for each one. Record the amount of time that you think you devote to each of these activities per day or week.

Make a Chart

Using your list of activities, create a chart with five columns.

Keep this chart on hand at all times for five days and keep track of all the time you spend on each activity. This will be tough sometimes since you probably spend a lot of time going rapidly from one activity to the other or doing two at once.

For example, you may watch TV and eat at the same time. Just record the activity as one or the other. This is an exercise, not a punishment or a science project. Don't pressure yourself!

Once you have tracked your time for a week or so, take a look at your chart. How do your actual times compare with your estimates?

If you are like most people, you may be shocked to see how much time you spend doing things that are unproductive.

Does homework time come in last place? If so, you're normal. In fact, there are many things that ​ should take more time than homework, like family time. But surely there are some problem areas that you can identify as well. Are you spending four hours a night watching TV or playing video games?

You certainly deserve your leisure time. But to have a healthy, productive life, you should have a good balance among family time, homework time, and leisure time.

Set New Goals

When tracking your time, you may find that you spend some time on things you just can't classify. Whether we're sitting on the bus staring out the window, waiting in line for a ticket, or sitting at the kitchen table gazing off in the distance, we all spend time doing, well—nothing.

Look over your activity chart and determine areas you could target for improvement. Then, start the process over again with a new list.

Make new time estimates for each task or activity. Set goals for yourself, allowing more time for homework and less time on one of your weaknesses, like TV or games.

You will soon see that the mere act of thinking about how you spend your time will bring about a change in your habits.

Suggestions for Success

• Don't work alone. Some of us need support to stick to something. A little competition with a friend always makes things more interesting. Work with a friend, compare notes, lists, and charts. Make a game of it!
• Include your parent. Get your mom or dad involved and have them keep track of the time they waste. Now that might be interesting!
• Negotiate a reward system . Whether you work with a friend or a parent, work out a system for rewarding yourself for progress. If working with a friend, you could agree to provide lunch or dinner for the time-saving winner each week.If working with a parent, you could negotiate an extended curfew for every increased minute devoted toward homework. Perhaps you could even substitute dollars for minutes. The possibilities are endless!
• Have a party for reaching a goal. Even if you're working on your own, you could promise yourself a party as a reward for reaching a specific goal.
• Make it a class project. This would be a great project for an entire class. The teacher or group leader could keep track of progress with a flow chart. When the class reaches a goal as a group—it's party time!
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• Understanding the SQ3R Study Strategy
• Memorizing the Bill of Rights Amendments
• How to Study for Objective Test Questions
• How to Remember Dates for a Test - Memorization

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How Does Homework Help With Time Management

The motive behind the exercise of homework is to keep the student abreast with the daily goings-on of the class and through thorough practice improve the student’s foundation in a particular topic. Besides those, homework develops one’s researching capabilities since often it extends beyond what is just being taught at school; it is a furtherance of the student’s knowledge and for that the student often has to spend a quite an amount of time looking up the internet or the library for some kind of aid.

Time Management

In-time submission is a universal pre-requisite for any piece of work. Marks deduction, denying to consider the homework or other such penalties on failing to meet the deadline act as a form of driving force for students. Students, therefore, are forced into putting their priorities to check and order them accordingly. In future, when in employment, these students have to meet several such deadlines and then it will be this exercise of college homework that would come in handy.

In addition, college assignments help with time management by enabling us to order our priorities. In this way, we get clear up some time for ourselves and engage in things we love doing, have a hobby. We can binge-watch TV shows, have a movie-marathon, go on a long drive and what not. Yet all of it without compromising on the important stuff since we will learn, eventually where to draw the line.

Recruiting help

Not everybody can master the management task. After bouts of driving around with friends, social networking, binge watching TV shows there is not much energy nor enthusiasm that could drive some out of their bed or couches to invest the remainder of their time into a productive exercise of homework, not even if he is made to write down a million times, in order to ascertain, the numerous benefits of this exercise.

Besides the non-enthusiast, there are those who just could not make out time from numerous engagements. There are many who genuinely cannot do homework, some probable conceptual fault that has remained unclear. For such folks, expert advice and suggestions are advisable. But how does one know whom to trust? The internet is flooding with homework help websites that are made up of a bunch of fraudsters.

How are online homework services helpful?

Offline or online, homework services offer a great deal of relaxation to those with too much on their desk and those who always love to relax. Employing expert professionals, these services go to the core of the problem a student is facing with a particular topic that his/her homework deals with. They will not just write the answers to your questions but also improve your understanding of the topics so that you do not have to seek further assistance from such service providers. The services are reasonably priced and can be availed 24*7.

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Principles of effective time management for balance, well-being, and success.

The principles below are derived from research on time management, motivation theory and much experience working with university students. Think of time management techniques as tools to help you do what you value the most. Make these tools into an expression of your values—what’s most important to you—not just a schedule to get more stuff done. Try to keep these principles in mind as you schedule and calendar your time, and when making the moment-to‐moment decisions that are crucial to effective time management for balance and well-being.

• Commitment —if you can’t commit to devoting time to a task, don’t put it in your schedule. Only schedule tasks you WILL do. Be brutally realistic, not idealistic when making your schedule. Creating a schedule you can’t actually keep is setting yourself up for frustration. If you don’t actually stick to your schedule it will soon become useless. This may have happened to you in the past.
• Pursue fun with a vengeance —Make time for enjoyable, rejuvenating and satisfying activities like organizations, sports, and entertainment. Organize your academic and other obligations AROUND these commitments to fun.
• Time vs. task focus —Think of your day in terms of time, not the tasks you have to do. Devote time to important tasks every day. It’s hard to predict how long a task will take, so it’s hard to schedule with great precision. But you can reliably schedule regular intervals of time and get into a routine. Make an appointment with yourself for a particular time period, and when playing or working, set your purpose “I'll get the most out of this time.”
• One thing at a time —Current research shows us that multi-­‐tasking is a myth. In actuality, we are switching back and forth between tasks. With each switch we pay a cognitive cost and a time cost: It takes time to get mentally back into the task, thus making us less efficient. When switching we lose the depth of our engagement, absorption. This depth is necessary at Princeton where you are expected to gain conceptual mastery, not merely a superficial understanding.
• Block out time —devote, on a regular basis, chunks of time to a specific class. Make it part of your schedule, your routine. Estimate how many hours per week you want to devote to a class. Set aside this many hours for working tasks in the course Slice up your task into pieces and allow specific blocks of time for specific pieces of a big project.
• First Things First —if you can do so, schedule the things that are most important to you first thing in the day, or at the first available time slot. Anything that gets scheduled later in the day has a greater chance of getting interrupted, put off and never gotten to. You won’t be thinking or worrying about your work during your leisure time if you get academic tasks done first.
• Routine —It takes 30 days to create a habit, but good habits make your life easier. With good habits in place you don’t have to make as many hard decisions, thus you are less likely to make unproductive ones such as talking yourself out of doing what you had planned.
• Flexibility —How do you incorporate flexibility into your schedule? Don’t schedule every hour of the day, leave empty time slots, and schedule in recreation time. Create a two-hour or three-hour block on Friday as a catch all makeup time. When things come up and you are deciding whether to diverge from your established schedule, survey future hours and days to see where you can make up lost time. Switch blocks of time so that your schedule reflects your new commitments.
• Respond vs. react —In the moment of decision-­‐making, when faced with a decision or an impulse to diverge from your schedule, don’t just react, RESPOND. Pause, take a moment to think. Remember what’s most important to you and do what will help you get it. For example, if exercise is a top priority for you, don’t let a sudden fear about a grade prevent you from exercising. Be ready to reduce the amount of time, but don't compromise on your health. Don’t let “mindgames” in which you create justifications get in the way or lead you astray.
• Choose carefully where you study and do other tasks: minimize distraction; maximize focus.
• Use physical reminders. If you want to work out more, but are getting bogged down in email or Facebook, put your running shoes on top of your laptop. Make it harder to get off track and easier to stick to your plan by changing your environment.
• Study buddy/group—work on problem sets, readings, etc. in your shared course together.
• Get a study/writing partner—same place and time, but not the same course.
• Ask friends NOT to call you at specific times. Ask them to help you stick to your schedule. Say, “tell me to leave your room” or the dining hall after one hour, etc.

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• 18 time management tips, strategies, an ...

18 time management tips, strategies, and quick wins to get your best work done

Today, we’re constantly interrupted by tools, notifications, emails, social media—you name it. In our distraction economy, chaos has become the norm.

Time management templates can help you take back your time and bring more mindfulness into your daily routine. Instead of letting your to-do list dictate how you spend your time, you can use time management strategies to intentionally set your daily priorities and focus on the most relevant work.

There isn’t one right way to manage your time. In this article, we’ll cover 18 different tips, strategies, and quick wins to help you take back control of your tasks—and your time.

What is time management?

Time management is the practice of managing your work in order to ensure you’re spending your time as intentionally as possible. Time management can  increase productivity —but the biggest advantage of effective time management is the ability to better prioritize your day so you can make space for rest and self care.

The benefits of time management

Good time management strategies can help you organize and prioritize tasks so you can:

Feel like you have more time in your day.  When you’re intentional about where your time is going, you may find that you reduce unnecessary tasks, de-prioritize work that doesn’t need to get done today, and accomplish things in less time. You won’t literally have more time in your day—but you may find that you accomplish more in the same amount of time.

Establish boundaries between work and personal time.  Improving your time management isn’t about squeezing out every second of productivity you have at work. Rather, these strategies can help you get your most important work done—and identify what work can wait until tomorrow. By prioritizing the work that needs to get done today and clarifying what work you can defer to a later date, you’re also establishing boundaries between your work time and your personal time.

Reduce stress.  Without effective time management, it can feel like you never have enough time at work. You might feel like you’re running around and putting out fires—which can lead to increased stress and, ultimately, burnout. In fact, according to the  Anatomy of Work Index , 71% of knowledge workers reported feeling burnout at least once in 2020.

Improve productivity.  There are a variety of time management tips to help reduce procrastination and increase productivity. By identifying your main priorities for the day, you won’t just be more productive—you can also feel confident that you’re working on the right things each day.

Break bad habits.  No one wants to procrastinate. But over time, bad habits can pile up and get in the way of high-impact work. (Trust us, we’ve been there too.) Time management strategies can help you identify and break out of bad habits.

6 time management strategies to increase productivity

One of the easiest ways to build your time management skills is to incorporate a tried-and-true time management strategy into your daily routine. Time management strategies help you set time limits on work, tackle one task at a time, and schedule your day with more intention.

1. Timeboxing

Timeboxing  is a goal-oriented time management strategy where you complete work within “timeboxes.” This strategy is particularly effective if you aren’t sure how much time you’re spending on each task and want to approach your  to-do list  more intentionally.

Timeboxing helps you break down large tasks into smaller pieces, and then complete those pieces in a reasonable amount of time. Each task should have its own unique timebox that lasts no more than three hours. For example, if you need to write a blog post, you might create a two-hour timebox to write an outline. Then after taking a break, you can create another three hour timebox to begin the first draft. By breaking the work into smaller pieces, you can make steady progress towards your goal over the course of days or weeks.

2. Time blocking

Time blocking  is similar to timeboxing, but instead of scheduling specific time for each individual task, you’ll practice blocking off set periods of your calendar for related work. When you use time blocking to schedule your work, you’re effectively breaking the work week into discrete time slots where you can work on projects, communicate with coworkers, take a break, or even exercise. Time blocking can help you dedicate more time to flow and  deep work  by allowing you to focus without being interrupted.

To create a time block, start by figuring out your daily or weekly priorities. Then, group similar tasks so you can work on them in one time block. Finally, practice scheduling blocks of focus time on your calendar to help you stick to your time blocked schedule.

3. Pomodoro method

Similar to timeboxing and time blocking, the  Pomodoro method  helps you tackle work within short time frames and then take breaks between working sessions. The Pomodoro time management strategy is particularly helpful because it actively encourages regular breaks, which are good for intrinsic motivation —and good for your brain. In fact, research suggests that taking breaks makes people  more creative .

To use the Pomodoro method, you need a timer, a prioritized to-do list, and a “snooze” feature on your notifications. Start by setting your timer for 25 minutes, and try to spend that time exclusively working on a task—avoid checking your text messages or social media if possible. Then, once time is up, take a five minute break. Ideally, aim to do something physical during your break, like grabbing a snack or getting up to stretch—but it’s ok to check your devices or see if you got an important ping while you were focused on your task.

Repeat the process of working for 25 minutes and then taking a five minute break four times. Then, after the fourth working session, take a longer 20-30 minute break.

4. Eat the Frog

Mark Twain famously said, “If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning.” The  Eat the Frog  time management strategy takes inspiration from this quote and encourages you to tackle big or complex tasks first before working on your less important or less urgent work. This strategy is particularly helpful if you split your days between regular, daily work and high-priority tasks.

With the Eat the Frog method, you can ensure you’re getting to your most important work every day. To get started with this time management strategy, make sure you’re tracking your work and priorities in a centralized tool. Look for a way to connect your  daily tasks to company goals . That way, you can better identify which tasks to prioritize every day, and make sure you get those to-dos done first. Then, once you’ve eaten your frog for the day, you can move on to the rest of your work.

5. Pareto principle

If eating a frog first thing in the morning doesn’t sound appetizing, you might prefer the Pareto time management strategy. The  Pareto principle  is the opposite of the Eat the Frog method—this strategy encourages you to get quick tasks out of the way, so you can feel more accomplished and motivated as you head into your day.

Often called the “80/20 rule,” the Pareto principle has one fundamental rule: you spend 20% of your time on 80% of your work. If you can get those 80% of your tasks out of the way in relatively quick order, you free up your workday to tackle the 20% of your work that will take 80% of your time.

6. Getting Things Done (GTD)

The  Getting Things Done  method was invented by David Allen in the early 2000s. According to Allen, the first step to getting things done is to write down everything you need to do. By freeing up brain power and instead relying on  task management tools , you can focus on taking action—and not remembering what you need to do.

To use the GTD method, capture all of your upcoming work in one place. Then once you’ve written down everything you need to do, sort and prioritize your work. For example, you might have work you no longer need to do (that goes in the “trash”), work you want to do eventually but not right now (that goes into a “later” project or folder), work that is dependent on other tasks, and so on. The tool should capture all the details—it’s your job to take action on them.

6 time management tips to get more done

You may or may not like using an established time management strategy to organize your work. Not every time management strategy is effective for every person—that’s why there are so many of them in the first place. Instead, try these six tips to build your time management skills.

1. Connect daily work to goals

Time management isn’t always about getting all of your work done—rather, it’s about identifying and prioritizing your most important work. In order to do that, you need to connect your day-to-day work to team or company goals so you can identify the most important tasks to tackle daily. But, according to a recent  survey of over 6,000 global knowledge workers , only 26% of employees say they have a very clear understanding of how their individual work relates to company goals.

The best way to coordinate work and priorities across all levels of your organization is with a  work management tool . With work management, you can connect daily work and team projects to company objectives, so your team members always understand how their work impacts company priorities.

To ensure we’re prioritizing the right work, we use OKRs to set quarterly goals that ladder up to bi-annual goals. On a weekly cadence, our team leads make sure that the work the team is doing ladders up to these goals.”

2. Prioritize and organize your work

Whether you like the Eat the Frog method or prefer the Getting Things Done approach, it’s critical to know which tasks are important. Inevitably, you’ll have a task that shifts in priority or a deadline that gets moved up or down. If you don’t have clarity on which work is more important, you won’t be able to adapt and prioritize the right work.

Why does prioritizing work matter? You might be familiar with burnout, which impacts a growing number of global employees every year. But what’s less documented is how unclear priorities contribute to burnout. According to the  Anatomy of Work Index , 29% of the knowledge workers who reported feeling burnout cited feeling overworked from a lack of clarity on tasks and roles as a contributing factor. Knowing which tasks to prioritiz

e can help reduce that feeling and increase confidence that you’re working on the right tasks every day.

3. Plan ahead at the end of each day

The workday often feels like a scramble because we’re already behind by the time we get started. If you’re the type of person who goes through emails every morning trying to figure out what to prioritize for the day, you’re not alone. Fortunately, there’s a better way.

Instead of trying to figure out what you should be doing in the morning, spend the last five minutes of each day preparing for the next one. This can increase motivation because you know exactly what you’re doing every day before you even log on. It’s also a valuable way to make sure you’re going to get your most important work done every day. Instead of reacting to an email or request at 4:30 in the afternoon, you can make sure to incorporate that important work into the next day’s schedule.

4. Say “no” or delegate

One advantage of clarifying your priorities is that you gain an understanding of what’s less of a priority as well. It’s not always easy to say “no” to work—but it helps when you can explain that you’re saying “no” because the work doesn’t align with your current priorities. Defining priorities for yourself—and sharing those priorities with your team members—can give everyone more clarity.

If the work has to get done, but still isn’t a priority for you, see if you can delegate it to another team member . Keep in mind—delegating doesn’t mean the task isn’t important, it just means the work isn’t in line with your current priorities. It could be that this work is more relevant for someone else’s expertise—and when you reassign it to them, you’re ensuring the work is done by the best person for the job.

A strategy we have put in place to make sure our team is efficient is to be clear around what you will and won't do as a team... Having clear visibility of your work makes decisions easier around what you will focus on and what you won't focus on. If you can be very clear around that it helps drive efficiency and clarity around what our teams need to be focusing on.”

5. Audit your tasks

Similar to saying “no” to work, take some time to look through tasks you committed to a while back and are still working on. Is there anything that’s currently on your plate that no longer aligns with your team’s goals?

When you find these tasks, ask yourself if this work needs to be done at all. If it’s no longer important to your team, consider putting the work on hold. If the task still needs to be done, ask yourself if you’re the best person for the job—and if not, go through the same delegation exercise to figure out who is.

6. Ditch handwritten to-dos—use a tool

If you’re still tracking your work by hand, it’s time to upgrade to an online tool. As satisfying as it can be to take notes manually, written  to-do lists  are disorganized, prone to mistakes, easy to lose, and ineffective.

Instead, make sure the majority of your project management is happening in a dedicated tool.  Project management tools  offer a variety of features that make it easier to get the most out of your time. With a project management tool you can:

Coordinate cross-functional work and track exactly who’s doing what by when.

Communicate about work, share feedback, and  report on project status  in one place.

Track progress in real time to accurately see where work stands.

See due dates and  dependencies so you can hit your goals without scrambling.

Plus, if you think there’s nothing quite like crossing a task off your written to-do list, wait until you see a herd of  celebration creatures  fly across your computer screen.

6 time management quick wins

The time management strategies and tips we outlined above are helpful—but they take some time to implement. Looking to get started in the next five minutes? Try these six quick wins to improve your time management right now.

1. Snooze notifications

We’re constantly bouncing between apps, notifications, and tasks. In fact, the average knowledge worker  switches between 10 apps  up to 25 times per day. That’s why it’s harder to focus on the task at hand and get into a good flow—which means work takes longer.

When you can, turn off your notifications or use “Do not Disturb” features to temporarily disable notifications. That way, you can dive into deep work—while also letting your team know you’ll be getting back to them later. Most tools show that you’re temporarily snoozed, so team members know not to expect a reply from you right away. If necessary, they can usually choose to override the feature, so you’re never too far out of reach.

To be most productive, I find it helpful to block off time between meetings when I intend to work on different projects, making sure to leave time for short breaks. I also find it helpful when I (and folks around me) update Slack statuses to “Heads down” so nobody expects an immediate response.”

2. Organize your physical space

Think back to how clean your desk was when you first set it up. You likely had a computer monitor and a keyboard, maybe a notepad, but probably not much else. If you’re anything like us, that clean desk didn’t last long. Over time, you’ve inevitably accumulated papers, boxes, books, sticky notes, and stray wires.

A messy desk might not seem like much, but visual clutter can influence mental clutter, and make it hard to focus. Take a quick five minute break to organize your desk. Throw away any papers that are no longer necessary, stack your books in a neat row, and coil any stray wires that might be lying around. Then, when you get back to work, you may find that it's easier to focus.

3. Group like tasks

Every time you switch between tasks, your brain has to find the relevant context and information for that new task and bring that knowledge to the forefront of your mind. Sure, it takes mere seconds for your brain to do that—but if you’re constantly switching between tasks and projects, that means you’re forcing your brain to work overtime.

This can lead to reduced productivity—not to mention increased exhaustion at the end of the day. So instead, try to group like tasks. See if you can work on all of your tasks for one project, or all tasks for the same deliverable, in the same time block. When you do, you’ll spend less time context-switching and more time focused on getting high-impact work done.

Working in batches, especially with planning, really helps you prioritize the work while still giving you the ability to be dynamic to what's happening or what may be coming.”

4. Work on quick tasks in between meetings or focus time

You likely have a few tasks every day that take five or 10 minutes to complete. These can be quick responses to a team member, fixing a typo on a document, or submitting a work request form to another coworker.

If you have this type of work, store it somewhere that’s front and center—like a project management tool—but don’t immediately work on it. Instead, save these tasks for those five minutes between meetings or 10 minutes immediately after lunch as you get back into the swing of things. Not only will you be able to quickly tackle this work—and feel good for doing it—they also won’t take up valuable mental energy that could be spent on more complex work.

5. Stop trying to multitask

Simply put, multitasking is a myth . While it might feel like you’re doing more than one thing at the same time, when you attempt to multitask you’re actually forcing your brain to quickly switch between tasks. Every time you switch between work, your brain needs to find the information and context for that task. Not only does this take more effort than simply focusing on one to-do, it also exhausts your brain.

Instead of multitasking, aim to work on one task at a time, so you can get into flow while working.  Flow state  happens when you’re so focused that you feel like you’re “in the zone.” When you get into flow, you’re able to get more work done more efficiently, since your brain is only focusing on one task at a time.

6. Take breaks

It might seem counterintuitive, but one of the best things you can do to improve your time management is to take a break. We tend to react to feeling behind on work by just doing more of it, but your brain needs time to rest and recharge. If you’re overworked and burnt out—you won’t be able to get anything done, much less tackle your most important work.

If taking a break feels hard to do, you’re not alone. According to our research,  32% of knowledge workers  who feel burnout report not being able to switch off or disconnect as something that fuels their burnout. Because they can’t switch off, they get burnt out, and when they’re burnt out, they can’t switch off—it’s a never-ending cycle.

If you struggle to remember to take breaks, consider scheduling them into your calendar. Then when the break pops up on your calendar, force yourself to take it—even if you just stand up to stretch. Even though it might feel stressful to take that break, you’ll feel better once you do.

To help ensure you don't burn out while working remotely, find new ways in this digital world to separate yourself from your screen and to take the time that you need. Also, I highly recommend the one-minute dance party–just get up and move around.”

Take control of your time

Ultimately, time management is more of a state of mind than anything else. To effectively manage your time, prioritize your work so you know to work on each day. Instead of letting your to-do list dictate your priorities, focus your attention on your intention to really drive impact.

To get started, make sure you’re tracking work in a centralized tool. Ready to get started? Learn how Asana can help you  organize your tasks and hit your deliverables .

Related resources

Timesheet templates: How to track team progress

AI at Work: Practical Ways to Start Using AI Today

Data-driven decision making: A step-by-step guide

How Asana streamlines strategic planning with work management

38 Free Time Management Templates

By Kate Eby | May 8, 2017 (updated December 29, 2023)

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We’ve compiled the most useful collection of free time management templates designed for project managers, project sponsors, scrum masters, shift managers, event coordinators, students, and others. These user-friendly templates will help you optimize your time and productivity, enabling you to efficiently accomplish your goals and tasks. 

Included on this page, you’ll find a time management plan template, a time management calendar template, a daily planner template, a weekly schedule template, and a homework schedule template, and more. Plus, find general tips for using time management templates to optimize your time.

24-Hour Activity Log Template

Download a 24-hour Activity Log Template for

Excel | Smartsheet

An activity log provides a record of how you are spending your time on a daily and weekly basis. Similar to the time study template above, this time management spreadsheet captures all of your tasks in one place so that you can see exactly where your time is going. This Excel template is intended to record your full day, not just work hours. To use the template, keep track of all your activities over a period of time, and then assess how your time is being spent and where you’d like to make changes.

Download one of these free timesheet and time card templates to help ensure your team accurately accounts for its time.

Time Management Plan Template

Download a Time Management Plan Template for  Excel | Microsoft Word | Adobe PDF  

Use this time management plan template to outline an effective strategy for managing your time and achieving your goals. The template features day-by-day columns for scheduling tasks, meetings, breaks, and other activities in half-hour increments. With its user-friendly design, this template empowers individuals and organizations to optimize their time and resources, enabling them to accomplish their objectives efficiently and maximize their productivity.

Time Management Calendar Template

Download a Time Management Calendar Template for  Excel | Microsoft Word | Adobe PDF  

In today's fast-paced world, effective schedule management is crucial for individuals and organizations. This time management calendar template offers a comprehensive solution for scheduling appointments, activities, deadlines, and other commitments, while also providing a reminder system for important tasks or events. Whether printed and filled out manually or used digitally, this versatile template is designed to help you manage your time efficiently, prevent over-scheduling or double-booking, and maximize the productivity of your valuable time resources.

Time Budget Template

Download a Time Budget Template for

When you create a financial budget, you subtract expenses from income and evaluate the difference. For a time budget, subtract all the time spent on various activities (including sleep and personal time) from the 168 hours available in a week. This time budget template is a quick tool for assessing your time management and working toward a balanced schedule.

Ensure optimal time allocation and accurate tracking of hours for your team with this extensive collection of free Excel timesheets and time card templates .

Task Tracker Template

Download a Task Tracker Template for

This time management sheet allows you to track your time usage along with the priority, status, and due dates of each task. You can modify the spreadsheet to include any additional information, and use the “Comments” column to record notes, provide instructions, or add important reminders. This template is helpful for organizing your to-do list or for creating a log of completed and pending tasks.

Try one of these free task list and checklist templates to ensure that every task is completed by your team, leading to the success of your project.

Daily Planner Template

Download a Daily Planner Template for Excel | Microsoft Word | Adobe PDF | Smartsheet

Use this versatile daily planner template for comprehensive daily schedule planning. With hour-by-hour intervals broken down into 15-minute increments, you can effectively manage tasks in smaller increments. The template also provides space to list reminders, priorities, and highlight important tasks, allowing you to personalize it for personal or business use.

To explore more ways to optimize your daily scheduling, check out these comprehensive collections of free, downloadable daily task manager templates and daily work schedule templates .

Weekly Schedule Template

Download a Weekly Schedule Template for  Excel | Microsoft W ord | Smartsheet

Customize this time management schedule template by setting the desired time interval and start date to meet your specific requirements. Choose from time intervals ranging from 10 to 120 minutes, allowing you to tailor the level of detail according to your preferences. A well-designed weekly schedule incorporates a balance of fixed and flexible activities, enabling you to create a comprehensive plan and establish a structured routine.

To discover more about ensuring that your schedules are fully optimized, see this article on project schedule templates .

Yearly Calendar Template (2024)

Download the 2024 Yearly Calendar Template for Excel  

If you need a full-year calendar template, this Excel version provides all 12 months in a simple layout that is easy to view and modify. You can use the yearly calendar template for long-term planning while tracking your weekly and monthly schedules. Set both short- and long-term goals, and use the calendar to plan your steps toward meeting those objectives.

Shift Schedule Template

Download a Shift Schedule Template for

You can use this template to manage daily and weekly shift rotations among employees. The schedule template provides a simple grid for entering the shift type or location for a given time period. You can quickly get a broad overview of the schedule as well as precise work details for each employee. Simply edit the shift descriptions and hourly time intervals to match your business and scheduling needs.

10-Week Planner Template

Download a 10-Week Planner Template for

Anyone can use this template to create a master 10-week schedule, but students may find it particularly useful for semester planning. The 10-week calendar provides a blank slate for adding whatever activities and due dates you need to track. Planning a schedule over a longer time frame can provide a greater sense of organization and help you work toward longer-term goals.

Four-Year Student Plan Template

Download a Four-Year Student Plan Template for

This four-year template was designed with college students in mind, and provides sections for each year of school. Plan out which classes you intend to take and the number of credits needed for graduation. With this template, you get a broad overview of your semester, yearly, and four-year plan, which gives you an idea of your course load and helps ensure that you don’t overlook any graduation requirements.

Business Time Study Template

Download a Business Time Study Template for

You can use this Excel template to conduct a workplace time study, tracking how much time is being spent on certain tasks. Record all tasks in the first column, and then add the number of minutes spent on each item for each day. Fill out this template throughout the day to ensure accuracy, and be sure to include break times or unexpected activities that arise. At the end of the week, you’ll know the frequency and duration of interruptions.

Class Schedule Template

Download a Class Schedule Template for

Whether you’re adjusting to the demands of college life and living away from home or approaching graduation with too many tasks to manage easily, a class schedule can help you establish a weekly routine and stay on top of responsibilities. Choose the start time for your day, time interval, and the week’s starting date, and then enter your daily class schedule along with any other appointments, activities, or deadlines. You may also want to dedicate certain hours to studying to make sure you have adequate time set aside.

Homework Planner Template

Download a Homework Planner Template for

Excel |  Microsoft Word | Smartsheet

This template lists classes for each week day so that you can create a homework schedule, manage study time, and plan for upcoming due dates. Keeping track of all your assignments in one spreadsheet can give you an idea of how much time you need to devote to homework on a given day or week. You can edit the template for your specific classes, and adjust the dates. Customize this template according to your specific classes and easily modify the dates as needed.

Time Management Templates – Word

Prioritized task list template.

Download Prioritized Task List Template - Word

Word | Smartsheet

Prioritizing tasks can help ensure that important items get done. This simple template in Word format makes it easy to create a hierarchical list, with high-priority tasks at the top and low-priority items at the bottom. If you have many high-priority items to accomplish, consider creating an "If I finish everything else" list -  items you would like to accomplish, but that can wait until you complete all necessary tasks.

Goal Setting Worksheet

Download Goal Setting Worksheet

This template is ideal for setting goals and determining strategies for reaching them. Individuals can use this worksheet to better understand their personal goals and what might be getting in the way of reaching them. In a business setting, use this worksheet to identify measurable goals, required resources, and action steps for success. The template can also be used for identifying Key Results Areas (KRA) - the outcomes for which an employee or department is responsible - and plans for achieving those results. Determining specific goals in this manner makes it easier to create a prioritized list of action items.

Procrastination Management Worksheet

Download Procrastination Management Worksheet

Even if you have evaluated your schedule, set attainable goals, and created a long-term plan, you may still find yourself procrastinating. This worksheet can help you identify which activities you tend to put off or avoid altogether. Knowing what areas of your life are most affected by procrastination can provide insight into why you might be neglecting certain tasks and what you can do to change this.

Meeting Agenda Template

Download Meeting Agenda Template

A meeting agenda may not be an obvious time management template, but it can help keep a meeting on schedule and ensure priority issues get addressed. With this template, you can set a duration for each agenda item, and assign a timekeeper (who monitors the agenda against time spent on items) to help presenters follow the predetermined schedule.

Cornell Notes Template

Download Cornell Notes Template

Word  | Smartsheet

This note-taking template follows the Cornell method. The sheet is divided into two columns - the left for recording questions and the right for taking notes. This creates a condensed and organized note-taking format that makes it easier for students to record and review notes. The template is in Word format and you can print it or email it to share with study group, club or meeting participants.

Time Management Templates - PDF

Printable to-do list template.

Download Printable To-Do List Template

PDF | Smartsheet

Creating daily lists is a simple way to remind yourself of what needs to get done, whether you’re checking off appointments and errands, making a grocery list, or keeping track of responsibilities at work. You can also use this to-do list template to create a list of items that you are waiting for others to accomplish, such as work projects or requested services. Another creative use is to create a list of distractions that are keeping you from focusing on tasks at hand. Write down tasks or ideas that you want to tackle or remember so that you can stick to your current schedule.

Printable Bi-Weekly Timesheet

Download Printable Bi-weekly Timesheet

This timesheet is ready to print in PDF format and offers a bi-weekly record of employee hours. You can choose to include whatever info is relevant for the job (overtime hours, lunch breaks, sick leave, etc.). The template provides space for tracking the employee’s department and supervisor, as well as the pay period.

What Is a Time Studies Template?

A time studies template is a form used to collect data on the amount of time it takes to finish a specific task. The information can then be used to streamline processes while reducing production time.

10 Tips for Effective Time Management

Not planning a schedule, committing to too many tasks or events, and dealing with the many life distractions can all lead to wasted time and anxiety about how to get everything done. Here are 10 tips to keep in mind as you hone your time management skills:

Determine which activities are fixed vs. flexible.  This will vary for each individual, but some items on your schedule are fixed, meaning that they will occur at the same time each week. Others will occur occasionally or have flexibility around when they can be scheduled. Fixed events may include work hours, classes, meetings, mealtimes, church, children’s activities, and hours spent commuting. Flexible items could include time allotted for exercise, household chores, appointments and errands, entertainment, and down time.

Be realistic about how much time you need.  Planning out your schedule can help ensure that adequate time has been budgeted for required activities. Having a plan prevents you from having to rush, and also reminds you not to spend too much time on tasks that you can accomplish quickly.

Break tasks down into manageable segments.  Some projects are complex and involve multiple steps. Scheduling each step separately can provide a series of manageable goals to accomplish.

Establish a routine.  A schedule provides a helpful guide, but establishing consistent habits makes it easier to maintain productivity. Just as healthy eating habits can support wellness, effective time management habits can support a sense of confidence and ease.

Reward yourself.  Compensation for time well spent can include scheduling weekend time to ensure that you really get time to relax. If there’s something that motivates you more, use that as an incentive to reward accomplishments.

Be flexible, but don’t get derailed. Unexpected events will always arise, and you can adjust your schedule to accommodate them by utilizing free time. After a shift in scheduled time occurs, return to your plan in order to stay on track.

Group tasks to maximize efficiency. You can group errands by location and priority, and arrange tasks by type. Embrace multi-tasking by combining activities that work well together. For example, complete laundry while doing other household chores or homework.

Listen to your body.  Following the natural cycles of your body can help you create an effective schedule. If you’re a morning person, for instance, you may have more energy for certain things earlier rather than later in the day. You may have a job or school schedule that doesn’t exactly match your natural rhythms, but being aware of your energy levels throughout the day can help you anticipate how much time you may need for a given activity.

Don’t be afraid to delegate.  In work or family life, find duties that you can delegate or share with others to help alleviate your workload. While you may give up some control by sharing tasks with others, you may also discover that you have more time to focus on high-priority items and those personal goals that matter the most to you.

Keep your eyes on the prize. Whether you’re focusing on short-term action steps or long-term goals, use these objectives for motivation. This can help you stick to your time management schedule and foster a sense of achievement.

There are many time management tools that you can use to help schedule time, from mobile apps to calendars and multi-year plans. Below, you’ll find a variety of templates with basic formatting and a professional appearance that can help you manage your personal and professional time better. Download the templates that work for you and customize them to fit your needs.  

Manage Personal and Professional Time Efficiently With Smartsheet

Empower your people to go above and beyond with a flexible platform designed to match the needs of your team — and adapt as those needs change. 

The Smartsheet platform makes it easy to plan, capture, manage, and report on work from anywhere, helping your team be more effective and get more done. Report on key metrics and get real-time visibility into work as it happens with roll-up reports, dashboards, and automated workflows built to keep your team connected and informed. 

When teams have clarity into the work getting done, there’s no telling how much more they can accomplish in the same amount of time.  Try Smartsheet for free, today.

Discover why over 90% of Fortune 100 companies trust Smartsheet to get work done.

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7 efficient tricks for mastering excel homework, sponsored post.

• August 1, 2024

Excel is one of the best applications available in the market regarding data management. In various study sectors, you will find Excel as a useful option to work on. From finance to information technology, learning Excel is a must. 

Well, when it comes to data analysis there is nothing more reliable compared to Microsoft excel. In fact, learning excel will help you to become efficient in dealing with your future. For better job oporuntites in international organizations, you must become smart at using excel. 

Do you struggle to work on Excel?  

Database & table management 

Spreadsheet Creation & design 

Data Analysis & visualization 

If your study require all these tasks, excel is your only platform to do that prominently. However, if you are not good at basic math and computer functions then you are in danger. Considerably, excel is a process that gives you the workflow to deal with all your data works. 

So, its time to consider excel homework as they can help you will all the Excel homeworks within the deadline so that you can stay tension free during your exams. However, this cannot be a permanent solution as you must find a way to become self efficient. 

Tricks To Become Better With Excel  

Working on Excel can be a daunting task for you, but we can help you make it fun and exciting. First, you must understand that it is not a spreadsheet application. So, you have a lot more to do with it.  

In fact, these days, with advanced Excel, people do unthinkable things with their simple data manager.  

However, you will only become a pro once you understand the basics. Whether you are a student trying to complete your Excel homework on time or simply trying to impress your boss in the office with better data analysis, these basic skills will lead you to the path of becoming an Excel pro. 

Master Keyboard Shortcuts  

One of the quickest ways to boost your efficiency in Excel is by mastering keyboard shortcuts. Did you know that? 

Don’t you find navigating through the menu bar of Excel a time-consuming and daunting process? 

Well, these shortcuts can save you a lot of time compared to navigating through menus. You can find manuals for using shortcuts on YouTube or on the internet. In the meantime, we have shared you a few of the basics.  

Ctrl + C (Copy) and Ctrl + V (Paste): Basic but crucial. 

Ctrl + Z (Undo) and Ctrl + Y (Redo): For quick corrections. 

Ctrl + Arrow Keys: To navigate to the edges of your data range. 

Ctrl + Shift + L: To add or remove filters in a data set. 

Getting comfortable with these shortcuts can make your workflow smoother and faster. 

Use Excel Functions Effectively  

Excel functions are the backbone of efficient data manipulation. So, it is time to familiarize yourself with the following functionalities. 

SUM(): Adds up a range of cells. Useful for totals. 

AVERAGE(): Calculates the average value of a range. 

IF(): Provides conditional results based on a logical test. 

VLOOKUP() and HLOOKUP(): For searching data in tables. 

These functionalities will help you deal with a long sheet and create results instantly. Understanding how to use these functions can significantly streamline data analysis and reporting tasks.  

Employ Conditional Formatting  

Conditional formatting can make your data easier to interpret at a glance by automatically applying styles based on cell values. For instance: 

Highlight Cells Rules: To highlight cells that meet certain criteria, such as values greater than a specific number. 

Color Scales: To visualize data ranges with gradient colors. 

This feature helps in spotting trends and outliers without manual inspection. 

Leverage PivotTables for Data Analysis³  

PivotTables are potent tools for summarizing large data sets. They allow you to: 

Aggregate Data: Quickly calculate sums, averages, and counts. 

Group Data: Organize information into categories or periods. 

Filter Data: Easily focus on specific subsets. 

Simply selecting the Insert and choosing PivotTable from the options will let you customize the table. It will help you drag fields into the Rows, Columns, Values, and Filters areas. 

Use Named Ranges for Clarity  

Named ranges are a great way to make your formulas easier to understand. Instead of referencing a cell range like ‘A1:A10’, you can name it something descriptive like ‘SalesData.’ This not only makes formulas more readable but also simplifies managing your data. 

To name a range, select the cells you want to name, go to the “Formulas” tab, and click “Define Name.” It is can be better choice to make your assignments stand out among all students. 

Implement Data Validation  

Data validation helps ensure that the data entered into your spreadsheet meets specific criteria. For example, you can restrict a cell to only accept dates within a certain range or only allow numbers within a specified limit. 

If you want to set up the data validation, make it easy by selecting the cells you want to validate. After that, consider the “data” tab and click “Data Validation.” 

Now, choose the type of validation you need, such as a list of acceptable values or a numerical range. 

Automate with Macros  

For repetitive tasks, macros can be a lifesaver. Macros are small programs you can record or write using VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) to automate tasks. For instance, if you frequently format data in a certain way, recording a macro can save you from repeating the process manually each time. 

To record a macro, you have to follow a few simple steps- 

Go to the “View” tab 

Now click “Macros,” 

Then select “Record Macro.” 

That’s it! 

Perform the actions you want to automate, then stop recording. You can now run the macro whenever needed. 

Conclusion  

Excel is an incredibly versatile tool, and mastering it can greatly enhance your productivity and efficiency, especially when dealing with homework or complex data tasks. Keep practicing and experimenting with these features, and soon, you will be navigating and analyzing your data like a pro.  

With the right approach to Excel, you can solve half of your assignment problems, such as time management and data accuracy. If you are incredible in your subjects, there is no need to stay behind just because you cannot use Excel at its full potential.  

However, getting yourself out of the barrier can help you deal with situations smoothly. So, it’s time to excel in your efficiency with Excel. 

Happy Excel-ing! 

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