LibGuides: Academic Support: Time Management

Time management involves planning and controlling how you spend your time on tasks and is important as it allows you to focus and not get distracted, therefore allowing you to complete more in less time, or prioritise your personal and study life balance.

There are many time management techniques available. Here is a brief list of simple techniques to get you started.

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establish a semester, weekly and daily study routines that prioritise important tasks such as sleep, exercise, and personal time.
learn to say “no” to prevent feeling overwhelmed and provide you with more flexibility.
prioritise tasks based on grade weight or the time required to complete them.
begin with tasks you don’t enjoy and reward yourself for completing them.
avoid multitasking, which can prevent deep and lasting knowledge acquisition.
organize your study space and notes to stay organised.
break down your assignment due dates into smaller, more manageable tasks.
set specific, measurable and realistic goals to help you prioritise and schedule your time.
different people study better in different settings, such as a quiet space in the library or your room, or a group study space in the library or café. Find what works best for you and ensure this space is well-lit and at the correct temperature.
some people study best with background music.
distractions such as social media, phone, or email notifications should be turned off.
inform your friends and family of the times you will be studying so they don’t disturb you during these times.
small rewards at the end of a goal can be an effective way to stay motivated and on task.

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Time Management Techniques

There are various approaches to implementing time management strategies, particularly when it comes to focusing on tasks. Explore the following popular time management techniques and select the ones that resonate with you.

Eisenhower Decision Matrix

Eisenhower's four part matrix for determining the priority of tasks — *Note:* Sourced from asana.com

President Eisenhower developed this matrix and used it to help him evaluate and prioritize his tasks 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.

ABCDE Method

This is another time management strategy for prioritising assignments into five categories by importance by assigning 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.

Eat That Frog- Most Difficult First

Eat That Frog: Choose the hardest task, the one you're most likely to procrastinate, and do it first — *Note:* Sourced from @BrianTracy/X

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.

This concept can be counterproductive if you’re already feeling overwhelmed. The key is to make progress, one step at a time.

Pomodoro Technique

In this simple time management method, you work for 25 minutes at a time, then take a 5-minute break to rest and recharge.

Flowtime

Unlike the Pomodoro Technique, Flowtime 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.

Timeboxing

Explanation of a timebox, a type of time management tool — *Note:* Sourced from medium.com

Timeboxing is a simple technique that involves allotting a fixed, unit of time for an activity, stopping when the time has finished. Once you have finished you can assess whether you were able to meet your goals.

Time Blocking

This method is similar to timeboxing, but it involves setting blocks of time aside on your calendar for specific tasks. Some people like to start each day by blocking time out on their calendars, figuring out how they’ll make the most of their time.

TASKS

The TASKS technique helps you to priorities activities by breaking large activities into smaller ones and plan your work schedule more effectively.

References

Auld, Sophia. (September 4, 2023). Time management skills that improve student learning. Australian Christian College. https://www.acc.edu.au/blog/time-management-skills-student-learning/

Staake, J. (December 7, 2023). 20 effective time management strategies and tools for students. We the Teachers. https://www.weareteachers.com/time-management-strategies/