Time Management

This section provides information about getting (and staying) organized, and managing your time to be more productive.

How can I organize my time and be more productive?

Creating an organization system that works for you is key in managing your time well. Here are some tips:

At the beginning of each semester, add all important dates, assignments and exams to your calendar.
Before the beginning of a new week, take some time to go over what you have due and make a plan/to-do list to accomplish your tasks. For instance, if you have a paper due on Friday, what can you plan to do each day so that your paper is completed by the deadline?
Be specific when you plan. Instead of writing down “study for Biology”, write down “review chapter 12 textbook and quiz questions for Biology exam”.
Plan to work on more than one subject a day to avoid burnout.
For your most difficult courses, plan to review and study information at least 3-4 times a week.
Make sure to schedule time to do your class readings to better understand the material.
For exams, plan to start studying two weeks in advance, and add chapters you want to cover each day to your calendar. Here’s an example.

How can I stop procrastinating?

There are a few reasons for procrastinating. Check to see if you identify with the reasons below and review the suggested strategies.

Reason 1: The task is overwhelming

Practice breaking up large tasks into smaller, specific tasks. When planning for a big research paper, for example, avoid writing down “work on paper”. Instead, think about creating a list of steps to complete your paper (for example, review 3 articles, write thesis statement, write introduction…).

Reason 2: I seem to always run out of time

This typically happens because of poor time management. The first step is to create a system for staying organized (planner or virtual calendar). Our academic success team members can help you organize your activities into a system that works for you!

Reason 3: I have a hard time getting started

Try the Pomodoro technique! Here’s how to do it:

Make a list of things to get done today and choose a task to work on first
Set a timer for 25 minutes
Work on the task for the set time with no distractions (no peeking at your phone either!)
When the timer goes off, take a 5 minute break.
Repeat this 4 times for 2 hours of focused time! Take a longer 15-30 minute break after.

The Academic Success Center

Wilson Hall, Suite 1100
371 Wilson Blvd
Rochester, MI 48309-4454
(location map)
(248) 370-4215