Upon enrolling in higher education, students often question how to manage time in college.

For on-campus and online classes, time management is critical for college students to balance family, friends, and work while earning a certificate or degree.

To organize responsibilities and competing priorities, time management strategies can help learners stay on track to achieve their postsecondary and professional goals.

Read below to learn how to manage your time in college, including 10 key time management tips that can help students succeed.

1. Structure Your School Supplies and Study Space

Consider having separate binders, folders, and notebooks for each course you’re taking in college.

A familiar setting, free from distractions, can also make all the difference. When studying at home or on campus, choose a quiet location where you can focus. Have a designated place to tuck away your phone.

Structuring your notes, being cognizant of likely interferences, and setting a dedicated study time can avoid clutter and confusion. Organizing your environment and materials can also prevent interruptions and increase productivity.

2. Create a Calendar for Your Course Assignments

Review all course syllabi at the start of the semester. Take note of all due dates, final exams, mid-terms, papers, presentations, projects, and quizzes in the future. Adapt and prepare your academic schedule each month, with those dates in mind.

3. Use All Available Resources

Self-advocating and asking for help with specific concepts—or seeking clarification on subjects—shows instructors you care about your education.

Higher education institutions want students to persist and thrive. That’s why schools like Goodwin University offer the following free services to bolster their students’ future success:

• Academic Advising
• Career Services
• Financial Aid Support
• Success Center
• Student Engagement

4. Goalsetting: Get from Small to SMART

Pause procrastination and propel your way through sizable assignments, exams, and projects by starting with more straightforward tasks. Once you tackle the upfront tasks, then move on to your larger to-dos.

Multitasking makes for less effective outcomes. For this reason, aim to complete your task lists one assignment at a time.

Once smaller projects are finished, students should set SMART goals for larger objectives — producing specified, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound projects.

5. Design a Day-to-Day Routine

Planning a routine around class time, homework, research, studying, and work helps to reduce anxiety and the feeling of being overwhelmed by your class curricula.

Adjust your regimen accordingly, and plan ahead for optimal efficiency.

6. Apply Technology to Your Advantage

Tackle your academic to-do lists by downloading project management applications and programs to your computer, mobile device, or tablet.

Organize digital documents so they are easy to find. This may involve virtual, color-coded checklists for each subject or course.

For online classes, set reminders to log in to your student email or participate in discussion boards.

Turn off any disruptions like personal email, social media, or text message notifications within your settings.

Creating different users on your personal computer can equally serve as an organization and time management tactic. Consider creating one account for personal use, adding a separate user for schoolwork, and another user, if applicable, assigned for professional purposes.

7. Practice Repetition for Retention

Re-reading and reintroducing yourself to your notes and course resources can increase your understanding and preservation of a particular topic.

Practice active studying via flashcards and quizzing your knowledge. Engaging in the distributed learning method and studying over several sessions also supports commitment to memory.

Highlighting handouts, rewriting notes, and reorganizing class summaries also help to memorize the material and minimize the time it takes to study for tests.

8. Work on Overall Wellbeing

Want to decrease stress and elevate engagement in class?

To sustain your energy levels and significantly enhance your postsecondary performance, experts recommend:

• Getting adequate sleep (at least eight hours a night)
• Connecting with friends
• Eating healthy, well-balanced meals, and
• Exercising regularly

9. Boost Your Brainpower with School-Life Balance

Taking timed breaks away from your workspace, screens, and textbooks can be a wonderful addition to your routine and provide a much-needed moment to relax.

Asking your family and friends for support while you’re in school is also essential.

Pursuing your degree is a process, and sometimes, that process includes scheduling time for yourself and taking a moment to recharge.

Even if it’s only a half hour to do something you enjoy each day, motivation can be restored, and the results can be remarkable.

10. Appreciate Your Accomplishments

Whether you celebrate writing a few pages of a research paper, or longer-term milestones, this appreciation can make all the difference.

By rewarding your hard work, you remind yourself of your growth, progress, accomplishments, and pursuits toward self-improvement.

Time Management is Essential for College Students

Executing time management enables a learner’s highest potential.

For students, the postsecondary experience encompasses independence, inspiration, and innovation. With time management skills, learners can connect to course content, influence classrooms, and start meaningful careers impacting communities and beyond.

Are you ready to reach your college and career goals?

Discover Goodwin University’s degree programs today!