Managing Time

Finding time

1. During the first week of class, do the reading for the first two weeks; that way you will have a "week in reserve" which you can draw upon later in the semester as unforeseen problems arise.

2. Think of college as a monday-friday, 9-5 job; show up on campus at 9 and don't leave until 5 (some students register for both early and late classes just so that they will be forced to stay on campus). Use evenings and weekends for part-time jobs and family chores. Of course, you will also need to do some studying during the evenings and weekends, but do most of your studying 9 to 5.

3. Use a schedule. Have a semester calendar posted above your desk, listing the dates for all tests and papers. Use a weekly schedule, either in the format of time blocks set aside for each course or a simple "to do" list of study tasks for the week (break down your work into roughly one-hour tasks). Some students prefer to write daily "to do" lists on post-it notes (the last item should be to write tomorrow's list).

4. Study during your "prime time," the time of day when your concentration is best. For many students, one hour of daytime study is equivalent to one and a half hours of evening study.

5. Do the homework for your most difficult course first.

6. Think about how you can use your commuting time to study. On the train you might do some easy reading or you might listen to a tape of a lecture.

7. Try to get some studying done during breaks at work. Bring homework that can be done on a start-and-stop basis, such as work sheets for a foreign language or math problems.

Reducing distractions

1. Find a good place to study -- usually the library. While the library may seem almost too quiet at first, condition yourself to the quiet by starting with short periods of study there. Other good places to study might include study areas in various departments, c.c.c., or c.i.u. if you are a commuter, stay on campus to study during the week and on weekends go to a library near your home to study. Trying to study at home usually leads to distractions, thus prolonging your study time.

2. Don't put temptation in your path. Don't turn on the t.v. until your day's homework is finished. Unplug your telephone while you study. Hang a "do not disturb" sign on your door.

3. As you study, keep a "to do" list nearby and record there any reminders to yourself or worries that are distracting you.

Increasing motivation

1. Reward yourself at the end of each task, day, and week. For example, take a 10-minute break when you've completed a study task. Decide ahead of time what you will do during your break and make it something that you really want to do (buy an ice cream cone, play a song with the volume up, etc.). Set an alarm on your watch as a reminder to return to your studies when your 10 or 15-minute break is up. When you finish your goals for the day, take the night off. After a successful week, buy a new c.d.

2. Tell your friends your study goals for the week (ie. Read 125 pages in psych, write 7 pages of a history paper). Offer to treat your friends to pizza on friday night if you don't achieve your goals.

3. Form a study group to make some of your study time more lively and interesting. Also, decide before your meeting what material the group will cover and tell everyone to come prepared (you will then feel pressured to do the work by the meeting time).

4. Get enough sleep so that you can work at top efficiency the next day! Studies show that many young people need 8-9 hours per night.

5. Calculate what you hope to make per hour after you graduate and ask yourself if you deserve that salary for what you are doing right now.

6. Post inspirational words above your desk. Surround yourself with positive, successful friends and keep your distance from those who discourage you. Give yourself positive self-talks (i love chemistry and i'm going to be working as a pharmacist in 7 years). Go to a car dealer and pick out the car you will buy after you graduate.

7. Talk to a professor and ask the prof why she went into her field and what she loves about it.

Managing your time while you are in college can be extremely difficult. In high school you had weekly assignments and tests to keep you on track, and at work a boss monitors your output. However, in college there are fewer external motivators.

The general guideline is to spend 2 hours of outside study for each hour in class (24 hours of study per week if you are taking 12 hours). Below are some time management strategies used by students at UIC to achieve their study goals. Experiment to find which of these strategies might work for you.