10 Tips for Mastering Time Management

June 4, 2025 | Jennifer Griffin | jgriffin@uwf.edu

10 Tips for Mastering Time Management

Time— when it comes to our to-do list, most of us could use more time. Summer is a great time to start practicing time management. There tend to be many opportunities for fun and distraction in the summer, and it’s a great time to start practicing balancing and prioritizing school and other responsibilities with fun and family.

We get it, most students are juggling multiple responsibilities - school, work, family, etc. The key to success when you have a lot going on is time management and prioritization. Time and time again, as advisors, we see that students who struggle with time management also tend to struggle to be successful academically. I am sharing tips to help you prioritize your tasks, manage your time, and have success both academically and in other areas of your life.

1. Understand Where Your Time Goes

Start by tracking your activities for a week. Use a time-tracking app or a simple spreadsheet. You might be surprised how much time slips away on tasks that don’t align with your goals. This awareness is the first step in taking control.

2. Use a Calendar—Religiously

Use a calendar or planner - paper or digital, or both. Whatever works best for you! A digital calendar like Google Calendar or Outlook can be a game-changer. Schedule class times, work hours, study sessions, exercise, and even downtime. If you are taking online classes, I highly recommend scheduling “class” time just as you would go to a class. For example, on Tuesday and Thursday from 8 - 10 PM, you commit to working on XYZ class. Treat these blocks as real commitments. Seeing your week laid out helps reduce last-minute stress.

Personally, I prefer to use both an online calendar (Google Calendar) and a paper planner. I use Google Calendar to plan out time and organize meetings, appointments, schedules, etc. I enjoy writing things down (and crossing things off) with pen and paper, so my paper planner allows me to do so. I also color-code my paper planner with different colored pens. I find to-do lists helpful, so I prioritize my tasks by making a daily to-do list in the weekly view of the planner. This helps me plan out my week and feel a sense of accomplishment as I cross out completed tasks.

3. Prioritize with Purpose

Not all tasks are created equal. Use a priority matrix (urgent vs. important) to sort your to-dos. Tackle high-impact tasks when your energy is highest—often earlier in the day. Don’t get stuck in the trap of being busy but not productive.

I highly recommend writing down the due date of all assignments, whether in your digital or paper calendar or even just on your to-do list. Consider the amount of time it will take you to complete your various assignments. Then make a priority list based on when assignments are due and how long they will take you to complete.

Want more information on using a priority matrix? Check this out: https://asana.com/resources/priority-matrix

4. Break Big Tasks Into Smaller Steps

Large assignments can be overwhelming. For many (me included), being overwhelmed often results in procrastination. Instead of feeling frozen, break the assignments/tasks into smaller, manageable steps and assign each to a specific day. For example, instead of “write a research paper,” try:

• Monday: finalize topic
• Tuesday: outline paper
• Wednesday: write introduction
• Thursday: write body paragraphs
• Friday: complete writing/edits and submit to the writing lab

For me, this is where my paper planner comes in to assist me. I write my daily to-do lists with the steps I am completing that day. This makes things more manageable and gives me a sense of accomplishment/progress as I mark them off each day.

5. Set Boundaries and Say No

Your time is valuable. Learn to say no to activities or requests that don’t support your goals or well-being. This is especially important for students who may be pulled in multiple directions with a number of responsibilities, like jobs and families. For some, it may feel challenging to say no, but if the activity or request does not move you towards your goals, it will serve you better to decline.

6. Avoid Multitasking

Research shows multitasking actually reduces efficiency. Focus on one task at a time and give it your full attention. You'll finish faster and retain more (even if it doesn’t feel like it in the moment). Our brains are not meant to focus on multiple things at once, which means tasks are being completed at a lower quality and at a slower pace.

7. Use the Pomodoro Technique

Work in focused 25-minute intervals with 5-minute breaks in between. This method can help improve concentration and prevent burnout. Use your break to stand up, stretch, move your body, or practice breathwork. This maximizes your efficiency and effectiveness and thus your time.

8. Build in Flexibility

Life is unpredictable. Leave buffer time between tasks and be willing to adjust. Flexibility doesn’t mean procrastination—it means planning for the unexpected. So, plan to complete your assignments a couple of days before the due date. This way, if life happens (as it so often does), you have extra time to complete the assignment.

9. Reflect and Adjust Weekly

At the end of each week, take 10 minutes to review what went well and what didn’t. Make adjustments and set priorities for the next week. This habit builds self-awareness and resilience. The more you practice time management and prioritization, the better you will get at it.

10. Take Care of Yourself

Sleep, nutrition, exercise, and mental health are not luxuries—they're necessities. Time management isn’t just about fitting more in; it’s about making time for what matters most. Schedule time for self-care and schedule time for other important things, such as your family and hobbies. These are important to you and will help you perform better and prevent burnout.

Final Thought:

There is no one-size-fits-all time management strategy, and that’s okay. The goal is to find a system that works for you and adapt it as your life and academic responsibilities evolve. There are lots of tools online, including AI tools, that can help you get organized and started if that will help you. Start small, be consistent, and remember: managing your time well is a skill—and like any skill, it gets stronger with practice.

Topic coming in July! UWF and Advising Lingo!