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1. Since we cannot actually control the passage of time, it makes sense to think of time management as self management. Making appropriate choices about how to use time is really what people mean when they say time management. Everyday you make choices about how to best use your time given the goals and options you have. Knowing what your goals are and what time is available to you are the cornerstones of good time/self management. 2. Knowing what is new in your environment can help you manage yourself through time. The transition to university involves many changes that will take time to adjust to. In first year you'll face shrinking class time and an increase in the amount of time that must be spent in self-directed, independent learning. Moving away from home for the first time, living in residence, balancing school, work, and a social life all represent potentially new challenges to managing time too. Leaving some time unplanned to deal with these changes will help you manage your time well. 3. Planning tools can assist you guiding yourself through an as-yet-unknown reality. Weekly and monthly planners and to-do lists can help you chart a path to your goals. When you plan around your daily peak times of alertness and energy, construct a realistic schedule with clear and concrete activities, and use long-range deadlines to guide your planning. As a result, you will manage your time with less stress and procrastination. 4. The biggest time-saver is to start now. Keeping on top of your work from the beginning of the year will end up saving you many hours of work and the stress of last minute preparation. Read the syllabus and course outline as a guide to each of your courses during the first week of class so that you'll know what to focus on in your work. Do your readings on time and attend all lectures and tutorials -- this way you don't have to scramble around looking for notes or library books at the last minute. Review your work at intervals to consolidate your learning so that you don't have to cram before exams. 5. A balanced load is easier to carry. It is important to make time for the various aspects of your life. Write down clear goals for school, exercise, relaxation, and socializing and make time in your schedule for each of these important life components. While you want to make sure you don't take on too much, balancing your load will keep you mentally and physically energetic. 6. Learn to use time that would otherwise escape you. Using commuting time, time in line-ups and waiting time to complete important, but small activities, can add up to huge time savings and greater productivity. Keep some reading or cue cards with study materials written on them handy to use when these little pockets of time open up. |
