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Managing Your Time

What It Means 

Time management in the bane of every student. There are only so many hours in the day and yet we're expected to manage multiple events and responsibilities. The trick is learning how to juggle it all without getting totally overwhelmed. Below are suggestions from folks that have struggled with these same issues and found ways to manage their time effectively. 

How to Do It 

• Utilize a calendar system. 
• Use backwards planning. 
• Schedule sufficient time for studying. 
• Schedule your classes at times that fit your needs.
• Coordinate your transportation ahead of time.

Where to Find Help

Your calendar is going to be your best friend. The PSU bookstore has quite a few different options (portlandstatebookstore.com/). Another option is to go to the orientation office in Neuberger Hall 131 and get a free one. Electronic calendars such as iCal, Microsoft Outlook, or Google Calendar can be really useful as well because they help to track multiple events by color coding them, sending reminders, and are accessible wherever you have access to a computer.  

 

Using a Calendar is Essential

The first step in effective time management is to think about what tasks you need to accomplish in a typical day. Although your academic work is an important part of your life, there are other factors that cannot be ignored, such as work or familial responsibilities. Sit down at the beginning of each quarter, and write down all your classes days and times in your calendar. Pre-schedule study time, fill in your hours for work, and make sure to include time for health-related activities such as working out, counseling appointments, and time with friends and family. Having an organized schedule will take the guess work out of deciding what's next. Include your due dates in your schedule to help you coordinate and manage academic responsibilities in addition to work and play time.

 Use Backwards Planning 

Once you have the syllabi from all your classes, figure out how much time you'll need to get everything done. For instance, imagine that in one of your classes you have a ten-page paper due in week four and a mid-term exam in week six. First, write the due dates for each assignment in a daily planner or your wall calendar. Next ask yourself; “How much time will it take me to do each of these assignments?” Then use a colored pen to mark backwards on the calendar the number of days or hours that you realistically believe you will need to complete each step in the assignment. Continue to do this for every assignment for each class. Alternatively, you can create deadlines for each component of the project, add those due dates to your calendar. However, to be successful using either of these strategies you need to stick to your schedule and make sure you nail your self-imposed deadlines.

Schedule Sufficient Time for Studying

You may have heard a professor or some other student say, “ you'll need to study two to three hours for every hour that you're in class." well, they were right. This means that for a class that meets three hours per day twice a week, you should expect to put in eight to twelve hours of study time per week. Here's a tip from more experienced students: Figure that you’ll need the maximum amount of time to study for each class when you plan your schedule. It's much less stressful to be done early than it is to scramble to find additional study time.

Try to Schedule Your Classes to Fit Your Schedule and Your Needs

Being strategic about scheduling classes can certainly help balance the work/life/school conundrum, but because there are certain classes that are only offered once a year or at certain times, your plans may not be able to be carried out exactly as you had imagined. That said, it's good to know what rhythm works best for you so that you can try to get as close to your ideal schedule as possible. Here are some sample schedules and some pros and cons that were offered by more experienced students.

Plan #1: Schedule all classes back to back on the same days of the week (T/Th or M/W/F).

Pros: 

• You will not have to come to class every day.
• You can get the classroom part of your day done all at once.
• You have at least one day in between classes to complete all your reading and assignments.

Cons: 

• With this kind of schedule, its likely you'll only have ten minutes to get to and from class. If your classes are located on opposite ends of campus, you may struggle to make it there on time.
• You may find that you retain the lecture better if you have time to review your notes or meet with your study group directly after class. If you're classes are back to back, you won't be able to implement this strategy.
• You won't have time to stay after class to ask your professors clarifying question so you'll have to rely strictly on using their office hours. (Although you'll get a lot more personal attention using this method, so maybe it's actually a pro.)

Plan #2: Schedule classes so you have at least one class every day of the week but schedule breaks in between your classes.

Pros: 

• You'll be on campus every day so it's easier to utilize student services such as the writing center and your professors office hours.
• You can study immediately before or after a class.
• You stay in the “student mode” all week long which some people find helps them to stay focused on school and to be more productive.

Cons: 

• Some off-campus jobs (for example, those that expect a full eight-hour shift) are more difficult to manage with this plan.
• Your transportation costs may be higher if you drive to school and pay for parking.
• You'll have less down time during the week to study.

Plan #3: Schedule all your classes in the morning or the afternoon and evening.

Pros:

• This schedule may be more amenable to working off campus since you can work before or after classes.
• It may be easier to schedule study time.
• You have the flexibility to do other things like study groups or lab work during other parts of the day.

Cons:

• Taking all your classes in the afternoon or evening can mean spending very long days on campus—this can be both exhausting and costly if you pay for parking or often purchase food on campus.
• Finding childcare during evening classes can be difficult since most day care centers close by early evening. 
• People may have safety concerns regarding leaving campus late at night during the winter months when it is dark by 4:30 or 5:00 at night.

Plan to Coordinate Your Classes and Transportation

Commuting can be a serious challenge to schedule. For those students living off-campus, commuting can be  costly and time-consuming. If you live in central Beaverton, getting to an 8:30 a.m. class on time could take you close to two hours in a car because of morning rush hour, but getting to campus for an 11:00 a.m. class might only take twenty minutes. Don’t forget to allow extra time to find parking—even if you bought a parking pass. Parking itself can take twenty to thirty minutes. Taking public transportation is another option. Biking to campus is very popular, but unlike taking the bus or the MAX, you can't get any studying done. The best practice is to get to campus at least thirty minutes before your classes start until you know for sure that you have timed your transportation right. It's always better to be a tad early than to miss a quiz.

 

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