Learning how to manage time effectively is an important skill for students to master.
But many students struggle with finding the time to complete all their assignments, leading to overwhelming feelings of stress and frustration.
To help, we’ve created a list of time management strategies for students of all ages to help students (and their parents) put the days of last-minute project panic and school stress behind them.
Why Is Time Management Important For Students?
Good time management skills help students prioritize tasks so they are able to complete school work and assignments on time. Students are able to plan ahead, set aside the time they need for projects and assignments, and make better use of that time.
Becoming better at managing time allows students to become more organized, more confident, and learn more effectively. It can also help students avoid the dreaded procrastination problem, which can be a slippery slope to stress, frustration, and poor grades.
Effective time management skills are especially important for high school students. As students enter high school, they have to deal with more subjects, assignments, tests, and extracurriculars. Good time management skills can help keep them on track and reduce stress as they take on more work.
So how can you help your child learn to manage time more effectively?
Check out these time management tips and learn how your student can start being more productive.
10 Effective Time Management Tips For Students
1. Create a Master Schedule
Make a master schedule your child can use to block off time to work on his or her assignments. This will help your child prioritize projects and provide a structure to help keep him or her on track to meet due dates. Use a different color for each subject so your child can follow the schedule quickly and easily.
Download your own master schedule here:
2. Use an Agenda
Help your child look ahead to all upcoming assignments and record the due dates in an agenda. Use the agenda to schedule in TV and computer time too—this will help your child avoid falling into a trap of wasted hours in front of a screen instead of working on assignments.
3. Eliminate Distractions
Between cell phones, social media, and friends, there are a lot of activities that can distract students from their school work. When it’s time to get down to work, have your child turn off his or her cell phone and sign out of social media accounts. Any time on the master schedule that is dedicated to working on school work should be cell phone and television-free!
Find more tips on how to focus on homework.
4. Set Goals For Each Study Session
Help your child set specific goals for each day, like how many pages of a book report to write or how many math questions to complete. The agenda and master schedule will help with planning your child’s daily goals so assignments can be completed on time.
5. Start Working On Assignments Early
Good time management skills mean not leaving assignments until the day before they are due. Sit down with your child each week to review upcoming assignments and tests and add them to his or her master schedule and agenda. Schedule time to start working on them well before they are due so your child isn’t stressed and scrambling to meet the due dates.
6. Make a Project Plan
Creating a project plan can also help avoid last-minute panic. An overwhelming amount of work is a common cause of procrastination, which can lead to poor time management. Help your child break down assignments into smaller chunks, each with its own separate due dates. This will encourage your child to plan ahead and start working on assignments earlier.
Learn more about why students procrastinate.
7. Work On One Thing At A Time
It might seem like more is being accomplished with multitasking, but splitting attention between more than one task isn’t an effective way to learn. Your child should work on one task at a time, giving it his or her full attention. Focusing on one task will help him or her complete it more efficiently and effectively.
8. Study In Shorter Bursts
For every 30 minutes of school work, have your child schedule a short 10-15 minute break to recharge. Trying to work on one thing for too long can actually cause students’ minds to wander more. Taking short breaks is a good way to give your child’s brain a chance to recharge so he or she can come back more focused.
9. Start Early In The Day
Encourage your child to work on assignments earlier in the day, or right after school. Have your child look over his or her agenda and master schedule to find out what needs to be completed that night and get started early. Waiting to start until later in the evening means your child has less time (and energy), leading to delayed bedtimes, unfinished assignments, and more stress for everyone.
10. Get 8-10 Hours Of Sleep
Getting enough sleep is important to help your child recharge his or her mind and have the energy needed to stay on track the next day. Use your master schedule to mark a cut-off time for homework each night as well as a set bedtime. Following this routine will help make sure your child has time to unwind at the end of each day and get the sleep he or she needs.
Does your child need help developing his or her time management skills? Our Study Skills tutoring program can help!
