Buried under deadlines and not sure where to start? The core time management tips for students are simple: build one weekly schedule, study in 50-90 minute blocks, and rank tasks by deadline and grade weighting.
This guide is one part of our wider look at time management, applied to student life.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Personal study per class hour | At least 2 to 3 hours per face-to-face hour |
| Length of one study block | 50-90 minutes per subject |
| Master schedule span (example) | Monday to Sunday, 7am to midnight |
| Exam preparation start for a 50% exam | Halfway through the session |
| Break rhythm | A short break every hour or so |
These figures come from the UTS self-help guide on managing your time and the University of Rochester Learning Center’s time management tips. They can change, so check the sources before you rely on them.
What does good time management actually involve?
The University of Sheffield’s study skills pages call time management perhaps the single most important and challenging skill to develop as a student, which is why it is worth learning on purpose rather than by accident (Sheffield).
UTS reports that students who manage their time well tend to do better at uni than those who don’t, irrespective of smarts (Hopper, 2010). Its guide breaks good time management into three parts (UTS):
- Realistic prioritisation.
- Doing the same task in less time.
- Minimising previously underutilised time.
That last point is easy to overlook. A wait for the bus or a friend is a chance to read lecture notes or recall key points, and as UTS puts it, those five or ten minutes add up at the end of the week.
Build a master schedule you can actually follow
UTS suggests making a master schedule at the start of each session. Give it a column for each day from Monday to Sunday and a row for each hour, for example 7am to midnight (UTS).
Fill it in this order, following the UTS steps:
- Add the fixed items first: classes, your job and commuting.
- Add study time that matches each class, such as “statistics study” next to a statistics class.
- Add separate time for assessment completion, so coursework does not eat your revision time.
- Add the rest of life: exercise, friends, family, shopping, laundry and dinner.
- Leave the remaining gaps blank, because life happens.
How much study time is enough? UTS advises planning at least 2 to 3 hours of personal study for every face-to-face hour (UTS). Rochester’s advice agrees on the wider picture: block time for class, lab and meetings, and also for study, extracurriculars, social events and sleep (Rochester).
Your schedule is a tool, not a contract. If you want a closer look at the layout, read this guide on how to make a daily schedule, then adjust your weekly grid as you go.
Decide what comes first: priorities and deadlines
At the start of the session, open the Subject Outline for each subject and record the due dates for tests and assignments in a diary, on paper or digital. UTS recommends keeping it with you and checking it before you take on new commitments (UTS).
The University of Southampton library guide suggests asking a few questions about each piece of university work (Southampton):
- Is the work assessed?
- What percentage of the module grade is it worth? Give more time to those with more weighting.
- Will this task make my assessed work easier or better?
- How much time will it take, and how urgent is it?
Weighting can also set your start date. UTS gives a rough guide: for an exam weighted 50%, preparation should start half way through the session, though due dates and other assessments may change the order in any given week (UTS).
If a list still feels flat, try the urgent and important matrix, adapted from Covey and Merrill (1994). Decide what is urgent and what can wait, then plan what you do first; tasks like exam revision belong in the important group, while checking social media messages does not (Southampton).
Another lens for picking tasks is 80/20 rule productivity, which you can read about once your deadlines are written down.
Finally, set goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound (SMART), and break big projects into smaller, more manageable tasks with a deadline for each (Rochester).
Study in focused blocks and protect your energy
UTS recommends spacing your study periods at 50-90 minutes at a time for each subject, and studying immediately after a class while the material is fresh in your mind (UTS). Put your hardest subject in your prime time, the hours when you are most alert.
Rochester advises short breaks every hour or so, using the time to stretch, eat a snack or go for a walk, to avoid burnout and keep your focus (Rochester). The same page lists enough sleep, good food and regular exercise as part of effective time management.
Last minute cramming doesn’t work well and is stressful, according to UTS, so learning the content as you go is a core habit (UTS).
Handle distractions, procrastination and overcommitment
Southampton warns about productive procrastination: delaying what matters most by tackling unrelated, smaller tasks with a quicker payoff. Its example is that writing for 45 minutes will leave you less stressed in the long run than alphabetising your spices (Southampton).
These habits come straight from the university guides:
- Put your phone out of sight before you start, and check it after a chunk of study (Southampton).
- Use apps or browser extensions that block distracting websites during study sessions (Rochester).
- Experiment with where and when you focus best, from a silent desk to a buzzing campus cafe (Southampton).
- Start with a study buddy or group if the work feels overwhelming (Southampton).
It is also fine to say no. Southampton notes that you can say no to other tasks or calls on your time, while Rochester adds that asking for help, for example through a study group or tutoring, can save you time (Southampton, Rochester).
Frequently asked questions
How many hours should I study for each class hour?
Show answer
Use the ratio in the schedule section above as a starting point: each hour in class earns a matching block of your own study time. Adjust it up for harder subjects and down for easier ones, following the UTS guide (UTS).
How long should one study session last?
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UTS suggests 50-90 minutes at a time for each subject, and Rochester recommends a short break every hour or so (UTS, Rochester).
What if my schedule falls apart mid-week?
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UTS says your master schedule is flexible and you make adjustments as you go. It also advises leaving blank spaces, because life happens (UTS).
Is it okay to turn down friends or family?
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Yes. Southampton says it is okay to say no and to negotiate what you can and can’t do, since saying yes all the time can be counterproductive (Southampton).
