Time management can be a difficult skill to learn, as it may feel like we never have enough time in our day to handle all our responsibilities. An important aspect of time management is to make sure that the time we do have is spent completing our tasks in a methodical and effective way. Below are a few tips on how to properly manage your time to maximize your efficiency.
Create a Routine
While your class (or clinic) schedule may differ depending on the day, it’s important to create a routine that allows you to have a healthy mindset. Everyone’s routine may look different, but it’s important to make sure that you are including the following:
- Wake up or go to bed at a regular time. A lack of sleep can take a toll on your mental, emotional, and physical well-being. It can be difficult to stay on task if you are exhausted from a lack of sleep.
- Make time to eat during the day. Whether you prefer to eat three meals or a snack throughout your day, without nourishment your body, and brain, may not be able to work at a pace you would like it to.
- Make time for daily hygiene. Brushing your teeth, washing your face, or taking a shower are small tasks that can make you feel better and put you in a more productive mood.
- Make time for outdoor activities. A short 30-minute walk daily can provide you the space to relax and center your mind, creating a positive mindset. Even sitting outside for 10 minutes can put you into a positive headspace, allowing you to be more productive.
- Allow yourself to take breaks. While it may feel counterproductive to take breaks while you have multiple tasks to complete, a short 10-minute break can allow time for you to calm your mind and refocus your attention on the task at hand.
Understand Where Your Time is Being Spent
One way to begin practicing time management is to understand how you are spending your time. One recommendation is to take a time audit. Use the weekly calendar below to note how much time you spend on certain activities. After 1-2 weeks, review your time audit and begin to take notice of areas that you feel you spend too much time on or areas that you feel need to be allotted more time. The goal of time management is not to fit work/school into every waking moment but to schedule your tasks more efficiently in the time you do have.
Weekly Planner (Weekly Calendar.pdf)
Learn How to Properly Prioritize your Tasks
A key component of time management is learning how to properly prioritize your tasks. While all tasks may feel urgent and important to complete, the reality is that not every task needs to be completed in the moment that they are given to you.
Ways to prioritize your tasks include:
- Color-coding your tasks. Creating a system using color-coding is a way to visualize the tasks you have and how many of them are urgent. For example, you can list all immediate responsibilities with a red pen or highlight them in yellow.
- Keep multiple lists/notes. You can keep sticky notes on your desk (or on your computer) dedicated to the urgency of the tasks, then place additional assignments on them as you receive them.
- The Eisenhower Matrix: The Eisenhower Matrix is a method used to prioritize your tasks, where every task falls into one of the four quadrants. There is information below regarding the Eisenhower Matrix.
Quadrant 1 – Complete: Tasks that are placed in this quadrant are tasks that directly affect your schooling or career and have deadlines of either today or tomorrow. This includes tasks such as an assignment, test (if within 24 hours), or forms that need to be completed.
Quadrant 2 – Schedule: Tasks that are placed in this quadrant are tasks that need to be addressed and planned for but do not have a strict or immediate deadline. This includes daily tasks, such as reviewing class notes.
Quadrant 3 - Delegate: Tasks that are placed in this quadrant are tasks that are urgent but can be delegated to someone else. These are tasks that you can complete; however, they would be better suited for a coworker or group member to complete. This includes items such as parts of a group project, responding to an email that was sent to multiple individuals, or helping someone complete their task.
Quadrant 4 – Delete: Tasks that are placed in this quadrant are typically not relevant to your current school/work requirements, and aid in the procrastination of assignments. These tasks should be deleted from your to-do list or be completed during your free time. This includes tasks such as looking at social media, watching a movie, or going out with friends.
Utilize a Time Management Tool
Understanding how much time we have to complete our tasks is critical in managing our time. While you may be able to remember what you need to do, writing out your due dates and class assignments may help you to better visualize which of your tasks need to be completed today and which tasks can be held off until tomorrow. Below are additional tools that you can print out or save onto your computer to assist in planning out your day, week, month, or year.
- Weekly Time Calendar (Weekly Calendar.pdf)
- 2024-2025 Calendar (Blank Academic Calendar.pdf)
You can also find links below to an academic calendar created by CAP that reflects the dates listed on your school’s academic calendar.
- School of Allied Health Professions (School of Allied Health Professions Academic Calendar.pdf)
- School of Dentistry (School of Dentistry Academic Calendar.pdf)
- School of Graduate Studies (School of Graduate Studies Academic Calendar.pdf)
- School of Medicine (School of Medicine Academic Calendar.pdf)
- School of Nursing (School of Nursing Academic Calendar.pdf)
- School of Public Health (School of Public Health Academic Calendar.pdf)