Overview
This section contains resources for use in helping students understand the importance of managing their time and how it contributes to success in college and careers. Since time-management is a skill that takes time to develop, students should test out applications and strategies throughout the course and in other courses. After reading, modeling and testing strategies, check-in with students about which strategies they tried, which worked and which didn’t.
Objectives
Students should be able to:
- Describe the impact of time management on student success;
- Describe several techniques used to organize and manage their time;
- Set a goal for the use of time management tools; and
- Apply and evaluate time management techniques to hypothetical situations and to their own schedule.
Introductory Questions
- How do you define procrastination?
- How many hours a day do you study?
- How many hours a day do you work?
- What tools, if any, do you use to organize your time?
Suggested Class Sequence(s)
Class sequences are connected topics with activities, worksheets, and readings which take two or more days of class to complete.
Two Class Session Time Management Sequence
This sequence builds knowledge about ‘time bandits’ and methods of reclaiming and managing this precious resource for college students. Students jigsaw a reading and apply techniques first to hypothetical students then to themselves. Students demonstrate their understanding by explaining techniques in a letter of advice to a busy college student.
Videos
Short videos help tap into multiple modes of learning and can provide a good introduction to or illustration of a topic. See suggested protocols for classroom viewing.
- “How Not to Fall Behind on Assignments” (3 min.)
Prof. Daniel Willingham suggests planning for time, not task. Includes captions. - How to Avoid Procrastination (~3 min.)
Prof. Willingham video about creating a study time habit. Includes captions. - How to Gain Control of Your Freetime (~12 min.)
TED Talk by Laura Vanderkam who studies how busy people spend their time, shares strategies to ‘build the lives we want in the time we’ve got’. Subtitles available.
Readings
All readings should be paired with a structure or protocol, especially if any reading will be completed in class.
- “Time Management Theory”
Chapter 14 from Blueprint for Success for College and Career OER Text. Recommendation: excerpt from the first 5 pages. - 14 Tips for Time Management
Covers Planning and Organizing, Goal-Setting, Prioritizing and Persevering, Managing Distractions Through Creating Study Structures.
Activities
Activities include individual or group tasks that can be completed in less than one class period; some activities may be repeated in a sequence and are re-listed here for ease of access.
- ‘Time Bandits’ warm up activity
Students reflect on obstacles to completing tasks. - Daily Activity Log
Students to complete and get insight into how they currently spend their morning, afternoon and evening time. - Time Management Scenarios and Letter of Advice
Students apply time management strategies to fictional scenarios then demonstrate their learning by explaining the use of time management techniques in a letter of advice to a peer. Rubric for this assignment is included. - Using Lists and Calendars to Plan
Starting with a hypothetical student, students practice mapping out commitments on a calendar then do so for themselves.
Resources
- Organizational Tools Handout
Descriptive list of digital tools for students to organize their time and assignments, includes links.
Share Content
- Click on this link to access our submission form that will guide you through submitting your materials. The form is designed to make submitting your content straightforward and ensure your contribution aligns with our platform’s style and goals. On the form you will find:
- Clear definitions of each type of submission you might contribute, whether it’s a video, reading, sequence, standalone activity, or resource.
- Guidelines for writing descriptions specific to each type of submission, such as what to emphasize for standalone activity descriptions versus readings.
- Instructions on proper documentation and linking to ensure credits are correctly attributed.
- Annotated examples of each type of submission to help you visualize what a complete submission looks like.
- Please note: We may make minor adjustments to enhance clarity or structure, like refining steps, directions, or adding reflection questions, but we’ll keep the original intent intact.
