How to Manage a Busy Schedule As a Student

Co-authored by Christopher Taylor, PhD

Last Updated: March 29, 2019

At some point during your education, you’re likely to be hit with the realization that you’re too busy to accomplish everything you need to get done. This sentiment is common, and makes sense considering the challenge of balancing all the different aspects of student life. However, you can learn to manage a busy schedule to enhance your productivity and meet all of your responsibilities. In particular, establish and maintain an organized schedule, avoid distractions, and practice productive time-management behavior. ^{[1]
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Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Making and Keeping a Schedule

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Create a master schedule. As a student, you likely have recurring weekly responsibilities. Further, you will be notified in advance of your most important due dates and exams. Using this information, start a master schedule. Whether you use a paper monthly calendar or an online calendar, enter each weekly commitment and each important date as soon as you are made aware of them. ^{[2]
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- Include other regular activities as well, such as a fixed work schedule and commuting time.
- Post a paper master calendar above your desk, or keep an electronic calendar file saved on your desktop for quick access.
- Expect to re-create your master schedule each term, as your course load or work schedule changes.
- Consider using a weekly planner. Tangible weekly planners, which are usually small enough to easily carry with you, can be great scheduling tools. If you plan to use a weekly planner, simply add this information to your planner as well.
Your most important reading assignment in each class is the syllabus. Input all of the important information on each syllabus into you master schedule the day you get it. You don’t need to record too many specifics, in part because you’ll want to make more specific plans one week at a time. ^{[3]
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3
Carry your weekly schedule. While you may find it more convenient to keep your master calendar on an electronic platform, you should still carry a weekly paper schedule as well. Ideally, print off each week as a one-page gridded document. This will already have your weekly commitment and forthcoming dates, and will have room for you to write down a more flexible, specific schedule for the week. ^{[4]
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- Your weekly print out will contain your recurring commitments already. You can then add the specifics – such as what pages of which book you need to read before a certain day.
- Perhaps the greatest benefit of a weekly planner is that your schedule is always with you – ready to a quick check or revision at a moment’s notice.
4
Add specifics each week. Include meetings, social events, and all of the extracurricular components of your life on your weekly schedule. Simply by writing down all of your commitments in an organized fashion, you’ll improve your ability to prioritize tasks and meet all of your responsibilities. ^{[5]
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- Don’t forget to schedule eating and sleeping time. The life of a busy student can often lead to skipped meals and late-night study sessions. Don’t let these behaviors become habitual by scheduling healthy eating and sleeping schedules every day.
5
Block off times to study. Each week, dedicate a specific amount of time to study and prepare for each of your classes. The amount of time for each class will likely change from week to week based on your assignments or exams, but make sure to spend a minimum amount of time on each. ^{[6]
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- For instance, block off 2 hours per week to prepare for easier classes, and four hours to prepare for harder classes, plus additional time for assignments.
- Schedule a short amount of time, such as 15 minutes, immediately prior to each of your classes. This will help you prepare for the class by reviewing material and prepping your mind to focus on class content. A similar review session immediately following each class will help you keep up with classes you find challenging.
6
Keep a to-do list. Aside from planning ahead and keeping a weekly schedule, keep a to-do list to help you make sure you complete daily tasks. Consider writing your to-do list right on your physical weekly calendar. ^{[7]
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- If you’re using a computer printout of your master schedule, use a landscape layout with a column for each day. At the bottom of the column (or the bottom of the section for each day in a weekly planner), write down all the everyday tasks you need to complete.
- To-do list tasks include things like doing your laundry, going shopping, or remembering to get a new 3-ring binder.
Every day, take a few minutes to plan out the next 24 hours. Opt for either right before you go to bed or first things in the morning. Look over the week, fine-tune your daily schedule, and add anything you need to get done to your to-do list. ^{[8]
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Regular exercise can help decrease anxiety or tension, improve your general health, and even help you meet the demands of a busy schedule. Be sure to exercise at least once a week. Ideally, participate in a scheduled team activity each week. Further, make sure that a chunk of every weekend is devoted to decompression. Pencil in a hike, or a nap on the beach. Heck, getting out on that dance floor one evening may even help you prepare for another busy week. ^{[9]
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9
Re-prioritize daily tasks constantly. Stated otherwise, be flexible. You’re spending more time researching than you planned, and starting to get stressed about it? Step out for a quick jog. The point being: your schedule isn’t written in stone, and don’t let it keep you doing from what you need to do.
- For instance, your tasks for the day piled up? Call off the date you scheduled for later. The sooner you do so the better for both your sake and your date’s.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Avoiding Distractions and Procrastination

The physical space you spend time in greatly affects your potential productivity. Especially during times dedicating to studying, go wherever you are least likely to be distracted. For some students, this is at home, for others, the library, and for some, a busy coffee shop.
Headphones can eliminate distractions caused by things you hear. If you prefer studying in silence, wear noise-canceling headphones. Some models will play white noise. Alternatively, play ambient electronic or classical music – really, anything without lyrics – to provide background sound that may improve your ability to focus.
This step is more important than you may think. If you find yourself on Instagram during times you’ve set aside to be studying, immediately close the app and get back to work. If this or any other app keeps pulling you away from more productive behavior, consider removing it from your phone.
The bus isn’t coming for ten minutes? Resist the urge to start swiping through Tinder and open up your email instead. Send your professor or employer that question you’ve been meaning to ask. Even better, carry notecards with notes from one of your more challenging classes with you at all time. Even a bathroom break can help you prepare for that upcoming organic chemistry exam.
5
Reward yourself for achieving specific goals. Plan to call a friend later in the evening after studying for a few hours. Giving yourself something to look forward to can actually enhance your focus leading up to the reward. Further, focused studying followed by relaxation is more productive than studying interspersed with unplanned calls or texts.
- If you notice yourself becoming distracted, return to work and remind yourself you have plans to socialize later in the evening. This will help you keep from being distracted again.
If something is on your mind and is keeping you from meeting your responsibilities, put down whatever you’re trying to get done and address the distraction. Spend a few minutes giving the distraction your full attention. You are more likely to able to focus after addressing something that’s been distracting you.

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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Pursuing Goals and Other Time Management Tricks

1
Assign yourself specific, measurable tasks. Establishing goals for yourself is an important part of using your time wisely. Though you are likely working towards more comprehensive accomplishments, specific goals are more helpful for study sessions.
- Avoid vague, immeasurable goals such as “Read for philosophy class.” Instead, give yourself the goal of reading 15 pages of Sartre and writing a few paragraphs about the test. Similarly, instead of “study for biology exam,” establish the goal to “complete 2 of chapter three’s worksheets.”
In order to be achievable, your goals should take a short, realistic amount of time to reach. Establishing the goal of studying for 28 hours next week doesn’t actually help you study for 30 hours next. However, deciding to study 4 hours every day next week can help compel you to reach 28 hours of studying!
3
Work when thoughts arise. You’re already planning on starting a paper tomorrow and it’s already late. However, an idea occurs to you. Take advantage of moments such as these by sitting down to record your thoughts. You don’t necessarily need to start writing, but you can get a head start on tomorrow’s tasks by reading the paper’s prompt and nailing down your specific topic.
- Carry around a small notebook and pen at all times or use the Notes app on your phone.
4
Take study breaks. Break up any study session longer than 90 minutes. In fact, plan to study for only 45-90 minutes at a time, with 10-15 minutes breaks in between focused sessions.
- Try to establish a schedule that incorporates 3 total hours of studying each day, broken into multiple study sessions.
- If possible, study during the day, as opposed to the evening, as your mind will be able to focus better and your memory will retain more.
Once a month, spend a few minutes reflecting on your long-term goals. Are the ways you’re spending your time contributing to the achievement of those goals? If not, look for ways to tweak your schedule and behavior to ensure you’re on track to meet your goals both short and long term. ^{[11]
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