Time management

Learning at university requires a lot of independent studying. This means that managing your time effectively is essential. You need to read and research your subject, write essays and reports, attend lectures and seminars, travel to and around campus, do household tasks, eat, sleep, and have a social life! It sounds difficult to do all these things, but good time management skills will make it possible, and they are skills that will serve you beyond university.

What do you want to learn about?

It will be beneficial for you to work through this page in its entirety. However, if you only need to focus on aspects of time management consider the questions below:

• Do you find that writing an essay always takes twice as long as you thought it would? Are you bad at planning how long you need for things like writing up notes, cooking a meal or reading chapters from a reading list?
  If yes, you're struggling with allocating realistic time periods for study. It’s important to understand how long tasks take so that you can plan accordingly. For more help with this visit the Allocating Time section below.
  
  
• Do you do activities like cleaning your room and organising seeing friends before you start studying? Do you find it difficult to know which of your tasks you should start on first?
  If yes, you are having difficulty prioritising your study. This is a key skill so you know which tasks you should concentrate on and which can be postponed, or even dropped entirely. Look at the advice on Prioritising Tasks in the section below.
  
  
• Do you struggle to balance your time appropriately between studying and having a social life? Do you have large gaps in your day or week which you don’t know what to do with?
  If yes, you need some advice on organising exactly when you will do each of your study tasks. Creating a schedule is a fantastic way to get you on track with all your activities. Have a look at the section below on Scheduling Tasks.
  
  
• Do you constantly check messages and notifications on your phone while you are working? Do you find yourself unable to study for more than 30 minutes at a time? Do you struggle to start tasks because you know they are going to be hard work?
  If yes, you are finding it difficult to start and/or concentrate on your university work. It’s very easy to get distracted from study and find excuses not to start. You might find it helpful to visit the section below on Procrastination.

Allocating time

How long does it take to do the weekly shop? How long does it take to walk from the library to your seminar room? How long does it take to design and practise a presentation? Knowing the time needed for the tasks that you need to complete is the first stage of good time management. It helps you to plan accurately, and then plan wisely.

How many hours does a degree take?

For every year of study at Sussex, you will gain 120 credits. Each undergraduate module is worth 15 or 30 credits, and the average amount of hours needed to complete each module is approximately ten times the amount of credits. So, a 30-credit module will require 300 hours of work, and for the whole year, you will study for 1200 hours. Different modules have different breakdowns of how much of this time is direct contact in seminars, lectures and labs, and how much is independent study. Overall, a full-time degree is similar to a full-time job since you will need to work between 35 and 40 hours a week.

TASK: Accurately allocating time.

Look at the two tables below and use them to help you calculate how much time it takes you to complete various life and university activities. Below each table there is a Word and PDF version that you can download and print out if you like.

Step One: Look down the first column (activities) and add any extra activities that you regularly do which you feel impact your time management.

Step Two: Estimate how long it takes you to complete each activity in the next column (My estimate). It may be appropriate to choose hours or days, depending on the task.

Step Three: The next time that you undertake each activity, note in the next column (Actual time taken 1) how long it actually took you.

Step Four: Repeat step three again, in the next column, (Actual time taken 2) as many times as you wish, so you have an accurate average time for each activity.

Step Five: With this information, you can now start to more accurately allocate enough time to each activity and understand how much you can fit into each day.

You can download this table as a Word document or PDF to print out or to save for future use. (Important: The PDF will open in this window so remember to click on the browsers back button to return to the Skills Hub).

You can download this table as a Word document or PDF to print out or to save for future use. (Important: The PDF will open in this window so remember to click on the browsers back button to return to the Skills Hub).

Prioritising tasks

Once you are skilled at allocating the correct amount of time to your tasks at university, you’ll probably realise that you don’t have enough time to do everything in the day. This means that you need to work out which things can happen today, and which need to be postponed until you have more time.

Even if you have enough time to complete all your tasks, you still need to decide on the best order in which to do them.

Prioritising tasks helps in both these aspects – choosing which activities are most important and working out the best order. 

Choosing which tasks are important

A good first step is to create an Eisenhower grid and fill it with all of your tasks. This takes the following format, comparing time urgency with overall importance:

Once you have all your tasks laid out like this, it becomes easier to see where your priorities should lie. 

• make sure that tasks which are both urgent and important are completed first 
• then, remember to assign time to the important but not urgent tasks. These are the easiest to postpone, but have much more serious consequences if you don’t finish them
• be careful that the urgent but not important tasks do not take over! It is easy to fool ourselves thinking that we are being productive when we work on these, but since they are not important, they should not be prioritised
• if a task is not urgent and not important, then do you really have to do it? Ask yourself if you can postpone or cancel it, or wait until you have made good headway with your other tasks.

Activity: Reorder the to-do list

Alex has the following things on their to-do list.
Which of the tasks should Alex be prioritising, based on their importance and urgency, and the time Alex has allocated for each one?
What is a suitable order for the tasks?
Which tasks might Alex have to put off today?

Put the sentences below in the best order of priority to help enable you to grasp your own situation, there is NO correct answer, so do not worry about the Score (there is a text only version below the activity with possible answers):

• Text only version for the activity above (with POSSIBLE answers)

  Remember: There is no right or wrong answer here since only you can determine what is important to you, and different tasks will be urgent at different times. However, some general guidelines for Alex might be to prioritise their study time and give less priority to other social tasks. An ordered to-do list for Alex might be:

  • Write up yesterday’s seminar notes (30 minutes)
  • Seminar at 10.30 - 11.30 (1 hour)
  • Complete Sussex Connector application by 4pm (45 minutes)
  • Lunch with Katya (1 hour)
  • Book a haircut (10 minutes)
  • Lecture at 2.00 (1 hour)
  • Read Chapter 12 of Insights into Modern History for Wednesday’s lecture (90 minutes)
  • Gym (1 hour)
  • Redraft essay for Friday (90 minutes)
  • Drinks with Mike and Jo (2 hours)

  Alex could add the following to tomorrow’s to-do list:

   

  • Add all references to essay for Friday (90 minutes)
  • Finish last two episodes of Netflix series (90 minutes)
  • Facetime Dad (30 minutes)
  • Research AirBnBs for Easter break (1 hour)

Task: Combining time allocation and task prioritisation

Now you look at how you are spending your time, and see if you want to change anything. Look in detail at the four steps below:

1. Step 1

   Over 24 hours, note down how you are spending your time, and fill in the following time circle. Include everything, such as sleeping, getting ready in the morning, cooking, travelling, time in lectures and classes, writing, reading, meetings etc.

2. Step 2

   Reflect on your circle and ask yourself if the amount of time you have spent on different tasks represents your priorities. Would you like to have spent more time studying, and less time one your phone? Could you have got up earlier and done an extra 30 minutes of reading? Were there any important activities that you didn't have time for?

3. Step 3

   Complete the time circle with your ideal study day. Try to be as accurate as possible in allocating how long each task lasts. Make sure activities that are important but not urgent have dedicated time. Which activities would you give more time to? Which activities would you like to cut back on?

4. Step 4

   This is now an ideal study day for you. Try to aim for this every day. Remember: it is quite unlikely that your days will exactly match this time circle, but keeping it in mind will help you note when you are off track and bring you back to it. Don't let this time circle become a way to chastise yourself!

Scheduling tasks

Once you have allocated enough time to tasks and prioritised their order, make a schedule of when you will do everything. Research has shown that simply deciding and writing down when you are going to accomplish a task makes it much more likely that you will stick to it.

Making a term plan

Try making a term plan to get a clear, visual overview of the time you have and the tasks you need to do. Have a look at the example tables below:

Remember to check the University of Sussex Term Dates.

If you have exams make a separate weekly revision timetable.

You can download these example tables below as a Word document or PDF to print out or to save for future use. (Important: The PDF will open in this window so remember to click on the browsers back button to return to the Skills Hub). It would be good to put these tables somewhere you will see or have access to every day, such as above your desk, or in an app such as OneNote.

Breaking down big tasks

A large task like 'write Marketing essay' is not a great entry for a term planner. Firstly, it seems daunting and can easily lead you to procrastinate. Secondly, it's not detailed enough to fit into your term plan. Instead, you need to break it down into smaller tasks.

1. Step 1

   Think of all the different stages that go into the large task. For example, for 'write 2000-word Marketing essay', you might need to:

   • write basic essay outline
   • select texts for focused reading
   • write first draft
   • read selected texts and take notes
   • add references and bibliography
   • read and understand the essay question and assessment criteria
   • proof read final draft
   • read first draft and improve to make second draft
   • make a detailed essay plan
   • do some initial research in order to choose essay topic
   • decide on a position.

2. Step 2

   Order all the different stages and allocate time needed for each one:

   • read and understand the essay question and assessment criteria (2 hours)
   • do some initial research in order to choose essay topic (1 day)
   • select texts for focused reading (2 hours)
   • read selected texts and take notes (5 days)
   • decide on a position (1 hour)
   • write basic essay outline (1 hour)
   • make a detailed essay plan (2 hours)
   • write first draft (3 days)
   • read first draft and improve to make second draft (2 days)
   • add references and bibliography (3 hours)
   • proof read final draft (2 hours).

3. Step 3

   Working backwards from the deadline in your term planner, add in each stage so that you know when you need to complete each one.

4. Step 4

   Repeat the process for any tasks that you find overwhelming. Reading a whole textbook can be divided into a certain number of pages per day; presentations can be organised into research, content writing, creating slides and practice. Even tasks like housework are easier to deal with when you tackle them room by room!

Making a weekly timetable

As well as a term planner, make a weekly timetable. This allows you to schedule your regular tasks, such as daily study time, attending lectures and seminars, reading, social events, shopping, etc. You won’t need to spend time each day deciding when to study since it is already written down, which makes it much more likely you will do it. Write a paper timetable, fill in an online diary, use a task management app - whatever works best for you. Have a look at the example table below:

You do not need to study from 8am-10pm; decide which hours of the day you can concentrate best and remember to take breaks. At Sussex it is expected that a full-time undergraduate student will spend 40 hours studying per week during term-time.

 You can download the example table below as a Word document or PDF to print out or to save for future use. (Important: The PDF will open in this window so remember to click on the browsers back button to return to the Skills Hub).
Use the four steps below to help you fill in the table.

1. Step 1

   Enter lectures, seminars and other fixed academic commitments. Check Sussex Direct for your teaching timetable.

2. Step 2

   Add times that you will commit to study sessions. In busy weeks, you'll need to include more sessions.

3. Step 3

   Add regular commitments such as paid work, club meetings, sports fixtures and training.

4. Step 4

   Try to have some unallocated free time to be flexible. If something comes up, or you need more time to study, you'll have time for it.

Task management apps

There are many apps that can help you keep track of your commitments. Here are some task management apps you might like:

	Any.do
	Remember the Milk
	Todoist
	Trello

Procrastination

Do you find it hard to start studying? Do you easily get distracted once you start? Don't worry - this is perfectly normal. Check out the excellent TED talk by Tim Urban on procrastination below:

Tim Urban: Inside the mind of a master procrastinator | TED

One of the worst things you can do when you are procrastinating or getting distracted is feel bad about yourself. This usually makes the problem worse.

A better idea is to reflect on the times you haven’t worked as well as you would like and use the insights as information to refine your study habits and understand what works best for you.

Like exercise, getting down to hard work is a muscle that can get stronger and stronger, so you get closer and closer to becoming the student you want to be. Unfortunately, it isn’t something you will conquer once and not have to worry about ever again.

Hints and tricks to help with procrastination

Here are some different methods for helping with procrastination and distractions. Try one for a few days and see if it helps. If so, adopt the habit and then pick another technique to try!

1. Do one task immediately

Do one task, however small, towards your goal. Then make another tiny step towards the goal. Keep going until you are on a roll.

2. Most important task

Brian Tracy recommends completing the most important and daunting task of your day first. You will feel a sense of acheivement and have mental clarity to work on other smaller tasks.

3. Be selective

You don't need to read all the books on your reading list from cover to cover. Take some time to look at the contents page and check the chapter introductions so you know exactly where to focus your reading.

4. Set your own deadlines

If having deadlines helps to motivate you, set yourself some mini-deadlines. For example:

• Finish my lab report by 5pm.
• Done all the reading by the end of the week.
• Finished my first draft in a fortnight.

5. Good location

Find a place to study where you won't be interrupted. You may find it easier to concentrate in the library or a quiet spot on campus than at home.

6. Find the best time

Work out when in the day you concentrate best. If you work most effectively in the morning, try organising your time so you study early in the day and take breaks or socialise later on.

7. Give yourself incentives

Arrange something to look forward to after your study session, even if it's just a small treat. It will help to motivate you.

8. Work in short bursts

Try the Pomodoro Technique – work in chunks of 25 minutes followed by a 5-minute break. Committing to 25 minutes is much easier than a full hour, and the 25-minute chunks really add up over time.

9. Sounds can help

Different people find different background sounds can help: classical music, movie soundtracks, ambient nature noises. Experiment and find out which helps you concentrate the best.

10. Start with the interesting bit

You don’t have to start writing the introduction to an essay first, or start the reading from page one. If you're struggling to start a task, begin with the most enjoyable part first! Just get going until you are in the zone.

11. Reduce digital distractions

You can use apps to restrict access to websites that may tempt you away from your work:

• SelfControl for Macs
• StayFocusd for Chrome
• LeechBlock for Firefox
• Cold Turkey for Windows

12. Get feedback on your habits

If you find yourself spending too much time on the internet, try a tool like RescueTime (Lite). It tracks your time on websites and apps so you can see where you could save time.

13. Deal with your mobile

If you are distracted by notifications, turn off your phone or put it in your bag or another room while you study. Then give yourself half an hour to catch up on messages after your study session.
The Forest app rewards you for not touching your mobile by growing trees, which expand into beautiful forests the more you study and keep away from your phone.

14. Learn to say No

Sometimes, a way to deal with a task is simply not to do it. If it isn’t important or urgent, think about dropping it. Do you have to be the person to organise the night out? Do you need to reply to every single message? Try taking on fewer responsibilities outside your study and see if this causes fewer distractions.

15. Gamify your studies

There are various ways to gamify how much you study. Apps like Toggl track how long your spend studying – can you increase this by one minute per day?
Habit-tracking apps such as Habit List measure how many days you kept up studying. How long can you keep your study streak?

16: Timeboxing

Nir Eyal, author of Indistractable, advocates timeboxing – filling every single moment of your schedule with all the tasks you have, including sleeping, time with friends, showering, watching TV, etc. He argues that by doing this, you will know what you have planned to be doing at any moment, which takes out any in-the-moment decision making. You will also know whether you are sticking to you schedule or not, which is data you can use to improve your timeboxing. Include times when you can look at your phone, or play video games etc, to help make sure you have a balance between hard work and relaxation.

17: Kanban boards

Project managers often use Kanban boards to keep focused on what needs to be done. All tasks are written out separately, and put into three columns: To Do, Doing and Done. The important thing is to only ever have two or three tasks in the Doing column, in order to keep focus. See apps like Trello for free online versions.

18: Reflection

This is probably the most important tip on the list. Keep reflecting on what is working for you and what isn’t. If you have a bad week of procrastinating and getting distracted easily, think about why that was. What can you adapt from this week to next week so that you manage to do a little more work?

19: Take advantage of social pressure

Try making pacts with your friends to all work on your individual tasks and check in with each other to see if you completed them. Your fear of breaking the pact may be stronger than your desire to procrastinate! Alternatively, try Focusmate – a website that connects you via video call to a random person across the world who is also having trouble getting work done. You briefly explain to each other what work you want to do and then work quietly for 50 minutes while they do the same. The enforced social pressure and soft sounds of a stranger working can help you to remain focused.