MANAGING time wisely is important for students because failing to do so can negatively impact their academics and personal life. This can result in feelings of anxiety, frustration and guilt. However, by honing time management techniques, students can reduce anxiety, feel prepared for class, tests and exams, and get the desired grades. Below are some suggestions to help you get started:

1. Find a time organization tool. Some of the many time management tools that can be used to get organized can be a large wipe board, index cards, a monthly calendar, or even time management software.

2. Examine how time is allocated. Look at your daily schedule and determine how much time is devoted to various activities. Remember to take into account the time spent sleeping, eating and grooming. Once that has been determined, a time management system can be set up. 

3. Identify the priorities. Prioritizing tasks helps people do more and get it done in a timely manner. Schedule activities, including a daily study time in the order of priority. If it is possible to do so, block off chunks of study time. If it is determined that there is not enough time in the day to schedule study time, some activities may have to be eliminated.

4. To-do lists. Many people find that creating “to-do” lists is useful, particularly if there is a lot to get done. Writing a list will prevent forgetting important dates and tasks. Additionally, these to-do lists can be drawn up daily or weekly.

5. Create an ABC list. Tasks that must be completed today get noted under the ‘A’ column, while those that should be done this week are listed under ‘B.’ Items that need to be looked at after this month go under ‘C.’ As you progress through the list and your priorities shift, items from column ‘B’ get moved to ‘A,’ ‘C’ items go to ‘B,’ and a new ‘C’ list is created. These time management sheets can also be created using colors, like red, yellow and green, instead of letters.

6. Use a monthly calendar. Write out all the assignments and priorities for the month on one large calendar. This makes it easier to see at a glance what needs to be done. Using a calendar will also allow you to write down the due dates of your assignments and other important events. Using a different colored ink to mark these dates will help them stand out more, letting you quickly see what is coming up.

7. Plan your day. To have effective time management skills, it is important to spend some time every day, either first thing in the morning or later in the evening, to plan and organize the day. Use this time to see which tasks from the to-do list can be crossed off and what needs to be added. As the day is planned out, be sure to take into account the optimal work time. If someone is a morning person, then try to schedule the studying for earlier in the day. Night owls may benefit from studying once the sun goes down while those late afternoon bloomers will want to hit the books before dinner.

By following these simple steps as well as those suggested in Academic Success Depends on Effective Time Management (Dec. 8, 2011), your children will be prepared to meet their academic, extracurricular and personal commitments.

Elizabeth Hamilton, M.Ed, MA, is a teacher with 22 years of professional experience. You can write to her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with your questions or comments.