Mastering time management builds good habits for students

During the pandemic, journalism junior Lyndsey DeWitt worked 40 hours a week between two jobs and attended school full-time. She was able to set aside time to study and do homework before going to work.

However, she described her time management skills as “not that great” going into the new school year.

According to a study by FileMaker Inc., 48.4% of college students said they don’t have enough time to do their schoolwork, and 87% of students said better time management and organization skills would help them get higher grades.

Jacob Croasdale, associate director for Experiential Learning, said students should practice time management to prioritize more important things in their lives.  

Students tend to think good time management begins with creating good habits. While people often make a set goal, it changes from time to time, Croasdale said. 

“We really have to be willing to not only change our mindset but start to take the actions towards time management or whatever that goal is,” he said. 

Croasdale said students have a hard time using tools to build time management habits, and they should use a calendar or a physical planner to help manage their time.

English junior Jackie Morales said she uses a planner to keep track of her work. Morales organized all of her assignments by date and set a specific time to complete that assignment when she fell behind in her classes to avoid feeling stressed and overwhelmed, she said.

“I do it weekly and monthly, so it’s always color-coded with the classes I’m taking,” Morales said. 

Croasdale said students should also write down what methods work for them and stay consistent with those habits.

Students feel pressured to be involved in many things to portray themselves as being successful, he said. In reality, the most successful people only involve themselves in activities of their interest. 

Aerospace engineering freshman Declan Cain said he takes a step back and plays his guitar or games to readjust and get back into the right mental state for his school work. 

Cain said he once reached out to his professors because he felt the stress of school during the pandemic and recommends students do the same. 

“At least for me, the times I fall behind is when I’m not mentally prepared, going through something, or basically just kind of out of it, in a hole,” he said. “Otherwise, I’m soaring without even trying.”

Croasdale said students usually struggle with saying “no” and keeping their tasks in order.

“Learning how to build those habits is challenging,” he said. “They need to be intentional to utilize the tools that we have to be good time managers and really prioritize the things that we are gonna invest our time into.” 

Croasdale said students should start with small goals and focusing on being successful with those.

Computer science freshman Ayden Koyanagi said he reaches out to his classmates when he falls behind. 

“If we’re struggling together, I can try to see if we can try to work on the same assignment, for example,” Koyanagi said. “Or just see what they’re doing and how I can compare my routine with them.” 

Koyanagi said working in stages can help students become more organized. He likes to set aside a set amount of time for work and breaks. 

Morales said if students feel like they’re falling behind in classes, they should take it day by day.

“Make sure you get stuff done on that day,” she said. “Don’t procrastinate even more because it’s just going to be worse in the end.” 

@TaylorAC13 @hezelltx

news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu