Key takeaways

  • Prioritise tasks by importance and deadlines
  • Break study sessions into manageable chunks with regular breaks
  • Use tools like planners or apps to track assignments and commitments
University life is like a roller coaster, it’s thrilling and exciting but also can make you feel overwhelmed and stressed. For many students, university is the first place where they’ve had freedom over their day-to-day lives – this can be a blessing but also a curse. With a packed schedule of lectures, assignments, social events and other responsibilities, it’s difficult to find the right balance to fit everything you want to do in. During my first weeks of university, I found that my college time management strategies were completely ineffective at organising my time due to the sheer amount of it I had. Time management is key for students to navigate their university lives effectively, reduce stress, and ultimately live their best uni lives. Without further ado, here are 10 practical tips to help you manage your time more efficiently at university:

1. Create a schedule

University life can quickly become chaotic, so having a clear schedule is essential. Try using a digital or physical calendar to map out your day ensuring to leave time for assignments, work, social and personal time. Scheduling everything helps you see exactly where your time is going and ensures you don’t forget any important tasks and won’t have to do anything last minute.

2. Prioritise 

Not all tasks are equal in difficulty or urgency. Make sure your most urgent and important assignments or activities are done first. Personally, I’ve found using the Eisenhower productivity matrix to be invaluable when trying to differentiate between what I should do first, helping me to stay on top of my ever-growing list of tasks to complete. 

3. Learn to say no

As a new university student, you’ll be offered many exciting opportunities to attend events, join societies or meetup with friends. Sometimes it’s simply impossible to do it all so it’s important to recognise when to say no to make sure you can fulfil all your existing responsibilities, without sacrificing quality or coverage. 

4. Establish a routine

time management skills for students
Source: Canva
Having a daily routine can significantly improve your time management skills as a student. By waking up, studying and relaxing at consistent times, your mind and body quickly adapts, making it easier to stay productive. A routine also reduces the mental load of decision-making as you already, without thinking, will know how and what you must do at every point in time, helping you avoid procrastination. Need more tips on establishing a healthy routine – we’ve got them! 

5. Try using a study timer

Even if you’ve blocked off a length of time to study, it can be difficult to concentrate for long periods of time. It has been shown that long periods of study without breaks quickly leads to a decrease in productivity. A study timer solves this by making you do work for a set period before taking a short break – try different lengths of time for your studying and breaks and find what works best for you. 

6. Avoid multitasking

Juggling multiple tasks may seem like the perfect way to economise your time however it has been shown that multitasking can reduce productivity and lead to mistakes due to split concentration. In addition, multitasking is also associated with higher stress levels, feeling more overwhelmed and feeling less satisfied with your work. Try to focus on completing one task at a time to ensure quality and efficiency. Completing one task at a time, can allow you to enter a “flow state”, where you can work at your best.

7. Set SMART goals

Setting goals is an integral part of managing your time effectively, however it’s important to set goals that are SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, and time-bound). Setting clear and achievable goals will help you stay on track and motivated. Additionally, you can get a greater sense of fulfilment from a SMART goal as it is clear when it is achieved unlike a normal, more vague goal. For example, if you need to study for an exam, instead of writing “study for the exam”, you could write, “study chapters 1-3 for 1 hour from 6 to 7pm”.

8. Break down your goals

break down goals instead of tackling a mountain
Source: Canva
Often, normal tasks can seem like mountains to overcome and as a result seem intimidating and will stop you from attempting to begin them. Instead, try to break your goals down into smaller, more manageable chunks. By dividing a task into smaller, more achievable steps, it becomes less overwhelming, and you can focus on completing each small part at a time. This will make it easier to start as well as allow you to track your progress and feel the accomplishment of getting so far. For example, if you have a big essay due, instead of making your goal “finish my essay”, you could break it down into smaller goals such as “find 10 sources” and “plan a bare-bones outline”.

9. Avoid perfectionism

Naturally, we want to make every piece of work we submit our magnum opus, however in real life, this just isn’t practical. Try to start recognising when “good enough” is sufficient and move on. Getting a high mark in one assignment is not worth getting a low mark on another, or sacrificing your mental wellbeing if you don’t have much time. If you constantly strive to be perfect, you may waste valuable time that may be spent more productively elsewhere. 

10. Take advantage of downtime

man studying in library
Source: Pixabay
At university, you find you will be quite busy; however, you’ll get frequent short breaks where you have nothing to do. Try to take advantage of these moments to get some work done like reviewing notes, looking at flashcards or simply to plan your next steps. These previously useless in-between parts of your day quickly add up and can help you stay on track to achieve your goals. Efficient time management for students is essential for balancing success in higher education as well as personal fulfilment. By implementing some of these strategies and finding what works for you, you can stay organised, reduce your stress and maximise productivity. So why not start today? For students, time management isn’t about being perfect, it’s about giving yourself individualised support and consistently trying to make small improvements to your system. With practice, these positive habits can become second nature allowing you to succeed in your personal endeavours. Ultimately, effective time management is about working smarter, not harder, ensuring you make the best in all facets of your university experience.
Author
Connor Steele
Content Editor
Reviewed:
i
Last reviewed: 17 May 2025
Change: Reviewed guide for accuracy and added Key takeaways to enhance user experience

Authors

  • Hey there! I’m Aiden, a medical student at the University of Manchester with a mission to share my journey and insights to keep students everywhere well-informed and motivated. Outside of academia, you'll probably catch me on a spontaneous adventure with friends, tackling a trail around Manchester or spending time at home, writing and listening to a good podcast or playlist.

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  • Connor is a seasoned content expert at Unifresher, specialising in publishing engaging and insightful student-focused content. With over four years of experience in data analysis and content strategy, Connor has a proven track record of supporting publishing teams with high-quality resources. A graduate of the University of Sussex with a BSc in Accounting and Finance, he combines his academic background with his passion for creating content that resonates with students across the UK. Outside of work, Connor enjoys staying active at his local gym and walking his miniature dachshunds.

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