7 Life-changing time & energy management skills for uni students

As a student about to enter (or already in) university, your biggest obstacle usually isn’t purely the school work or finding new friends; it’s balancing finishing assignments on time while having a social life. Trying to juggle them all can drain your energy every day. The good news? With the right tips, you can be more efficient and have free hours to do other tasks! 

Keep reading to find out Airtasker’s tips on energy and time management for students! You’ll soon meet assignment deadlines, hang out with your mates, and pass exams easily.

7 best energy and time management skills for students

As a student full of energy and youth, it may feel difficult figuring out how to balance study time and social time now. But with these time management strategies for students, your life will soon be organised, efficient, and most importantly, stress-free!

1. Utilise digital calendars

Physical calendars may work for reminding you to pay your bills on time, but in terms of making your life run smoothly, digital calendars—like Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook Calendar, and Fantastical—are the best. You can easily colour-code classes, social events, bills, and personal errands to help you keep track of each one. For some digital calendars, they even have an alarm installed to remind you 10 or 15 minutes before an event is happening.

2. Prioritise small tasks first

There’s some debate over whether you should tackle a big or smaller task first. We say go for the smaller ones since large projects can feel overwhelming and lead you to distract yourself with your phone or lappy. Start with fairly easy items, and you’ll soon find you’re at the end of your to-do list!

Once you get to the “big one,” break it down into steps, if possible. Is it a research paper? Do the outline first, then fill in each part. Or, you could work your way to the middle by starting the introduction and closing paragraphs before writing the body.

3. Create a study strategy

Wondering how to manage time for studying daily when you have multiple subjects? Custom study strategies will be your best friend. Creating one may seem tedious, but it can help you retain information better.

The key is to make a study strategy tailored to your way of learning. Are you a visual learner? Flashcards or videos could work better than reading something from a textbook. And rather than reading your notes over and over, you can create unique quizzes that will help improve your brain’s ability to retain the information.

4. Set goals per day

Time management for students is often complicated because you’re tempted to multitask. But to properly organise your studying, create a list of goals you know you can do. Be honest about how much studying and socialisation you can do in a day. The more tasks you tell yourself you “have” to do, the more you’re setting yourself up to fail. Next, allot time blocks for each one—doing one thing at a time ensures you’ll finish one task before moving on to the next. 

5. Rest and eat 

If you’ve often wondered how you can improve your time management skills, there are two words for you: resting and eating. Constantly studying during the day and attending uni events and parties at night can lead to burnout.

Have you ever experienced struggling to answer a practice exam or had trouble focusing on your maths coursework? It’s because your body is sending you a signal to take a break. 15 to 30 minutes is usually enough for a power nap or to eat something light. If you find this isn’t enough, that’s okay. Take more time! 

6. Identify problem areas beforehand

One skill that will help you save time is figuring out which subjects or topics you find difficult and finding a solution. Instead of rereading your notes and doing practice quizzes on your own, you can speak to your professor to get one-on-one study sessions. That way, you’ll be able to ask any questions or clarifications on the spot. 

7. Outsource non-school-related tasks

Household chores eating up your time? You don’t have to do all the house painting, apartment cleaning, window cleaning, floor mopping, and other housework! If you have some time and extra cash, you can outsource these chores to mates who need extra cash. Before you hire anyone, though, make sure you trust them since they’ll be in your flat and have access to personal things.

Start doing more by doing less

Excellent time and energy management is the secret to a fun uni experience. If you never want to worry about submitting assignments late or missing out on a social event again, remember these skills and tips: use a digital calendar to fix your schedule, delegate household tasks to others, if possible, set a realistic number of goals to achieve per day, and don’t forget to rest and eat! By mastering these, you’ll be able to work and play without missing a deadline.