Studying and Time Management

Time management is a big topic in many industries. It’s often talked about in relation to self-development and improving productivity. Therefore it comes as no surprise that time management often features as a key element for effective studying.

Understanding time is indeed one of the essential factors in learning how to study effectively. However, as Alec Mackenzie indicates in his book The Time Trap (1991), “the idea of time management may be the biggest misconception of all”.

When people talk about time management, they are often misled in their thinking. Since time is constant it cannot really be controlled. It passes by at a rate of 60 seconds per minute, 60 minutes per hour, 24 hours per day. No one can stop, play, pause, fast forward or rewind time, so how can we manage it?

The only thing we can really do is manage ourselves in relation to time. Understanding this leads one take more responsibility for what happens rather than blaming things on time. “I don’t have enough time” or “I ran out of time” cease to be used as excuses for not completing assignments or revising enough and productivity is increased.

As a student you will probably have a busy schedule involving both study, recreation, work and possibly other responsibilities too. Though it can seem as though there is isn’t enough time to complete things, the fact is we all have 24 hours each day to complete what we need to do and we have to make the most of it. One of the first things to do is take responsibility.

When you take responsibility, you own the task or project at hand and accept that it is up to you to make the most of it. Once you have done this, you can then set about making plans for what to do with the time that is available. You will soon find that you can pretty much manage most situations if you prepare for them in advance. The advantage of this is that you see things ahead of time so you can implement what’s necessary.

Organisation and self management are required to plan and prepare for studies to give you the best chance of success. Don’t be a victim of time. Take control and start to manage. If you put the principle of self management into practice for your studies, then the results will be less stress and you will reach your study goals.