Tick, tick, tick ...No, it's not the beginning to 60 MINUTES nor is it the dreaded crocodile coming to get Captain Hook. It's time moving on. Before exploring specific time-management techniques, consider several common myths which contribute to poor time management, especially undermining your efforts to establish and follow your priorities:

MYTH: My life is completely controlled by external events.

FACT: You can have some control over many aspects of your life, but you and you alone are responsible for initiating that control. Learn to recognize what you can and can't control before making your choices. Anticipate the future and clarify the external demands that must be faced. From there, it is easier to determine what can be done, and within what time frame, despite the demands.

Managing Your Time!

Managing your time successfully implies accomplishing what is most important for you. When you don’t accomplish what you truly want, you may feel confused, compromised, and frustrated. Many people try to use time management techniques that work for others, only to be disappointed. Often this is because they don’t also identify the goals most important to them and gear the techniques toward those goals. Effective time management must include techniques for good prioritizing.

Time Management Principles

As a student, there are some basic Principles of Time Management that you can apply.

1. Identify "Best Time" for Studying: Everyone has high and low periods of attention and concentration. Are you a "morning person" or a "night person". Use your power times to study; use the down times for routines such as laundry and errands.
2. Study Difficult Subjects First: When you are fresh, you can process information more quickly and save time as a result.
3. Use Distributed Learning and Practice: Study in shorter time blocks with short breaks between. This keeps you from getting fatigued and "wasting time." This type of studying is efficient because while you are taking a break, the brain is still processing the information.
4. Make Sure the Surroundings are Conducive to Studying: This will allow you to reduce distractions which can "waste time." If there are times in the residence halls or your apartment when you know there will be noise and commotion, use that time for mindless tasks.