Time Management with Distance Learning

 

TAKING STEPS TO OPTIMIZE THE SCHOOL DAY

One of the primary benefits of distance learning is that it demands excellent time management skills that parallel those required at the college level. Incorporating time management strategies into distance learning will improve your student’s opportunities for success and good habit development.

OUR TOP TIME MANAGEMENT TIPS

Simply put, time management is the ability to designate time to boost productivity and performance. Learning good habits early, especially in a distance learning environment, can be challenging but yields great results for college and beyond. Top ranked colleges offer plenty of resources related to time management, revealing its importance for success in higher education.

We have pulled together some of our top time management tips for your student to use in organizing their day and completing their school work effectively:

  • Identify current time management skills: Being able to assess how you currently manage your time can help improve areas that need work. Perhaps you are easily distracted, forget about assignments, or are not completing tasks in the allotted time.

  • Keep work time distraction free: When you schedule time for getting work done, remove all distractions that will result in “half work.” Distractions might include your phone, a crowded or loud workspace, or a television on in the background.

  • Avoid multi-tasking: While we commonly associate multi-tasking with productivity, studies show that only 2.5% of people can effectively multi-task. Multi-tasking decreases our attentiveness and our ability to fully focus on learning and comprehending information.

  • Get enough sleep: Making sure your physiological needs, such as sleep, are met is an important component to managing your time. Your academic performance is largely dependent on sleep quality. Completing your assignments efficiently will help you get to bed at a reasonable time.

  • Create concise task lists: Tasks lists are excellent time management tools, but be sure not to add too many items. Your tasks should be clear and direct. Crossing them off instills a sense of accomplishment.

MASTERING THE TO-DO LIST

Your student will accomplish tasks more productively when they have both daily and weekly objectives outlined on to-do lists. Here are some steps your student should follow when creating their to-do lists:

  1. Prioritize: Assignments should be organized according to their due date and level of importance. Larger projects should be divided into smaller steps, each with their own due date.

  2. Tackle daunting tasks first: To prevent procrastination, take on the most challenging tasks first. Don’t wait until the last minute!

  3. Be specific: To-do lists should contain specific tasks, not larger goals or long-term objectives. Specific tasks will keep you on topic and ensure that you are actually checking items off the list.

  4. Set due dates: Due dates further cement the need to get tasks done on a daily and weekly basis.

  5. Keep lists accessible: Having to-do lists in a place where they can be easily referenced will keep you on track and aware of what you still need to accomplish.

Studies show that making a plan for how you will accomplish your tasks leads to better performance. Consider incorporating to-do lists into your student’s routine to increase productivity.

WEEKLY SCHEDULES & TIME BLOCKS

Having your student write out their weekly schedule will help them keep deadlines organized and remain productive throughout the day. Class and meeting times should always be added to the schedule. Additionally, designating set blocks of time for different activities can help your student stay organized and avoid forgetting important items throughout the day.

Here are some ideas for setting up time blocks:

  • Create blocks from the time you wake up until the end of the day

  • Designate blocks for studying a specific subject

  • Allocate more time to certain subjects, as needed

  • Keep blocks relatively consistent from week to week

Don’t forget to leave time for fun and relaxation! Some of your student’s time blocks should include non-specific “scheduled free time.” Students need time to unwind and enjoy themselves throughout the day. According to the Princeton University’s McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning, “commitments to fun” are necessary for keeping students feeling rejuvenated and satisfied amid the hours dedicated to their studies. Try incorporating small breaks between classes and perhaps one larger break after school.

To reiterate, "scheduled free time” blocks should be non-specific. Studies have shown that specific planning of free time actually leads to less enjoyment. Alternatively, when these blocks of time are loosely scheduled as “free time” with built-in flexibility, they have the same positive effect as unplanned events.

CREATING TIME BUDGETS

It can be challenging to determine how much time to dedicate to each task within a given block of time. Creating a time budget will help your student prioritize certain tasks and determine what they need to do versus what they want to do. To create a time budget, your student will first need to identify how they currently spend their hours throughout the day. Then, compare the number of hours spent completing necessary tasks versus the number of hours spent freely and unproductively. Based on the resulting numbers, consider reallocating time to areas that are important to academic success.

The goal of this activity is to raise awareness and help your student make changes for better use of time throughout the week. Consider these various time-budgeting methods to gain a better understanding of how time is being spent and how it should be spent to improve productivity.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

 
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