ii. Establishing a Time Management System

Now that you’ve evaluated how you have done things in the past, you’ll want to think about how you might create a schedule for managing your time going forward. A word of caution though when planning: remember, unexpected things happen. The best schedules have some flexibility built into them.

For every hour in the classroom, college students should spend, on average, about two to three hours outside of that class reading, studying, writing papers, etc. If you’re a full-time student with twelve hours a week in class plus your study time, that’s about 36-42 hours. That’s the same as a typical full-time job! That is why you are considered to be a ‘full-time’ student. If you work part-time or have a family, time management skills are even more essential. To succeed in college, everyone has to develop effective strategies for dividing up their time.

Think back to last week and the activity you just did. Did you spend two to three hours of study time for every hour in class? Many students begin college not knowing this much time is needed outside of class—and two to three hours is just an average amount of study time—you may need more or less for your own courses. To be safe, and to help ensure your success, try to block off an extra five to ten hours a week just for studying.

Understanding Your Priorities

We can’t talk about time management without talking about your priorities. After all, time management isn’t just about organizing your schedule— it’s about making sure your time reflects what matters most to you.

You might think it’s as simple as ranking the important things in your life and using those rankings to guide your decisions, but in reality, managing your schedule is rarely that straightforward.

Let’s say, for example, that raising your GPA is a major goal that you have… but you also love playing guitar. Is playing guitar as important as raising your GPA? Probably not, but does that mean that you can never play guitar again, or at least not while in college? Just because something isn’t your top priority doesn’t mean it doesn’t deserve any time or attention. The real challenge is finding a balance between working toward your goals and making space for the other things in life that bring you joy.

Sometimes, you’ll face tough choices. What happens when two important things compete for your time? Do you study for a test or attend a family event? Do you pick up an extra shift or take a day off to rest and recharge? These decisions aren’t always easy, and there’s rarely a perfect answer.

The reality is that managing your priorities is more like juggling than ranking. You’re constantly adjusting, reevaluating, and making choices based on what’s most important in the moment. That’s why time management is a skill—it takes practice, flexibility, and self-awareness.

Yes, doing well in your classes is important. But so is earning money, staying connected to loved ones, and doing things that bring you joy like playing guitar. You don’t have to give up your life outside of school to succeed in college. You just have to learn how to manage your time in a way that reflects your values and goals.

Before moving on, take a moment to think about your own priorities. What matters most to you right now—academically, personally, socially, financially? What are the goals you’re working toward, and what parts of your life bring you joy or fulfillment? While your priorities may shift over time, getting clear on what’s important to you is the first step toward making more intentional choices about how you spend your time.

Where Should Your Time Go?

Now that you’ve taken a moment to reflect on your priorities, let’s think about how your time can better reflect those values each week. In the activity earlier in this module, you looked at how your 168 hours were spent in a typical week. In this activity, you’ll realistically divide up those same 168 hours based on how you should be spending your time—according to your goals, responsibilities, and personal well-being.

This isn’t just about creating an idealized schedule packed with nonstop productivity. A healthy weekly plan includes time to sleep, eat, commute, rest, and recharge. It makes space for both your obligations and the things that bring you joy. The goal is to be intentional—not idealistic—so that your time supports both your success and your well-being.

Use the categories below to estimate how many hours you should spend on each type of activity in a typical week. Be honest with yourself, and make sure your total adds up to 168 hours. If you find that your plan doesn’t leave enough time for sleep, meals, or downtime, that’s a sign to reevaluate and adjust.

And don’t forget to include 2-3 hours of study time for each credit hour that you are taking!

Looking at your ideal time allocation, what surprised you? What might you need to change in your current routine to better align with this plan?