Time is finite. We only have a finite amount of time available to us each day. In the time available to us, we have to get many, varied tasks done. As a students it becomes necessary to learn to juggle multiple tasks, multiple roles, and multiple responsibilities. In order to do this successfully we will need to learn how to manage our time. So how do we organize our time?

Today I need to:

Go to Chemistry Class
Grab Lunch
Study for Econ Test
Meet Sally at the Movies

Looking at the list of tasks to the left, how would you rank them in order of importance? Is eating lunch more important that studying for a test or does going to class supercede them all?

It is important to remember that the key is balance…

1. We have Fixed Time Commitments – Regularly scheduled activities (that meet at the same time each day or week) such as work, classes, labs, meetings, band practice, study group, etc.
2. We have Activities Essential for Daily Living – Activities that keep us healthy such as eating meals, sleeping, personal care and grooming, exercise, etc.
3. We have Study Time and Class Preparation Time – Activities that complete the work necessary for classes such as studying for tests, preparing for classes, writing a paper, working on a project, reading assignments, etc.
4. We have Leisure and Social Time – Activities that are enjoyable and relaxing such as hanging out with friends, sitting on your butt doing absolutely nothing, alone time, watching TV, chatting on the Internet, talking on the phone, going to parties, etc.

As a Western society we learn quickly that it is our Productive Time which is valued. It is the measure of how much we are able to do or produce. Above the Fixed Time Commitments and the Study Time can be defined as Productive Time. So, does that mean that these activities are more important than the rest? Not at all. The challenge here becomes to learn to value the other activities as well. Essential Daily Living tasks and Leisure Time are essential for staying healthy, staying sane, and staying on top of all the stress that we face. These activities are Restorative Time. They provide us with the energy to be our best during our Productive Time.

As you manage your time, remember that you are trying to keep a healthy balance between Productive Time and Restorative Time. It is recommended that you list items out on your planner in the order listed above – not due an assumption of importance – but more due to flexibility.

Fixed Time Commitments are inflexible. They occur when they are scheduled and you are likely to not be able to reschedule them. You can’t ask the remaining 500 students in your chemistry class to meet at 9:30 instead of 9:00 because 9:00 just isn’t good for you.
Leisure Time tends to be very flexible. If you are going the movies with friends you have the 5:00 show, the 7:00, the 9:00 and the 11:00 to choose from so you have a lot of flexibility as you schedule this time. Activities Essential for Daily Living are not exactly Fixed but tend to by cyclic recurring around the same time each day. These also tend to be the first things we sacrifice when we get busy.

So challenge yourself to create a healthy balanced Time Plan that includes both Productive Time and Restorative Time.

Useful Sites:

• Time Management (Oregon State University)
• Identify Obstacles to Time Management (George Washington U)