By Lena Hoedl
BSc Marketing and Management (with a professional placement year)

I am sure a lot of you can relate when I say that 24 hours a day are sometimes not enough to get all the things done we have on our to-do-lists. Going to lectures and seminars, keeping on top of notes, working on assignments, and studying for test and exams can be a lot to handle at once. However, there are some tips and tricks for making most of your time and making university life a little bit more stress-free.

Here are some of my quick and easy time management tips:

1. Get up early

I find getting up early helps increase productivity. Try to get up early multiple days in a row so your body can adapt to the change. You will see that after an early start, your body and mind are ready for all of your complex thinking tasks. After those are out of the way, you can be even more productive and set the tone for your day.

2. Make to do lists and prioritise tasks

Begin by writing all of your tasks that need to be done in a notebook or, if you prefer it digitally, you can use a tool such as Trello.com, a website that allows you to make simple to-do-lists online. When listing tasks, make sure to add their due dates so you can easily organise them in order of priority. If some of the tasks seem too big, breaking them into smaller sub-tasks can help. By doing this you will be more motivated to start your work and avoid unnecessary procrastinating.

3. Schedule your day

Get a planner (digital or print) and take some time to plan your days ahead. Break your time into hours and outline what you will be doing. Make sure to also mark your upcoming deadlines very visibly and create countdowns so you don’t lose track of how many days you have left.

4. Eliminate distractions

It is very easy to get distracted, especially by your phone. Set yourself specific study times and phone breaks. So, for example, I like to focus on studying for 120 min and then give myself a 30 min break. There are also many helpful apps that help with scheduling time, such as Forest. I like to use this during exam season or during times when deadlines are fast approaching.

5. Get enough rest

When you feel sleep deprived, your brain is unable to function at its best, so make sure to give it enough rest. Sleep is extremely important. I recommend tracking your sleep and finding out how much sleep your body actually needs to be able to feel energised, but aim to get at least 7 hours per night.