Start the Year Off Right: Tips and Tricks for Improving Time Management

Part 2

In time with the start of the fall semester, Cengage Learning unveiled best practices on improving grades through time management. In the Part 2 of this article series, we will share a few more of our top tips to becoming a time management master.


Building on earlier tips for time management including making a schedule, taking advantage of small chunks of time, and studying smarter, we have included more advice below to help keep yourself on track this school year.

Go Digital: To keep up in today??™s increasingly digital landscape, most educational resources include a digital component. These digital extensions feature tools and resources to maximize student success and engagement. However, many students are either unaware they have access to these digital tools or underestimate the impact these tools can have on academic performance. Many digital tools, such as Cengage Learning??™s digital learning solution MindTap, use a combination of reading, multimedia, activities and assessments, to engage users and maximize understanding and retention. MindTap also includes features like scheduling, notifications and messaging to help you stay organized and on top of upcoming deadlines. Take advantage of the digital resources available to you ??“ and activate (and use!) them early in the semester, rather than waiting until crunch time. Studies show, students that use MindTap get better grades than those that do not.

Prioritize: The first step to time management is taking stock of all the different activities, commitments and responsibilities that make up day-to-day life. Taking an honest look at the big picture is essential to identifying priorities and possibly cutting unnecessary or superfluous activities out temporarily. From there, you can more easily identify the priorities that are most important and make sure they take precedent over less pressing commitments.

Get Organized: Organization is key to successful time management and being organized also helps to avoid unexpected interruption. Before settling down to study, be sure you have all the resources and tools you need to complete the assignments you will be working on. There is no greater nuisance to hitting a stride only to realize a missing textbook or forgotten computer charger.

Schedule in Fun Time: Time management does not equal all work and no play. Actually, students who effectively manage their time tend to have more time for socializing and fun since they aren??™t wasting precious time procrastinating or being unproductive. Making sure to schedule some free time each week is not only important to overall happiness but is also key to maintaining high levels of productivity.

The start of the semester is a great opportunity to give a fresh boost to your study routine. Tackling the time management sinkhole is one of the best ways to kick your academic performance into high gear. By taking advantage of even a few of our time management tips, you can streamline your study habits and maximize your classroom potential. Good luck!