To be a successful student at Miami University will most likely require a conscientious and effective use and organization of time. Even though each student has different courses of study, different styles of living, and different responsibilities and obligations, each are allowed the same amount of time; 24 hours a day and 168 hours per week.     Within this time, students must eat, sleep, practice, work, relax, exercise, socialize, attend class, and study.  To make the most of your time and to balance the numerous aspects of college life it is crucial to develop a time management system.

 

Time management becomes a necessity for  college students, because unlike high school, Miami University requires that students spend much more time studying outside of the classroom.  Generally speaking, for every one-hour spent in class, students should spend two hours studying outside of class.  Being a student easily becomes a full-time job; fifteen hours attending class and thirty hours studying outside of class, totaling forty-five hours per week being a student.  In addition, many students have further responsibilities including athletic practice, family, and work.   

 

Managing your time does not simply involve creating a schedule that plans and records all of your activities.  The driving force behind time management is goal setting and prioritizing.  To establish a method for doing something, you must first know what you want to accomplish and what aspects of life are most important to you.  After you determine what you want to achieve, you can make a plan and schedule for achieving it.

 

Goal Setting and Priorities

 

To start the process of creating a time management system, consider all of the different aspects of your life.

· Are you an athlete?

· Do you work in addition to going to school?

· Do you have a relationship?

· Are you involved in a club or organization?

· How many courses are you taking?

 

Evaluate and prioritize these parts.

· In the big picture, how important is going to school, being an athlete, having a social life?

· What aspects of your life are not as important as others?

 

 

Time Management Guidebook