'Time Management Banner'

When we don’t manage our time well, sleep is often one of the first things we sacrifice. Possibly you have experienced this yourself or seen friends struggle to prioritize sleep during finals week. The quarter system goes by quickly! And for UCSB students, sometimes this can mean:

  • Cramming too much work into too little time
  • Staying up late trying to catch up with work, however the lack of sleep makes it even more difficult to concentrate or complete your studies

These incidents can become a weekly experience for students who don’t wisely manage their time, focus, and sleep. Fortunately, there are options and strategies that can help you stay on top of things.
 

Time management is something that most of us struggle with, and challenges always arise as our schedules and our priorities change. While we usually identify poor planning as the cause of time management issues, struggling to develop and stick to an effective schedule is actually often related to problems with focus, motivation, and confidence.
 

Here are some tips from CLAS Writing and Languages Coordinator, Emma Cristofani to help you better manage your time:

  • Write down a list of priorities so that you have guidance when making decisions about how to spend your time. Sleep should be at the very top of this list, even higher than studying. If it's the night before the exam and you have a choice of finishing the class readings or getting some sleep, you should always choose sleep.
  • Short, focused bursts of studying are more effective than longer studying marathons. Your mind becomes fatigued after maintaining focus for too long, and you can waste time by trying to push on. Plan to take breaks every 30-60 minutes to stand up, stretch, get water or snacks, and use the restroom so that you come back from your break feeling refreshed and ready to keep working. 
  • Location, location, location. Put yourself in an environment conducive to your focus. Do you prefer to study in natural or artificial light? Are you more productive in open or confined spaces? Do conversations or other types of ambient noise tend to distract you? Find locations in your environment that fit your preferences.
  • Set specific, achievable goals for every study session. Having a specific goal--completing a chapter, solving three word problems, developing a thesis--will keep the end of each study session in sight and improve motivation to keep working. Once the goal is accomplished, you will feel better about taking a break to rest.
  • Deliberately set aside time for fun and leisure. If your schedule is full of tasks that cause you stress, you are less likely to look at it and stick to it. Schedule time every day and week for self-care, spending time with friends, working on a hobby, watching the new episode of your favorite show--whatever helps you feel balanced, refreshed, and ready for the next task. Give yourself evidence that you have things to look forward to in addition to things to work on.
  • Daily reflection. Take time at the end of every day to assess what you accomplished that day and establish priorities or a plan for the next. The more awareness you have about how you are dividing up your time, the more confident you will feel about your choices. 
     
'Time Management Tips'

Strategies and Technology for Better Focus
Think about where, when, and how to study during a typical week. While there is less class time in college than in high school, there is even more work to do. Outside activities can be tempting, and you will need to manage your time wisely to be a successful student. Building study routines into the day is a way to consistently complete work on time. These tips will help you stay organized.

Concentration and focus are essential to studying successfully. Identify and understand what distracts you, and what helps you concentrate. If visuals are helpful to you, make a simple two-column chart. 
On the left, list things that tend to distract you while studying. Think about where, when and what makes you feel most distracted.
 

In the right column, write down some things that affect your studying. For example:

  • Do you like to have music or no noise at all?
  • Do you work best in a study group or by yourself?
  • Are you able to concentrate better in the mornings before class?
  • Does movement during studying help you focus?

Using the chart, draft a short list of things to do before and during each study session to minimize distractions and increase concentration.
 

Many students use technology and specific strategies to help block distractions and increase concentration. For example:

  • Search “block distracting websites or apps” to find the tools for your devices. Utilize “do not disturb” mode to block incoming calls and text messages.
  • It can be hard to get started studying. It may help to list things to complete during the session. Break the list down into smaller steps. Speak aloud the step you are beginning or completing to help you stick to your task list and complete work faster.
  • Use a timer to plan work sessions followed by quick breaks. Schedule 20 to 25 minutes of work followed by a 5-minute break. That way you’ll have a workflow with breaks that reduce fatigue from trying to concentrate for long periods of time. Keep breaks to the time allowed, and try to avoid distracting activities like social media.
  • Use a talking clock app or alarm that announces the time aloud at set intervals (such as every 10 minutes) to help build awareness of time’s passage. The announcements also can be a cue to redirect attention to your studies if you are off task. 
     

Recognize that Sleep is Important to Your Studies
Good sleep is necessary to recharge your brain so you can focus and learn effectively each day. Consider incorporating some of the different goals and strategies that you learned in the UCSB Sleep Challenge within your daily life to help you succeed in college:

  • Get at least seven to eight hours of sleep each night.
  • Nap wisely. Naps of 20 to 30 minutes are a great way to feel rested during the day. Longer naps past 3pm can interfere with night time sleeping.
  • Consider having a sleep ritual at the end of the day. Establish a 30-minute routine that is free of over-stimulating activities and electronics to help you wind down and transition into a restful sleep.
  • Avoid caffeine and other stimulants within four hours of going to bed. 
  • Before going to bed, write down a list of worries or thoughts that might keep you awake. Tell yourself you will think about and deal with them tomorrow. 
  • Try wearing a fitness bracelet (Ex. Fitbit or Apple Watch) that tracks your sleep or check out some of the sleep Apps available online. Concrete data about your own personal sleep habits can help you develop healthier ones. 
     
'Sleep and Study'

 

Setting specific goals and routines around sleeping can help ensure good sleep habits that support concentration and focus which will help you thrive in school and beyond!