Time Management Strategies 

Open your phone and check your screen time. Seriously, do it now! Think to yourself: “With a busy EngSci schedule, can I really afford to spend this much time on my phone? Imagine how much work I could get done in that time!” Try everything in your power to mitigate distractions, whether caused by your phone or otherwise. Set goals for yourself and hold yourself accountable; you might surprise yourself with how easily you can achieve these goals! While your methods may vary, the result should hopefully be an increased amount of time to pursue academics, extracurriculars, hobbies, or sleep. 

Use a calendar, whether physical or digital. With a digital calendar, you can import your timetable from ACORN and build upon that. Afterwards, block off certain sections of your day for eating, commuting, studying for different classes, etc. This will hold you accountable to work on certain tasks and avoid procrastination. Try and update your daily tasks every day. 

Simultaneously, make sure to be flexible and don’t be too tied to your original plans! Plans can change at the last minute due to a variety of factors, so make sure you have appropriate backup plans for how you’ll spend your time.

Not all tasks are created equally. Depending on your own priorities/values, you may choose to spend less time on calculus problems than design team projects, for example. Deadlines approach fast, so keep those in mind; you might want to consider working on a difficult task with an approaching due date as opposed to something due at a much later date. It may or may not be optimal to pour hours into an assignment with a small weightage. It is important that you make and optimize your own plans. 

Know when to leave something for later and move on to the next task. In high school, many of us were used to pouring time into a challenging task until we finished it. In EngSci, you will have more challenging tasks that you must complete in less time. If you’re struggling to finish your calculus problems, you might want to meet with your ESC194 TA the next day and instead move on to the CIV102 problem set. This strategy will save you time in the long run, and you will likely learn better, too. 

When you do get blocks of free time (like at the start of a semester or right after some midterms), balance relaxing with working ahead. You may be tempted to leave off studying for a few days if you have little due that week, but then you may have to work non-stop later. Balance your work and fun each day and you will find a happy medium. In fact, an article punished by John’s Hopkins University on school-life balance states: ”School-life balance is important for optimal academic functioning.” We highly recommend learning to pace yourself if you want a good school-life balance and healthy sleep habits. 

Try to sleep and wake up at the same time every day, regardless of what time you have class the next day. Our bodies are wired to work on routines and schedules, so this is very important. It will help you feel more rested and productive.  

Wake up at a reasonable time on weekends. You might be tempted to sleep in, but a few more waking hours in the morning can help you avoid staying up late on a Sunday night.  

Account for wind-down time. Most people are unable to switch from studying to sleeping in just a few minutes, especially if they are stressed. Your mind and body need time to calm down before you can drift off to sleep, so make sure you build that wind-down time into your schedule and sleep routine. Otherwise, you will be promising yourself eight hours of sleep and getting less, every time. 

Burning off energy during the day by working out, playing sports, or just going for walks will help to keep your sleep schedule regular and consistent. Try getting involved in one of our intramural or varsity level sports, or go out and use one of the many athletic facilities on campus.