Time Management for Students:  Linking Grades, Stress, and Time. 

What’s so different about time management for students? 

Many differences exist, but students feel the impact on grades and stress levels the most.   A student’s academic transcript reveals more than letter grades and academic GPAs.   It’s  a reflection of commitment, preparation, balance, and priorities while being a student.  Grades are just symptoms or outcomes of a variety of factors including time and stress management, this applies to college student time management as well.

Student Time Management - What's at Risk?

time management for students

No matter who you are, a good deal of time management tips on this website are helpful to everyone. However, students have a unique set of priorities and responsibilities because being a student is their full-time job.     Yet, this full time job doesn't end when class lets out.  Students require additional hours to study, complete assignments, participate in activities, and more, to be considered for jobs and/or admissions to future colleges or universities.   Yet, it’s easy to under-estimate how much time and energy our activities and responsibilities require.                                                     Image shared from freedigitialphotos.net

Time management for students - Rule of Thumb:

For every hour you spend in class, set aside 2 hours for studying, projects, papers, tutoring, and necessary support you need to aim for your ‘A.’  A typical full-time job is 40 hours per week.   Once you dip past 40 hours from working, school, and other commitments each week, you’re risking a decline in your grades and/or well-being.

Time Management, Students, and Grades

Time management mistakes also show up for students in a unique way – on their transcripts.   If students overlook the importance of creating a balanced scheduled that supports personal well-being, one or all of their commitments pay the price.   For example, a student’s responsibilities (such as work) outside of class can easily become demanding and leak into project or study time.   In this case, students find themselves often falling behind, and scrambling to keep-up with class lectures and readings, creating lots of unnecessary student stress and anxiety.

As a result, time management influences stress levels for students.  Stress management for students matters, because it changes the experience of being a student.  

Research shows that a history of poor grades creates a negative self-perception, which impacts how students see themselves.    Thus, how students approach their time can directly impact whether they feel capable.   

Again, we all want to feel better about our commitments, and make progress towards meaningful goals.  Feels of self-doubt that arise from poor time and stress management are completely preventable. 

Better Time, Happier Students

My best advice to improve student time management: Take control by reading more of our articles on time management for students with tips and techniques to improve your overall experience being a student.

Time management for college students presents a unique set of circumstances.   Whether you’re taking courses online , or in a classroom setting, you can improve your overall experience being a student, starting a new approach to your time management.


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