TIME MANAGEMENT

Learning Support / Time Management and Study Skills / Time Management

How can we help you learn?

When we talk about time management skills, we're referring to the ability to organise your schedule carefully, work efficiently and effectively, and meet deadlines.

Good time management skills are key to success in education and the workplace. Like any skills, time management skills need to be learned and practised. This page will give you the tools and strategies you need to manage your time throughout your learning journey with eCampus NZ and beyond.

Key Strategy 1: Record assessment due dates

Knowing exactly what’s coming up is the best way to reduce stress and avoid missing deadlines, so as soon as you can, log in to the portal and make a record of all assessment due dates for each of your courses.

You can record this information in a diary, a monthly digital/physical calendar, or simply write a list. Whenever you begin a new course, add the assessment due dates to your record. Place it somewhere you’ll see it frequently and check it regularly throughout your learning journey – it will help you stay on track and prioritise your workload.

Where can I find my assessment due dates?

The Learning Path under Course Home is a key tool for good time management. It tells you what you should expect each week and when assessments are due.

You can also view assessments and due dates under Assessments.

Key Strategy 2: Map out a weekly study timetable

Creating a study timetable at the beginning of each week is a great time management strategy.

Start by filling in your personal and professional commitments. Add in the due dates for any assessments. If you have assessments, work out what you need to do for each assignment and divide the assignment into chunks. Set your own mini deadlines for each ‘chunk’.

Use this information to block out time to work on your assessments. Don’t forget to put aside time to work through the course content too! As a guide, you should be spending approximately 15 hours per week on each course, including the time you spend working on assessments. However, everyone is different, so use this as a guideline only.  Don’t worry if your week doesn’t go as planned and you can’t always stick to your timetable – you can always make changes when you need to!

How do I know what's coming up?

The Learning Path under Course Home is a key tool for good time management. It tells you what you should expect each week and when assessments are due.

You can also view assessments and due dates under Assessments.

Key Strategy 3: Map out a daily plan

Use your weekly study timetable to write a detailed plan at the beginning of each day. You can use the A, B, C system to prioritise tasks.

A Must do today

B Should do today

C Could do today

Try these time management techniques!

Establish a routine

Many eCampus NZ learners are juggling study with professional and personal commitments, and we understand that it can be difficult to create a routine. However, creating a routine helps to build good study habits, and makes it more likely that you will be able to stick to your daily and weekly plan. If you can, try to study in the same place at the same time of day. 

Set mini deadlines

Break tasks into manageable ‘chunks’ before you begin and set mini-deadlines – this will help you manage your time and prevent stress.

Reflect

Decide when you study most effectively

Some people work best in the morning, while others work more productively later in the day or evening. Schedule in study time when you think you’ll be feeling motivated and productive.

Reach out

Remember that your eCampus NZ whānau are there to support you. If you have questions about course content or are struggling to keep up, let your facilitator know as soon as possible. If you’d like some personalised advice about how to manage your time and deadlines, talk to your student advisor. They are there to provide useful advice and strategies to help you through.

Rally your crew

Share your study plans with your whānau so they know when you need some time to yourself.  Place your plan somewhere visible to your whole household and let them know when you begin studying. This will also help you stick to your study schedule.

Make your goal visible

Do you want a new job? A promotion at work? To start your own business? Think about why you've decided to study and set yourself a major goal. Write this goal and place it somewhere visible – on your desktop background, on your fridge, or on the wall over your study space. If you’re feeling unmotivated, read your goal and reflect on why you have decided to study.

Give yourself a break

If you’re feeling distracted or a little unmotivated, you can try some of the strategies on this list to get yourself back on track. However, studying when you’re stressed, sad, exhausted, frustrated or feeling unwell is rarely effective. If you’re feeling this way, take a break and close the laptop. Giving yourself a mental break and a chance to recuperate makes it more likely that you’ll return to your study, refreshed and motivated, quickly.

Do the worst first

Complete tasks that are more of a challenge at the beginning of each study session, as this is usually when you feel the most motivated. Save tasks you enjoy or find easier for later, when you may be feeling tired but need to continue to study to keep up with your work.

Celebrate success

Whether you’ve managed to keep up with your learning during a busy time at work, handed in a piece of work early, or studied particularly hard one week, share and celebrate your success with your friends, whānau, and eCampus NZ community. If you find a time management strategy that really works for you, use the in-course forums and messaging to share it with your fellow learners.

Time Management Tools and Apps

You have access to a variety of time-management tools within the Office 365 suite, including Outlook Calendar, Outlook Tasks, and Microsoft Planner.
MindTools has some great resources on time management stills
WorkFlowy is a simple, free way to get organised. The app allows you to create lists, outlines, and notes.
2Do is a list-making app which uses color coding and lets you categorise tasks by priority and subject.
For Google Chrome users, StayFocusd is an extension which allows you to restrict the amount of time they can spend on time-wasting websites.

Evernote allows you to create personal checklists and take notes in a variety of formats, including text, photos, audio, web clippings and videos,. You can also attach Microsoft Office documents and PDFs.
Trello’s boards, lists, and cards helps you to organize and prioritize their projects in a fun, flexible, and rewarding way.
myHomework helps learners at any level track their assignments and improve their organization and time management skills.

He maurea kai whiria! Ignore small matters and direct effort towards important projects!