teaching you to manage homework effectively

openmanagement.org

Importance of Time Management for Students: How Homework Helps

Time management is a critical skill that can make or break a student’s academic success. Whether in high school or college or just a graduate student working on a thesis, managing your time effectively can help you set your priorities straight and reach your full potential.

Homework, in particular, plays a crucial role in helping students develop good time management skills. With the right strategies and techniques, you can use homework to create a schedule, prioritize tasks, and stay on top of your workload.

This article will explore how homework helps with time management and provide tips and tricks for making the most of your time.

Time management importance for students: why should they take it seriously?

Before we examine how homework can help students with time management, let’s evaluate its importance.

As you might already know, time management is planning, organizing, and allocating time effectively to achieve specific goals or objectives. It typically involves developing priorities, creating a schedule, and manufacturing strategies for achieving tasks efficiently.

So why is time management important for students?

Time management is important for students because it helps them prioritize their tasks, meet deadlines, and balance their academic and personal responsibilities. Effective time management allows even the most average students to make the most of their time, reducing stress and improving their academic performance.

Additionally, good time management skills are essential for success in college and the workforce, as they help individuals become more productive and efficient in completing tasks.

How does homework help students with time management in their schoolwork?

Homework can help students with time management in several ways, some include:

  • Prioritization

Homework assignments provide students with a clear list of tasks that need to be completed, which helps them prioritize their time and focus on what is most important.

Homework is typically given with due dates, encouraging students to plan and schedule their time accordingly.

  • Accountability

Homework helps students develop a sense of responsibility for their learning and progress. It encourages students to take ownership of their time and use it effectively.

Homework allows students to practice time management skills such as planning, scheduling, and prioritizing. It also offers long-term benefits that will serve them well in college and the workforce.

It is important to note that homework alone is not enough to develop good time management skills; it should be combined with other techniques such as creating a schedule, setting goals, and breaking down large tasks into smaller manageable chunks.

School homework management software: what is it and how does it work?

A critical aspect of homework time management is using various educational software that supports organizational learning. Various types of homework management system or software are available to help students and teachers manage and organize homework assignments. Some popular options include:

  • Google Classroom

This free platform allows teachers to assign and collect homework digitally, provide feedback, and communicate with students.

  • Show My Homework

This web-based platform allows teachers to create, assign and track homework. It also offers a student calendar, which allows students to view and keep track of their homework assignments.

  • My Study Life

This is a cross-platform planner for students, teachers, and lecturers, which helps them to manage their classes, homework, exams, and assignments.

  • Microsoft Teams

It’s part of the Microsoft 365 suite, and it allows teachers to assign homework and communicate with students, and also students can collaborate and communicate with their peers for assignments.

  • Blackboard Learn

It’s a Learning management system (LMS) that allows teachers to create and manage homework assignments, and grades, and provide feedback to students. This software can help students to stay organized and keep track of their assignments, and also helps teachers to easily manage and monitor student progress, provide feedback, and communicate with students.

Bottom line

Now, if you’re ever asked how does homework help with time management? Time management is an essential skill for students, and it can be particularly helpful when managing homework. You can emphasize how they help create schedules, set goals, establish routines, and take care of students’ physical and mental well-being.

Developing good time management skills improves student performance in school and helps develop a sense of discipline and responsibility that will serve them well in their future endeavors.

how does homework create time management skills

globeteacher.com

how does homework create time management skills

How Does Homework Help With Time Management

The motive behind the exercise of homework is to keep the student abreast with the daily goings-on of the class and through thorough practice improve the student’s foundation in a particular topic. Besides those, homework develops one’s researching capabilities since often it extends beyond what is just being taught at school; it is a furtherance of the student’s knowledge and for that the student often has to spend a quite an amount of time looking up the internet or the library for some kind of aid.

Time Management

In-time submission is a universal pre-requisite for any piece of work. Marks deduction, denying to consider the homework or other such penalties on failing to meet the deadline act as a form of driving force for students. Students, therefore, are forced into putting their priorities to check and order them accordingly. In future, when in employment, these students have to meet several such deadlines and then it will be this exercise of college homework that would come in handy.

In addition, college assignments help with time management by enabling us to order our priorities. In this way, we get clear up some time for ourselves and engage in things we love doing, have a hobby. We can binge-watch TV shows, have a movie-marathon, go on a long drive and what not. Yet all of it without compromising on the important stuff since we will learn, eventually where to draw the line.

Recruiting help

Not everybody can master the management task. After bouts of driving around with friends, social networking, binge watching TV shows there is not much energy nor enthusiasm that could drive some out of their bed or couches to invest the remainder of their time into a productive exercise of homework, not even if he is made to write down a million times, in order to ascertain, the numerous benefits of this exercise.

Besides the non-enthusiast, there are those who just could not make out time from numerous engagements. There are many who genuinely cannot do homework, some probable conceptual fault that has remained unclear. For such folks, expert advice and suggestions are advisable. But how does one know whom to trust? The internet is flooding with homework help websites that are made up of a bunch of fraudsters.

How are online homework services helpful?

Offline or online, homework services offer a great deal of relaxation to those with too much on their desk and those who always love to relax. Employing expert professionals, these services go to the core of the problem a student is facing with a particular topic that his/her homework deals with. They will not just write the answers to your questions but also improve your understanding of the topics so that you do not have to seek further assistance from such service providers. The services are reasonably priced and can be availed 24*7.

InnerDrive

Education resources › Blog › 6 self-regulation skills homework helps students develop

How does homework help students develop self-regulation skills?

6 self-regulation skills homework helps students develop

  • Metacognition

Written by the InnerDrive team | Edited by Bradley Busch

Homework has become a staple part of school systems. It gives students the chance to consolidate what they have learned in class by practising it independently. But as well as improving learning, research also suggests that homework can help students develop one of life’s most important skills: self-regulation.

Self-regulation is students’ ability to monitor and manage their behaviours, thoughts, and emotions as they try to progress toward their goals. It is key for developing  independent learners  who take charge of their own learning.

So, what makes homework so good for developing self-regulation skills?

1. Time management and planning

If students want to complete their homework in time to meet the deadline their teacher set, they need to plan ahead, make sure their plan is feasible, and then stick to it. This allows them to consistently practise and hone their time management skills.

Research has shown  that students often struggle with this and can  underestimate how long it will take  to complete a task (this is known as the “Planning Fallacy”). Therefore, having the opportunity to allocate their time accordingly gives them a more accurate base for guessing how to do so again in the future.

2. Persisting with difficult tasks

Homework tasks can be challenging. Students need the persistence to complete them independently.

A key to students developing persistence is to believe that they can accomplish the task to fuel their motivation. Fortunately,  research has shown  that homework activities can help develop self-belief in students of all ages. Some students may need  assistance  with getting started on their homework independently, but when they are on a roll, they could see some improvements in their self-belief and ability to persist through difficult tasks – making future homework easier to get through.

3. Reducing distractions

Avoiding getting distracted is key to get any task done – especially homework. The  growing use of phones  among students makes this skill even more essential.

Research suggests  that reducing distractions during homework is related to overall achievement and shows that high-achieving students are more prone to have this skill than their low-achieving peers.

So, what can students do to stay on task while completing homework? Some easy strategies include:

  • Putting their phone away  in another room
  • Choosing a quiet space to work, away from the TV
  • Turning off their music

4. Organising their environment

A focused environment is essential for students to concentrate on their homework, but it’s not just about getting rid of distractions. It’s also about surrounding themselves with only the tools that they will need or that will help them and making sure that their environment allows them to complete their homework efficiently.

Again, this gives students the opportunity to practise organising their working environment, which is an important self-regulatory skill that can help them complete tasks more productively.

5. Overcoming unwanted emotions

Self-control of emotions is another self-regulatory skill that helps students to manage their behaviour. It can be a little bit more difficult for students to manage their emotions as  research has concluded  that the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain largely responsible for this, does not fully develop until age 25.

Doing homework allows students to practise overcoming their frustrations in the face of challenges. A key to this is to  develop their mindset , to believe that with effort, curiosity and a good outlook on setbacks, they can achieve the task at hand.

6. Reflecting on what they have learned

Finally, homework can help students develop self-reflection, which is a  metacognitive skill  as well as a self-regulation skill.

Essentially, this means that students are aware of which learning strategies are working for them and what they can do to elevate their learning. For example, they can  ask themselves reflective questions  throughout the homework task to monitor their progress and see how they can improve their thinking processes.

For example,  research has shown  that reflecting on learning during homework helped increase the academic achievement of 9–10-year-olds after only 5 weeks of training.

Final thoughts

Self-regulation skills are necessary for students in both their educational and personal lives. Homework is a low-cost and effective way to develop these skills for students across all age groups.

This is not to say that other extra-curricular activities such as sport, dance, music or drama can’t also help nurture these skills. However, evidence suggests that homework is certainly one vehicle for students to practice and enhance their self-regulatory behaviours.

About the editor

Bradley Busch

Bradley Busch

Bradley Busch is a Chartered Psychologist and a leading expert on illuminating Cognitive Science research in education. As Director at InnerDrive, his work focuses on translating complex psychological research in a way that is accessible and helpful. He has delivered thousands of workshops for educators and students, helping improve how they think, learn and perform. Bradley is also a prolific writer: he co-authored four books including Teaching & Learning Illuminated and The Science of Learning , as well as regularly featuring in publications such as The Guardian and The Telegraph.

Jump to section:

Recommended Metacognition reads

The psychology of 'Aha!' moments

The psychology of ‘Aha!’ moments: 5 ways to develop insight

The link between pre-questions and Metacognition

The link between pre-questions and Metacognition

How we help students develop Metacognition: Learning how to learn

How we help students develop Metacognition: Learning how to learn

how does homework create time management skills

What is Metacognition?

9 questions to improve Metacognition

9 questions to improve Metacognition

How Metacognition and self-regulation can boost students' learning

How Metacognition and self-regulation can boost students’ learning

Why your students need to know multiple strategies

Why your students need to know multiple strategies

Self-control: Student success through structure and support

Self-control: Student success through structure and support

Be the first to know about the key Teaching & Learning research and how to apply it. Sign up to receive our free resources directly in your inbox.

  • Our Mission

Homework: Helping Students Manage their Time

Two simple strategies for guiding students to improve a crucial skill.

This is the second of two parts. Part one can be found here: Is Homework Helpful?: The 5 Questions Every Teacher Should Ask .

Teachers assign work each and every day, either in class or for homework. That is the easy part. Put it on the board, tell students to copy it down, and move on to the next item on the day’s agenda. But why don’t teachers help students figure out how much time to allot to assignments? How do students know if an assignment should take 10 minutes or 40?

It is a blind spot in my own teaching. I never realized until lately that I wasn’t supporting students with time management skills. I wasn’t developing their ability to assess an assignment and correctly evaluate how much time it should take. 

Why is this important? With good time management, students know how much time they have, how long it will take to get assignments done, and what they can accomplish in the time they have. This gives them more breathing room, which reduces the feeling of being rushed, which in turn leads to less frustration and stress.

Here are two ways to support students in understanding time management.

Do the assignment yourself.  See how long it takes you to complete the work. Then remember, you are the expert with this material. Ask yourself, how long would it take for a proficient student to complete it? What about students with disabilities, what might hinder their progress? Then provide students with a range of times. If you believe an assignment should take 15-25 minutes, let them know. The benefit of this is that it allows students to plan better. They can situate homework in the context of their entire day. A student may get home from school at 3:30 and has soccer practice at 5pm. He now knows that he can complete your homework in any 25-minute window between the end of the school day and the start of practice. The downside to this is that some students may lose confidence and doubt themselves if an assignment takes much longer than you suggested. 

Rate the assignment.  Classify assignments into three categories with time frames for each so that students know what type it is and how long it should take to complete. Here are three ways that I categorize assignments:

Quick checks:  These assignments are measuring sticks of understanding and they are short and sweet. I expect students to spend 20-50 seconds on each question on these types of assignments. A 20-question quick check should take 6-10 minutes.  

Thorough Responses:  When you want answer with more substance and more development, I look for thorough responses. These types of assignments are different than quick checks because I expect students to spend 2-4 minutes per question. Thorough responses typically have fewer questions consequently.Thorough response assignments take my students 20-35 minutes.

Sustained Thought:  When students must access new material, when there is challenging reading, or when they must chew on ideas before they formulate responses,  students can expect to spend 30-40 minutes to complete an assignment. 

This piece was originally submitted to our community forums by a reader. Due to audience interest, we’ve preserved it. The opinions expressed here are the writer’s own.

  • Grades 6-12
  • School Leaders

Have you gotten your free poster delivered? ✨

20 Effective Time Management Strategies and Tools for Students

Teachers can use these too!

Time Management Strategies including Pomodoro technique and timeboxing

One of the most important life skills for anyone to master is time management. Keeping track of everything that we have to do and carving out the time to get it all done can be a real struggle. Try these time management strategies and techniques, plus find helpful tools for staying on track.

General Time Management Strategies

Time management techniques, time management tools.

These time management strategies work for everyone, helping you set goals and prioritize, then set a schedule to get things done.

Visualize the big picture

2-page bullet journal spread showing a year-at-a-glance layout

Use a calendar of some type to lay out all your big-picture goals for a year, month, or week. Include major projects and assignments, as well as school and personal events. This is your place to get an overview of everything that’s on your plate. Keep items to broad descriptions: “History Project” or “Spring Play Opening Night.” You’ll get into the details next.

Break it down

Comic with first panel showing a person with tasks separated in smaller tasks, and the second panel showing a giant rock labeled

The next step is to take major projects and assignments and break them down into smaller, more manageable parts. This is an incredibly effective way to overcome that feeling of “I’ll never get this all done!” It also prevents procrastinating on an entire project until the very last minute. Set smaller, more manageable goals with their own due dates in advance of a complete project or event.

For example, imagine your big-picture calendar says “History Project Due Feb. 23.” Breaking that down could look like this:

  • Choose topic and presentation method: Jan. 9
  • Initial research: Jan. 10-30
  • Presentation outline: Jan. 31
  • Write presentation script: Feb. 1-5
  • Create visual aids: Feb. 6-12
  • Rehearse presentation: Feb. 13
  • Fine-tune presentation: Feb 14-16
  • Final rehearsals: Feb. 17
  • Give history presentation: Feb. 23

At first, this method might feel a little overwhelming, because it may make you feel like there’s too much to get done. But as you use it, you’ll see how it can actually make you feel more prepared and in control, and make your time easier to manage.

Determine priorities

Sometimes it’s simply true: You don’t have enough time in a day to get all the things done that you’d like to. That’s where setting priorities becomes vital. In the “Time Management Techniques” section below, you’ll find several different ideas for determining the priority of different items on your lists.

Once you’ve figured out which items are the most important, try a color-coding system to indicate which items get a higher priority. This will help you identify at a glance what you need to do now and what can wait until another day.

Make daily to-do lists

Simple task list in a bullet journal with scheduled items and to-do items in columns

Make it a habit to start each day by creating a to-do list. (Not a morning person? You can do this the night before too.) Include high-priority items, as well as things you’d like to do but may not have to complete. Throughout the day, as you complete an item, revisit your list and check it off. It’s incredibly satisfying to cross things off, and checking in with your list a few times a day ensures you don’t forget important things. ADVERTISEMENT

Limit multitasking

Today’s world places a lot of value on multitasking (doing several things at once). But when you’re doing multiple things at the same time, you’re probably not doing any of them well. So keep your multitasking to a minimum. When it’s time to work on something, set your focus to that particular thing. Other stuff can wait.

But some multitasking is OK. For instance, you might throw your clothes in the washing machine, then work on your math homework while waiting for them to be ready for the dryer. Later on, you could fold and put away the laundry while practicing conjugating Spanish verbs out loud. This type of multitasking works because the physical tasks are ones that don’t require much concentration, leaving your brain free for academic subjects.

On the other hand, avoid something like trying to listen to a podcast for your history class while also doing your math homework. Your attention won’t be fully on each, and your learning will suffer.

Remove distractions

Comic showing a student trying to study amidst a variety of distractions

Some people are capable of deep focus no matter what’s going on around them. Most of us, though, need to find ways to remove distractions when it’s time to get down to work. Here are some examples to try:

  • Turn off your phone, or set it to alert you only in case of emergencies.
  • Wear noise-cancelling headphones or earplugs to block out distracting sounds. A white-noise machine or app can help with this too.
  • Close miscellaneous tabs in your web browser (like social media or news sites), and use only the tabs you need for your work.
  • Go into a quiet room and shut the door. Ask friends and family not to disturb you.
  • Check your to-do list before you start to make sure you’re on track. Then, clear your mind of other projects or tasks, and focus on what’s at hand.

Do an end-of-day review

At the end of each day, sit down with your to-do list. Was there anything you didn’t get to? Move it to another day. Did you feel too rushed today? Think about how you might make tomorrow run a bit more smoothly. Where do you stand in terms of your big-picture goals? Take a few minutes to adjust any plans accordingly.

Try a time audit

It’s OK if you don’t get to everything on your list every day. But if you find that there’s never enough time to get things done, you might benefit from a time audit. Over the period of a week or two, write down exactly how you spend your time, hour by hour. Then, look it over and see if you can identify problem areas. You might need to cut down on some optional activities and give that time to high-priority items instead. Learn how to do a time audit here.

The time management strategies we’ve talked about so far are general ways to stay on track and get stuff done. But there are multiple ways to approach some of these strategies, especially when it comes to actually settling down to work. Check out these popular time management techniques and choose one or more that seem right for you.

Eisenhower Decision Matrix

Eisenhower's four part matrix for determining the priority of tasks

President Eisenhower developed this matrix and used it to help him prioritize his tasks. He looked at each item to evaluate it by importance and urgency, then broke them into four categories:

  • Do First: These are urgent, important tasks with high priority.
  • Schedule: These are important tasks that aren’t quite as urgent.
  • Delegate: You may be able to delegate less important but still urgent tasks to someone else.
  • Don’t Do: These non-urgent, unimportant items can be eliminated entirely or postponed indefinitely.

Here are some possible student examples for each category:

  • Do First: Homework that’s due tomorrow takes top priority, as might doing laundry if you’re out of clean clothes.
  • Schedule: Set aside time (see Time Blocking) for smaller parts of long-term projects, such as research time or writing an outline. That could be today or one day in the near future.
  • Delegate: Students aren’t always able to delegate their tasks, but they can ask for help. For example, if your schedule is incredibly tight, you could ask your dad if he’d be willing to throw your clothes in the dryer when the washer is done.
  • Don’t Do: These are often bad habits you need to break, like surfing the web aimlessly instead of working, or texting your friends for hours instead of doing your chores.

Find out much more about the Eisenhower Matrix and how to use it for time management strategies here.

ABCDE Method

ABCDE method of prioritizing tasks, from Must-Do (A) to Eliminate (E)

This is another time management strategy for prioritizing the tasks at hand. Assign each item a letter:

  • A: Highest priority
  • B: Should do soon, if not today
  • C: Could do, but no serious consequences if not done
  • D: Delegate or ask for help
  • E: Eliminate from your list

This is very similar to the Eisenhower Matrix, with a little more flexibility around should-dos and could-dos. Learn more about the ABCDE method here.

Most Difficult First (Eat That Frog)

Eat That Frog: Choose the hardest task, the one you're most likely to procrastinate, and do it first

This method is based on a quote often attributed to Mark Twain: “If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And If it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.”

In other words, don’t put off the biggest, hardest tasks. Get them out of the way first. Then, everything else you have to do will seem easy in comparison.

For some people, though, this concept can be counterproductive. If you’re already feeling overwhelmed, tackling something extremely difficult can be too much and cause you to shut down entirely. In that case, it’s just fine to choose smaller, simpler items. The key is to make progress, one step at a time.

Pomodoro Technique

Graphic explanation of the Pomodoro technique method of time management

The Pomodoro Technique is a simple time management method: You work for 25 minutes at a time, then take a 5-minute break to rest and recharge. Simply set a timer for 25 minutes, and focus on one single task until it goes off. Then, you can spend 5 minutes stretching, resting your eyes, or checking your social media feeds. When the 5 minutes are up, set the timer for another 25 minutes, and get back to work. If you do four 25-minute sessions in a row, take a longer break afterwards. Learn more about the Pomodoro Technique here.

Clockify app screen showing times for work and break

If 25 minutes seems too short and you’d like a little more uninterrupted time, try Flowtime instead. This stretches out both the work and break time proportionally. If you work for 25-50 minutes, take an 8-minute break. For 50-90 minutes, you get a 10-minute break. And if you’ve been at it for more than 90 minutes, take 15 minutes to recharge. Learn about Flowtime here.

Explanation of a timebox, a type of time management tool

Parkinson’s Law says that work will always expand to fill the amount of time available. Timeboxing seeks to shrink tasks back to the size they truly need to be. When you timebox, you set a specific amount of time for a task and complete it within that time.

In other words, you might look over your study planner and decide that you need one hour for tonight’s geometry and chemistry assignments, plus you’d like to spend another hour working on your English essay.

Set a timer and work on your geometry and chemistry for an hour, with no other distractions. When the timer goes off, reassess and adjust your goals as needed. Since you have to finish that homework tonight, you’ll probably need to add more time if you’re not finished.

Your English essay isn’t due for two weeks, though, so if you’ve boxed out one hour for working on it today, that’s all you need to do. Set a timer, determine your goals for day, and get to work. When the timer goes off, you’re done for today.

Here’s more on timeboxing.

Time Blocking

A calendar showing an example of time blocking for a student's week

This method is similar to timeboxing, but it involves setting blocks of time aside on your calendar for specific tasks. For example, you might block out 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. each day for daily homework, 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. for working on your biology research paper, and 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. for piano practice. Some people like to start each day by blocking time out on their calendar, figuring out how they’ll make the most of their time. Find out more about time blocking here.

Page layout from Five Star academic planner, with a smartphone displaying the Five Star Study App

Once you’ve selected some time management strategies to try, you’ll find plenty of tools to help make them work. Check out these top time management tools for students, from planners to timers and beyond.

Student Planners

Traditional paper planners come in a variety of styles, with some made especially for students. The most important thing is to choose one you’ll actually use, and keep it on hand at all times. See our selection of the top student planners here.

Planner Apps

Planner apps and online calendars are nice because you have access to them everywhere you go. For students, we really like:

  • My Study Life

See more details on each of these here, plus more options.

Study Planners

Study planners are specific to academics, and they are a simple way to keep track of both short-term and long-term assignments, projects, and more. Check out these free printable options:

  • Develop Good Habits: Study Planner
  • Alex Marie: Weekly Assignments Due
  • Sophia Lee: Homework Planner Pack

Time Management Apps

Planner apps are a good start, but other time management apps can help you stay on track by eliminating distractions or setting time limits. Here are a few to try:

  • Pomofocus : A free online 25–5 timer with the ability to add a task list for each work segment
  • Rize : An AI productivity coach that uses time tracking to improve your focus and build better work habits
  • Forest : Eliminate distractions, stay on task, and grow a digital forest to celebrate your achievements

Bullet Journal

Bullet journaling has a lot of benefits, and some page setups are especially good for time management:

  • Daily Schedule
  • Project Planner
  • Study Tracker

Check out our big roundup of bullet journal ideas here.

What time management strategies do your students find most effective? Come share your thoughts and ask for advice in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, ultimate study skills guide: tips, tricks, and strategies for every grade ..

Find helpful time management strategies for kids and teens like the Pomodoro Technique, plus tools like time management apps and planners.

You Might Also Like

Examples of teen life skills including how to regulate social media use with teen boy laying down on mobile phone and how to do the laundry with teen girl looking into washing machine.

42 Important Life Skills for Teens

Why not help your kids build these skills while they’re still at home? Continue Reading

Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved. 5335 Gate Parkway, Jacksonville, FL 32256

how does homework create time management skills

Do Your Homework Faster and Better: Time Management Tips for Students

  • By Emily Summers
  • October 15, 2019

Homework can be boring and tedious, but it’s still a necessary part of any student’s life. In fact, researchers have found that the right amount of homework can greatly improve a student’s future academic performance, all the way until they reach college.

While it might just seem like extra work, homework actually gives you an opportunity to develop a valuable life skill: time management.

The Best Way To Do Homework Quickly and Efficiently

Create a master schedule and stick with it, leave your distractions behind, start early, break down your tasks into manageable goals, work on one task at a time, use the pomodoro technique, get a good night’s sleep.

how does homework create time management skills

By far, perfecting time management skills is the best way to do homework efficiently and quickly. Not only does it give you the opportunity to do work faster, it also gives you the opportunity to schedule more activities in a single day, whether it’s extra-curricular activities, hanging out with friends, bonding with family, or simply to distress with videogames or music.

Time management teaches students how to prioritize tasks and plan out their work ahead of time. This lets them manage their schedule and use their time better while maintaining accuracy with their work. Time management helps students avoid procrastinating, lessens their stress, and gives them a small sense of accomplishment for every task they complete.

Especially for high school students, perfecting their time management skills will not only help them with homework, it will also help them prepare for college, and eventually, employment. A person with a highly developed time management skill is one of the most valuable people that employers look for.

Learning how to manage your time efficiently doesn’t just mean students get to do their homework faster and better; it also gives them a chance to de-stress, knowing that they were able to complete what they needed to complete in a given amount of time, which in turn, gives them more free time to simply relax and decompress.

So how can students do homework efficiently and quickly? We’ve come up with a list of ways for students to get their homework done quickly but accurately and with enough time to do their extra-curricular activities.

The first step of time management is creating a master schedule that lets you block off time in various increments for homework, projects, and other activities. This will teach you how to prioritize your work and provide you a time management structure to follow.

To make it easier, create an excel sheet with different time blocks (make it easy to read as well). Use visual aids in your schedule: use a specific color for each subject or activity so it’s easy to keep track of what you’re supposed to be doing and when.

Now that you’ve laid out your schedule, you must stick with it. To make it easier to stick to your schedule, give yourself time in between tasks to rest and de-stress. Don’t be tempted to pack in as much activities as possible; remember, you need rest too, which means you need to figure out which tasks are more important so that you can prioritize them better.

how does homework create time management skills

Technology has made it easier to access information, but it’s also given us tons of distractions, whether it’s interacting with friends on social media, watching hours of streaming videos, or just browsing one meme after another. And with smartphones notifying us about pretty much everything, the constant ‘ping’ becomes almost like a Pavlovian response: hear notification, be distracted.

This is why it’s important to leave all distractions behind while you’re working on homework or on a project: no phones, no screens, and only connect to the internet to do actual work. Remember: there’s a time and place for your memes and your social media posts, so keep that kind of activity where it belongs.

Proper time management skills can help students avoid cramming by spacing out your homework or project responsibilities throughout the day, week, or even month. This will allow you to get a head start on work without feeling the need to procrastinate.

If you schedule it properly, your homework and project stuff will take up a very small portion of your day, and if you stick with that schedule, you’ll be done long before anything is due, which means more time to do what you want!

Speaking of starting early, as much as possible, it’s best to get homework done in the morning , especially during the weekends. Yes, no one likes doing schoolwork on their day off, but think of it this way: the earlier you start, the earlier you can finish, the less you have to worry about on Sunday. If you have a master schedule in place, this should make it easier.

how does homework create time management skills

Good teachers won’t give their students more work than they can handle; that being said, even a moderate amount of work will seem like a series of insurmountable challenges that’s too much to handle for anyone.

Of course, that’s just what it looks like. In reality, most of your homework will be more than manageable, if you approach it properly. Rather than taking on all of your work and just shoving it into your schedule, break down each large task into smaller, more manageable tasks . For each small task, set a goal or a series of goals that are easy to reach. This is the best way to get homework done fast without compromising on quality.

Being overwhelmed by too much is one of the leading causes of procrastination amongst students (and even some professionals!), so have a project plan in hand. A project plan can be as basic as a series of bullet points about how you want to break down your tasks and how you’ll approach it. Not only does this make it easier for you to complete huge amounts of work in no time, it also encourages you to plan out early, which in turn helps you start early, and which, in turn, will help you finish early!

Speaking of manageable tasks, just because you’ve broken your homework down into multiple smaller, easier chunks doesn’t mean that you have to do all of them at the same time. While many people claim to be great ‘multi-taskers’ or that many companies look for people who are great at multi-tasking, the science behind it is solid: multi-tasking simply doesn’t work .

Researchers found that people who multi-task aren’t actually doing multiple things at the same time; what’s actually happening is switching between tasks quickly, albeit with a reduced degree of accuracy. Don’t be tempted to do the same: stick to your schedule and do one task at a time. Give each task, no matter how small, your complete and undivided attention. Yes, you’re trying to do your homework as quickly as possible, but it shouldn’t be at the expense of doing it correctly.

how does homework create time management skills

The Pomodoro technique is a time management system introduced by corporate consultant Franceso Cirillo in the late 80’s. In Cirillo’s system, schedules are broken down into 25 minutes of work (called a Pomodoro), followed by a 3 to 5 minute period of rest. After 4 Pomodoro’s (100 minutes, or 1 hour and 40 minutes), you get a longer break of around 15 to 30 minutes.

This system was designed to keep your brain constantly fresh. Science shows that after just a couple of hours of work, most people will exhaust their brain’s ability to process information effectively. By using the Pomodoro technique, you’ll be able to get work done without feeling too stressed or fatigued, which means you’re able to process information faster and better, which leads to you doing your homework done faster and better too.

Finally, always make sure that you get plenty of rest the night before. Especially for kids in their formative years, their brains need at least 8 to 10 hours of sleep every night. This keeps their brain at optimal performance and prevents them from ‘burn out’: that is, over-fatiguing them to the point that they’re demotivated and unable to process information as well as they should.

In fact, researchers found that instances of depression and anxiety disorders rise significantly in direct proportion to how little sleep a teen gets. The more sleep they get, however, and the better their chances of performing well in school and less likelihood of developing some kind of mood disorder.

This is why a master schedule is so important: if you’re able to put all your tasks into a schedule and you’re able to follow that schedule, you’ll be able to get 8 to 10 hours of sleep easily. This helps you do your homework faster and better, while keeping your stress levels to a minimum.

About the Author

Emily summers.

how does homework create time management skills

10 Careers to Pursue After High School if Youre a People Person

how does homework create time management skills

How Summer Camp Fosters Social Skills

how does homework create time management skills

6 reasons to read to your child regularly at home

how does homework create time management skills

Things to Know About Developmental Disability Services

how does homework create time management skills

Debunking the Myth of Roberto Nevilis: Who Really Invented Homework?

graduate

Is the D Important in Pharmacy? Why Pharm.D or RPh Degrees Shouldn’t Matter

how does homework create time management skills

How to Email a Professor: Guide on How to Start and End an Email Conversation

how does homework create time management skills

Everything You Need to Know About Getting a Post-Secondary Education

how does homework create time management skills

Grammar Corner: What’s The Difference Between Analysis vs Analyses?

Who Really Invented Homework

How My Homework Helped Me With Time Management

Homework when Tired

Students often find themselves struggling with time management as they get older. This article will explore how homework can help students learn to be more responsible for their time, organize their workloads, and plan their days better.

Table of Contents

Introduction

When you have homework, you must plan your time carefully to complete it. This means you have to be very organized and efficient with your time. You can’t just start working on your homework whenever you feel like it; you need to sit down and figure out when and how long you will work on it. This can be tricky, especially if you have other commitments like sports or extracurricular activities.

What is Time Management?

Time management is the ability to use your time wisely to accomplish more daily. It involves setting priorities and ensuring you use your time wisely by first working on the most critical tasks.

In addition, homework can help you learn how to budget your time. You may have limited time to complete your homework, so you must be careful about how you spend that time. This can teach you how to be more efficient with your time, which is a valuable skill.

How Homework Helps with Time Management

While some students may find homework a burden, when used correctly, it can be an invaluable tool for helping them develop the time management skills they need to succeed.

Tips to Improve Your Time Management Skills

2. Try to set aside a specific time each day for homework. This will ensure you have enough time to focus on and complete the task correctly.

5. Seek help from others if you find the task challenging. Sometimes another person’s perspective can help get the job done efficiently.

My Personal Experience

Homework may not have been fun when I was younger, but it’s helped me in the long run. If you’re struggling with time management, don’t be afraid to ask for help from your parents or teachers. They’ve been through it before and can offer some valuable advice.

Share this:

Table of Contents

Why is time management important for students, 10 time management skills and techniques for students, working smarter to enhance productivity, the benefits of good time management, how well do you manage your time, general time-management tools, time management in practice, implications of poor time management, how to better manage your time at work, choose the right program.

Proven Time Management Tips and Strategies for Students

Effective time management is all about achieving the right balance between your homework, university/college life, and your free time. As a student, organizing your days will eliminate stress and ensure that you are productive. The general time management tips for students, such as sleeping well, scheduling, and prioritizing, are some important tips that can help students in the long run. A more strategic approach is required to optimize the time a student has in a day.

Earn 60 PDUs: Pick from 6 Courses

Earn 60 PDUs: Pick from 6 Courses

Time management for students (and everyone else) is about making your day purposeful. It is about taking control of the time you have and optimizing it for focus, productivity , and above all, balance. Before we list out the time management tips for students, it is crucial for students to understand why time management is important.

All of us should make the most of the limited amount of time we have in a day. It is very easy to get wrapped up in a fury of various activities and accomplish less. Managing time effectively enables students to become more confident, and organized, and learn more efficiently. Effective time management skills are particularly essential for high school students, as they have to deal with more subjects, tests, assignments, and extracurriculars. Time management techniques can help students be on track and cope with the stress of added responsibilities. 

Following are a few more reasons why time management is important for students:

Enables You to Accomplish Your Goals Faster

Appropriate time management makes one more effective and encourages you to give your best to what you are doing and what you can, thus helping you achieve your goals much faster.

Enables You to Prioritize Your Work

When creating a timetable, you prioritize and arrange essential tasks that need immediate attention. For example, students have to complete assignments before attending a session. A student can fit in time to work on the assignments before attending a study group with correct time management.

Enables You to Get More Done in Less Time

Dedicating a specified amount of time to a particular task helps you focus on it. Instead of working on a given task with no predefined time assigned, you can complete the same task by sticking to a time plan. Without a time plan, you might completely forget to finish a task.

Reduces Stress Levels 

Time management skills can help you prioritize the time required for essential tasks; prioritizing tasks and having enough time to accomplish those tasks means reduced stress levels.

Helps You Become More Efficient

Effective time management helps you to be more focused at school/college/university, thus increasing your efficiency and enabling you to accomplish more within less time.

So, how can students learn to manage time more effectively? We have collated a list of the best time management tips for students to beat procrastination, stay focused, and be more productive.

Efficient time management is one of the primary keys to success, and thus, it is worth learning. Following are time management strategies for students to help them manage their time in the best possible manner.

1. Make Use of a Daily Schedule Template to Plan Your Day

Seminars, classes, and workshops may take up a chunk of your day, but how one schedules their own time makes all the difference. It is essential to master your schedule.

A daily schedule template helps you manage and control your time each day. It will enable you to stay organized and focus on what matters most and even help you overcome procrastination. The method that most successful people from Elon Musk to Bill Gates use is “time blocking”. Time blocking is creating a template for how you intend to spend every minute of your day. Students should therefore follow this method to manage their time more fruitfully.

2. Understand How You are Currently Spending Your Time (And Where You Are Losing It)

Your schedule will offer you an ideal version of your day, but you need to analyze how you spend your time to develop better time management habits. Without understanding how you are spending your time each day, it is impossible to build better time management strategies for students to stay focused.

3. Set Proper Goals to Measure Your Progress

Goals are an excellent way to get you motivated to do school work. However, the problem is that goals are just the result, with you not knowing how to achieve them. So, focus on what needs to be done to achieve that goal by focusing on constant progress and developing better habits. For example, if you need to write a 5,000-word essay in a month, set a daily goal of writing 500 words. If you continue this, you can complete your essay in a week.

4. Break Large Projects Into Smaller, Actionable Tasks

A part of proper goal-setting is to segregate large goals from smaller daily tasks. Doing this will help you stay focused and stop you from procrastinating. It is easy to procrastinate when a project feels like a huge task. However, taking that first step is all you need to build momentum.

6% Growth in PM Jobs By 2024 - Upskill Now

6% Growth in PM Jobs By 2024 - Upskill Now

5. Be Realistic About the Time You Need to Complete a Task

Once you begin to schedule your tasks for the day, you may get overly optimistic about how much you can achieve. Psychologists also have a name for this – The Planning Fallacy. One of the most effective time management tips for students is to counter the planning fallacy. Students should add a buffer to their schedule depending on how familiar they are with the task. If it is something that has been done before, then 1-1.5X time must be allocated to the time they think it may take to complete the project.

6. Pay Attention to Your Body’s Natural Energy Highs and Lows

We all have moments in the day when we are more energetic and alert. And if you want to exploit the time you have each day to its maximum, you cannot fight against your body’s natural state. What does this mean in terms of time management tips for students ? Simply put, students should do their most essential work when they feel most energetic. This means scheduling intense projects during energy highs and scheduling passive activities when the body is at its natural low.

7. Take Breaks at the Right Time

Take more breaks to manage your productivity over time. But when exactly is the right time to take a break? Sleep researcher Nathaniel Kleitman states, “our minds naturally crave breaks after every 90 minutes of intense work. Even if you do not have a timer going, your body will let you know that you need a break by turning sleepy, fidgeting, hungry, or losing focus”. When you begin to feel this way, you know it is time to take a break.

8. Remove Distractions

Between social media, cell phones, and friends, there are so many activities that can distract students from their school work. When it is time to get down to doing school work, students need to turn off their cell phones and sign out of social media accounts. Any amount of time that is devoted to school work must be television and cell phone free!

9. Avoid Multitasking

It may be tempting for students to feel that they can multitask when their schedule is jam-packed. But the more one tries to do it at once, the longer each thing takes. Instead, studies have found that deeply focusing on one task at a time can be around 500% more productive.

10. Build Better Routines and Habits for Long-Term Success

We are what we repetitively do. One of the best time management strategies for students and everyone else is to develop routines and habits that endorse the kind of actions you would like to do more of, for example, following a morning routine that concentrates on getting an early win and prepping yourself for a productive day. Or, ensure your evening routine preps you for an effective next day by setting your goals and schedules the night before.

When planning, prioritize the more extensive, more complex, and time-consuming chores at the beginning of the week (or day), so you may complete them first and relax more as the week progresses. Front-load your week to maximize your chances of success. This is similar to Eat That Frog, a productivity strategy that recommends performing the most important or influential activity first every day to ensure it gets done.

Constant meetings, social media, and an endless stream of emails may make it challenging to create a productive day. Developing effective habits at work will enable you to accomplish your best job regularly. You have two options for increasing your productivity. You may work longer hours if you bring your job home with you. You may also work smarter by boosting efficiency without sacrificing quality. Let's look at some significant benefits of good time management are: 

Stress Relief

One of the primary causes of increased stress is poor time management. When you have a lot to accomplish and are unsure how to do it, you usually perform a rush job under pressure. However, with proper time management, you can schedule your daily chores so that you work smarter rather than harder. For example, you may prepare critical tasks for when you're most productive or set aside additional time for things you suspect will take longer than expected. So, even if you work longer, you will have enough time to complete everything while being calm.

By identifying task completion time, you can use less energy and worry less about whether you can achieve everything you need to do today. Instead, make time to take a break from your typical routine. You may preserve energy for your spare time since time management helps you to plan when your task will be completed before you begin it. Having more free time can help you achieve a better work-life balance and ensure you make time for yourself.

More Opportunities

Effective time management may help you achieve more success by improving the quality of your work. When you manage your time well, you not only provide excellent work on schedule, but you also work without stress. This displays improved decision-making abilities and potential for leadership . In other words, you exhibit traits that are necessary for job advancement. This will provide you with greater and more chances.

Ability to Realize Goals

You may simplify your day and spend less time selecting what to do or how to accomplish it if you use time management to arrange what you need to complete each day. For example, deciding what to do for each step before commencing the project may be beneficial if you have a complex project with an outline that requires several yet unclear phases. The project is then reduced to a short set of activities that give guidance. You save time by preparing your objectives rather than finding them out as you go. This might mean spending less time pondering what you should be doing and more time doing it.

There are several approaches you may use based on your time management abilities and experience, but the goal is to explain a system that works for you and makes sense in the position you're going for. In other words, if you're working in a team atmosphere, discuss an efficient time management approach for teamwork, such as getting everyone acquainted with project management software. Then, discuss the advantages of employing this method for time management. Going into depth about how this technique has worked for you demonstrates to the interviewer that you have real-world experience adopting this way to manage your time and aren't simply making it up.

Time management is critical to your success. You may achieve any goal you set your mind to by using an excellent time planner and master list. These are common time management tools and practices that you should employ to maximize productivity and personal organization. Each of these takes some effort to learn and perfect, but they will pay you back in increased efficiency and effectiveness for the rest of your life.

Prioritization

The 80/20 rule was developed by the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto. It's believed that 20% of activities are accountable for 80% of results. The purpose of Pareto analysis is to assist you in prioritizing tasks that are most successful at issue resolution. List some of the difficulties you are experiencing. Determine the fundamental source of each issue. Assign a score to each problem and arrange them by cause. Add the scores from each group: The topic should be addressed first in the group with the highest score. Take some action.

Scheduling is the art of preparing your activities so that you may accomplish your goals and prioritize your priorities in the time you have available. When done correctly, it can assist you in realizing what you can do with your time. Ensure you leave adequate time for import duties and only take on what you can do.

Goal Setting

Smart goals enable people to plan and attain their objectives in a reasonable amount of time. It can also aid in improving time management in professional contexts such as school and the workplace. Smart goal planning may give direction for your aims and help you build practical measures to attain those goals if you want to manage your time wisely.

Concentration and Focus

Distractions are a major impediment to personal time management. Close the door to avoid as many distractions as possible. Only pay attention to what you're doing right now.

In terms of significance, describe your top two distractions over the next two weeks. Remember that staying focused during the day necessitates proper sleep habits and enough fluids.

Effective time management entails completing more vital tasks in a single day. Effective time management is more important than efficient time management. The most successful time managers are also the most efficient. Try some time management software. The first time management tool you require is a time planner, which provides all the information you need to plan and arrange your life. The most excellent time planners, whether looseleaf or electronic, allow you to prepare for the whole year, the month, the week, and each day.

We all know that there never seems to be enough time in the day, and as a result, things slip by the wayside. While this occurs to the best of us from time to time, students who battle with time management regularly are doing themselves no favors.

Poor Workflow

Poor efficiency results from a failure to plan and keep to goals. For example, completing related chores concurrently or sequentially is an intelligent approach if many significant tasks need to be accomplished. However, if you plan, you may be able to bounce back and forth, or backtrack, in your job. This equates to decreased efficiency and output.

Wasted Time

Wasted time arises from poor time management. For example, chatting with pals on social media while working on an assignment is a distraction and a waste of time.

Loss of Control

You will lose control of your professional life if you do not know the next assignment. This might lead to increased tension and worry.

Poor Quality of Work

The quality of your work could be better when you manage your time well. Quality is often degraded when things are rushed at the last minute.

Poor Reputation

When clients or your company cannot rely on you to finish things on time, their expectations and impressions of you suffer. A client who needs to trust you to complete a task on schedule will likely look for another service provider.

Your ability to manage your time affects how productive you are each day. You can accomplish more in less time with effective time management, which also helps you feel less stressed and advance in your profession. Instead of just using the following tools as a timetable to complete more tasks, make them represent your values—what is most important to you. When you arrange and calendar your time and make the split-second decisions essential to efficient time management for balance and well-being, remember these principles.

1. Know How You’re Spending Your Time

You need to keep track of what you do with your time to identify any activities or routines preventing you from achieving your desired objectives. You must start and end each day with a purpose to make the most of your time.

You have two choices for keeping track of your time:

  • Spend a day or two manually recording your activities in a "time log."
  • To automatically log your time, use a free program like RescueTime.

2. Stick to a Daily Schedule

While making a to-do list is a common theme in time and productivity management advice for students, mastering your daily schedule is even more crucial. 

Time blocking is the strategy of choice for many of the most successful people in the world, including Bill Gates and Elon Musk. But time blocking is planning how to spend each minute of your day.

  • Create Realistic Timelines: A schedule must be practical to be effective. Plan your study time wisely to increase your study skills. The study techniques of the students vary from one another. This entails scheduling time for breaks, meals, exercise, social interaction, phone calls to loved ones, and all other "non-school" activities that keep you content and motivated.
  • Give your undivided Attention: Your best friend in this situation is "self-discipline" and "self-control." If you must take a break, do so, but try to avoid sneaking away to other websites while working. Turn off your phone or put it away until it's time for a scheduled break.

3. Prioritize

1440 minutes make up one day. Within these hours, you must set practical priorities. Setting suitable priorities for your study goals is one of the sage study advice. If you have a lot of material to learn, start breaking it down into manageable chunks and choose what is most crucial. One of the best study strategies is making the most of your morning hours when nobody is awake to disturb you since they are asleep.

  • Do immediately: Tasks that are crucial and have clear deadlines, or ones you've put off so long they're past due.
  • Schedule for later: Crucial assignments with no set deadlines.
  • Delegate: Those tasks that others can execute.
  • Delete: Activities you can skip since they are optional to achieving your objectives or carrying out your mission.

4. Tackle the Most Difficult Task First

You should complete your most crucial tasks when you're most energetic. This entails arranging writing or other demanding tasks for when your energy levels are at their highest and reading or other passive pursuits for when they are at their lowest.

Brian Tracy's renowned Eat That Frog productivity technique is quite effective for those who delay or find themselves procrastinating frequently or who may have difficulty avoiding distractions. It suggests starting with the task that is the hardest, most complicated, and most critical, i.e., the one you're most inclined to put off for later. Once you've "devoured that frog," only then should you move on; that too without much stress.

5. Batch-Process Similar Tasks

Task batching is when you organize related jobs or tasks into groups and finish them all at once. Using this method, you can easily cut down on multitasking and extend your time to give all your projects your full attention.

For instance: At around 10 to 11 a.m. daily, organize and respond to emails and organize your digital study materials simultaneously.

6. Set Reasonable Time Limits

Focus on what has to be done to reach and surpass the objective instead of starting at the end and moving backward. You might take a full day to finish two different tasks that could be completed in only three hours if you had a full day to do so. There's a good possibility you'll still reach the earlier deadline if you give yourself a shorter window.

What can you do every day to further your ultimate aim? This entails putting an emphasis on steady improvement and forming improved routines. Even better, seeing daily progress will spur you to do more. Work "expands to occupy the time given to do it," according to Parkinson's law.

7. Learn When to Say No

Our energy levels are limited each day and tend to decrease with time. It is wise to know your limits and be prepared to say no to prevent doing subpar work. Understand your advantages and disadvantages. It is ideal for concentrating on one's strengths and delegating tasks that others can complete more quickly and effectively.

8. Avoid Multitasking

Concentrate on one item at a time to manage your time and commit it to study effectively. Nothing gets accomplished when you attempt to perform too many tasks at once. So, starting with one activity, finishing it, and moving on to another is one of the greatest study- focus- ideas .

When your schedule is packed, believing you can multitask is tempting. But everything takes longer the more you try to complete it at once. Instead, studies show that concentrating intently on a single activity can increase productivity by up to 500% . The American Psychological Association claims that mental juggling comes with "switching costs" that reduce your output. Changing tasks may take a few seconds each, but it adds up if you multitask regularly. Your potential for error also increases.

9. Keep Things Organized

Efficiency will rise if your workspace is tidy and organized because you won't have time to look for paper. Learning how to be organized is a talent that can be known. Start with these fundamentals.

  • Maintain a clean work desk: The office's physical surroundings greatly impact how you operate. When your environment is chaotic, you are too. You can also be affected by clutter in less direct ways. Research has demonstrated that your physical settings substantially impact your cognition, emotions, and behavior, affecting how you make decisions and interact with others.
  • Coordinate your computer files and shared drives: Loss of files and decreased productivity might result from improperly arranging shared files. Nothing is more confusing than spending most of your working hours searching your system for files. Create distinct folders for your files according to their categories to save yourself the hassle.
  • Use a calendar: Using a well-organized calendar, you can manage your time to keep on top of your to-do lists and maintain focus throughout the workday. Although many executives have secretaries who work their calendars, anyone may utilize the same procedures to become more productive.

Level up your project management skills with Simplilearn's comprehensive courses. Gain practical knowledge, industry insights, and globally recognized certifications. Take charge of your career and achieve project success with Simplilearn!

Program Name PMP® Certification Training Course PMP Plus Post Graduate Program In Project Management Geo All Geos All Geos All Geos University PMI Simplilearn University of Massachusetts Amherst Course Duration 90 Days of Flexible Access to Online Classes 36 Months 6 Months Coding experience reqd No No No Skills you wll learn 8+ PM skills including Work Breakdown Structure, Gantt Charts, Resource Allocation, Leadership and more. 6 courses including Project Management, Agile Scrum Master, Implementing a PMO, and More 9+ skills including Project Management, Quality Management, Agile Management, Design Thinking and More. Additional Benefits -Experiential learning through case studies -Global Teaching Assistance -35PDUs -Learn by working on real-world problems -24x7 Learning support from mentors -Earn 60+ PDU’s -3 year course access Cost $$ $$$$ $$$$ Explore Program Explore Program Explore Program

Time management for students is highly intimidating, especially when you have multiple things on your to-do list. It is one of the most challenging tasks for students as they are expected to fare well and produce good results while handling the pressures of school assignments, homework, projects, and maintaining a social life. However, with our list of time management tips for students, we are confident that students will be able to come up with an arrangement to ensure that every day is as productive as possible. 

As you know, there is never an end to learning. To make your day more effective, you can always take up courses as a student to boost your career. A PMP® Certification Training  from Simplilearn will help you master core project management tools as a strategic tool for business transformation.

Our Project Management Courses Duration And Fees

Project Management Courses typically range from a few weeks to several months, with fees varying based on program and institution.

Program NameDurationFees

Cohort Starts:

10 weeks€ 2,250
Plus7 weeks€ 1,199
3 weeks€ 499

Recommended Reads

An Introduction to Project Management: A Beginner’s Guide

6 Effective Time Management Tips For Achieving Your Goals

The Best Guide to Time Series Forecasting in R

How to Pass the PMP Exam on Your 1st Attempt?

Top 16 Time Management Skills to Help You Become a Success

A Simplified and Complete Guide to Learn Space and Time Complexity

Get Affiliated Certifications with Live Class programs

Pmp® certification training.

  • Access to Digital Materials from PMI
  • 12 Full-Length Simulation Test Papers (180 Questions Each)

Professional Certificate Program in Project Management

  • Receive a course completion certificate and UMass Alumni Association membership
  • Learn from industry professionals and certified instructors who bring years of practical experience and expertise to the classroom
  • PMP, PMI, PMBOK, CAPM, PgMP, PfMP, ACP, PBA, RMP, SP, and OPM3 are registered marks of the Project Management Institute, Inc.

Introducing TeachCatalystAI

TeachCatalystAI is a professional teaching assistant tool designed to help teachers create lesson plan, teaching materials, and many more with ease. Our AI-powered tool will help you streamline your classroom management, making it easier to keep track of students, assignments, and behavior. Our AI-powered tools and templates are great and configured to make you effective in teaching.

Pros and Cons of Homework: What You Should Know

Homework can be a great tool for students to improve their academic performance, but there are also some drawbacks.

Some pros to assigning homework are that it can help students practice and master the material they learned in class, it can help students develop good study habits, and it can give students a sense of accomplishment. Some cons to assigning homework are that it can be a burden for students if they have a lot of homework to do, it can take away time from family and friends, and it can cause students to stress out.

In this post, I am going to explore the various benefits and drawbacks of using homework in your classroom. Let’s get started!

Pros of homework

Homework can be a great tool for you to improve the learning process of your students if you use it correctly. The following are some of the benefits of homework for teaching and learning:

1. It helps students learn.

For example, homework can help students keep track of their progress and reinforce what they have learned. It can also help them focus on what they are doing in class, which will improve the amount of time that they spend in class.

2. It improves test scores.

3. it increases student engagement and motivation..

Homework has been proven to increase student engagement and motivation. When done correctly, homework can help students learn by engaging them in challenging tasks and helping them develop skills.

Finally, homework can be used as an opportunity for students to connect with other classmates and share ideas about the material they are studying. Connecting and sharing ideas with classmates about homework helps students become engaged and motivated.

4. It enhances productivity.

Additionally, homework can provide a sense of accomplishment that can encourage students to continue learning. Overall, homework enhances student productivity in the classroom by helping them focus on their work and learn more about the material being taught.

5. It teaches responsibility.

Every student knows the feeling of dread when they have to do their homework. For some, it can be tedious and time-consuming. But homework has a far bigger purpose than just helping students pass exams-it teaches them how to be responsible citizens in the classroom.

Homework can help students develop critical thinking skills, problem-solving abilities, organizational skills, and time management skills. It also encourages them to stay on top of their studies and stay up-to-date with new information. In short, homework helps students become better learners overall.

6. Homework develops time management skills.

Many students believe that homework is a waste of time because they think it only helps teachers track their progress and keeps them from having fun. In reality, homework is one of the most important tools teachers have to help students develop time management skills.

In all, homework can help students learn how to manage their time by planning and organizing their work, dividing up tasks into manageable chunks, prioritizing homework over other responsibilities, and scheduling time for schoolwork.

7. It helps students develop study skills.

8. homework builds self-discipline..

When students work on their homework, they are developing self-discipline. Self-discipline is the ability to focus, organize and manage time, plan, solve problems, and follow directions. Self-discipline is vital to success in school and in life.

9. Homework helps students learn to work independently.

For example, a student who has learned to work independently is more likely to be able to plan and schedule his or her time throughout the day, which will help him or her become more organized.

10. Homework helps students learn to follow directions.

For example, students often get homework that requires them to pay attention and follow directions before completing the tasks assigned to them. With that, they learn to follow instructions and directions, which is a critical skill in life.

11. It enhances critical thinking skills.

12. it boosts academic achievement..

Homework can boost academic achievement by helping students focus and retain information, work ahead in their lessons, and build valuable study skills.

13. It promotes teamwork and cooperation.

Additionally, when students are required to complete homework, they are more likely to try hard and cooperate with their classmates. This is because they know that if they do their homework, they will receive good grades.

14. Prepare for future academic challenges.

For example, homework can help students learn how to organize their information, study for tests, and think critically. In addition, homework can also help students build vocabulary and learn new concepts.

15. It promotes good work habits.

The benefits of homework are well known among educators, but what about students? There are many reasons why homework promotes good work habits among students.

Homework can also help strengthen relationships between parents and children, as parents support and supervise students to complete their homework. Parents can see the value in homework, and children may have a better attitude towards school if they know their parents expect them to complete their work.

16. It enhances problem-solving skills.

Problem-solving is a critical skill for students to develop. Problem-solving is the process of making decisions about how to solve problems. Homework can help students learn problem-solving skills by providing opportunities to practice them. In fact, homework has been shown to improve problem-solving skills .

17. A greater understanding of the material.

Homework has been shown to enhance a greater understanding of the material among students. This is because homework allows students to practice what they have learned and to reinforce it. It also allows them to explore the material further and experiment with it.

In addition, homework can help students develop their critical thinking skills. This is because homework helps students not to only understand the material, but to also organize it and think about it. It can help them develop their memory and recall abilities, which are essential for success in school and life.

Cons of homework

1. it can leave students feeling overwhelmed..

Homework can be a daunting task for students, leaving them feeling overwhelmed and stressed. As homework has become more and more common in schools, students are often left with little choice but to complete it.

2. It can be a distraction from other activities or interests.

There are a few reasons why homework can be a distraction from other activities or interests. One reason is that homework often requires concentration and focus, which can be difficult to maintain when there are other distractions around. Additionally, many students find it boring or tedious to do homework, which can lead to them losing interest in the task overall.

Finally, because homework often takes up a large amount of time each night, it can prevent students from spending time with friends or family members, which can also lead to boredom and loneliness.

3. It can create stress and anxiety in students.

Regardless of the reason, homework can often lead to feelings of stress and frustration. This is particularly true for students who are struggling academically or who have other responsibilities at home. Consequently, homework can be a major contributor to stress and anxiety in students.

4. It can lead to cheating.

And finally, it can be a way for students to hide their mistakes or try to cheat on tests. All of these reasons are why homework should not be given out as punishment, but rather as a way to help students learn and improve.

5. It can cause health problems.

Consequently, excessive amounts of homework may actually be harmful to your overall health.

6. It can interfere with family time.

There are many benefits to having a homework system in place, but it must be done in a way that does not interfere with family time.

7. It can interfere with sleep.

8. too much homework can affect students’ achievement..

Too much homework can have negative consequences for students’ academic achievement and future success. Too much homework can lead to a decrease in student productivity, diminished focus, and diminished enjoyment of learning.

Furthermore, it has been shown that students who do too much homework tend to have lower grades and lower test scores. There are several reasons why too much homework can have these detrimental effects.

Third, when students are spending too much time working on schoolwork rather than engaging in other enjoyable activities, they may lose interest in learning and forfeit valuable opportunities for personal growth.

All of the above negatively impact the academic achievement of students.

9. Homework can lead to boredom.

To conclude, homework can be a great way to help students learn and retain information. If done correctly, however, homework provides valuable instruction that reinforces what was learned in class. Too much of it, on the other hand, can result in students feeling overwhelmed and not getting the benefits they need from their studies. It’s important for educators to strike a balance between providing enough challenges for students while also ensuring they are well-rested so they are able to excel academically.

Latest Posts

Using bloom’s taxonomy for lesson objectives, curriculum alignment strategies for teachers, impact of reflection on teaching strategies.

Celebrating 150 years of Harvard Summer School. Learn about our history.

8 Time Management Tips for Students

Don't let a hectic schedule get the better of you with these time management tips.

Lian Parsons

College can be a stressful time for many students and time management can be one of the most crucial — but tricky — skills to master.

Attending classes, studying for exams, making friends, and taking time to relax and decompress can quickly fill up your schedule. If you often find yourself wishing there were more hours in the day, this guide will offer time management tips for students so you can accomplish what you need to get done, have fun with your friends, and gain back some valuable time for yourself. 

1. Create a Calendar

Don’t be caught by surprise by an important paper due two days from now or a dinner with your family the same night you planned for a group study session. Create a calendar for yourself with all your upcoming deadlines, exams, social events, and other time commitments well in advance so you can see what’s coming up. 

Keep your calendar in a place where you can see it every day, such as in your planner or on your wall above your desk. If you prefer a digital calendar, check it first thing every day to keep those important events fresh and top-of-mind. For greater efficiency, make sure you can integrate it with your other tools, such as your email.

Digital calendar options include: 

  • Google Calendar 
  • Outlook Calendar
  • Fantastical

2. Set Reminders

After you’ve created your calendar, give yourself periodic reminders to stay on track such as to complete a study guide in advance or schedule a meeting for a group project. Knowing deadlines is important; however, staying on top of the micro tasks involved in meeting those deadlines is just as important. You can set an alarm on your phone, write it down in a physical planner, or add an alert to your digital calendar. The reminders will help to prevent things from slipping through the cracks during particularly hectic days.

Make sure you’ve allotted enough time to study for that big test or write that final paper. Time management is all about setting yourself up for success in advance and giving yourself the tools to accomplish tasks with confidence. 

Read our blogs, Your Guide to Conquering College Coursework and Top 10 Study Tips to Study Like a Harvard Student , for more suggestions.

3. Build a Personalized Schedule

Each person’s day-to-day is different and unique to them, so make sure your schedule works for you. Once you’ve accounted for consistent commitments such as classes or your shifts at work, add in study sessions, extracurriculars, chores and errands, and social engagements.

Consider your personal rhythm. If you typically start your day energized, plan to study or accomplish chores then. If you fall into an afternoon slump, give yourself that time to take a guilt-free TV break or see friends.

Having a schedule that works for you will help maximize your time. Plus, knowing exactly when your laundry day is or when your intramural volleyball practice is every week will help you avoid trying to cram everything in one day (or running out of clean socks!)

Explore summer college courses.

4. Use Tools That Work For You

Just like your calendar and schedule, the tools you use to keep you organized should be the right fit for you. Some students prefer physical planners and paper, while some prefer going totally digital. Your calendar can help you with long-term planning, but most of these tools are best for prioritizing from day to day.

Explore what best suits your needs with some of the following suggestions:

Planners can help you keep track of long-term deadlines, such as important essay deadlines, upcoming exams, and appointments and meetings. They often provide a monthly overview each month, as well as day-to-day planning sections, so you can stay ahead. 

  • Papier – Offers a 20% student discount 

If your schedule is jam-packed and you have trouble figuring out what to do and when, scheduling day by day—and sometimes even hour by hour—can help you slot in everything you need to do with less stress.

  • Structured app

Note Taking

From class to study sessions to errands, keeping track of everything can feel overwhelming. Keeping everything in one place, whether on the go or at your desk, can help keep you organized.

  • Bullet journals

5. Prioritize

Sometimes there really is too much to do with too little time. In these instances, take just a few minutes to evaluate your priorities. Consider which deadlines are most urgent, as well as how much energy you have. 

If you are able to complete simple tasks first, try getting them out of the way before moving on to tasks that require a lot of focus. This can help to alleviate some of the pressure by checking a couple things off your to-do list without getting bogged down too early.

If you are struggling to fit everything in your schedule, consider what you can postpone or what you can simply say no to. Your friends will likely understand if you have to meet them for coffee another time in order to get in a final library session before a challenging exam. 

6. Make Time to Have Fun — And For Yourself

Time management isn’t just about getting work done. It’s also about ensuring that you can put yourself and your mental wellbeing first. Consistently including time for yourself in your schedule helps to keep your mental health and your life in balance. It can also be helpful to have things to look forward to when going through stressful periods.  

Whether it’s going for a bike ride along the river, spending time with your friends and family, or simply sleeping in on a Sunday, knowing you have space to relax and do things you enjoy can provide better peace of mind. 

7. Find Support 

Preparation and organization can sometimes only get you so far. Luckily, you have plenty of people rooting for your success. Keep yourself and your classmates on task by finding an accountability partner or study buddies. Remind your roommates when you need extra space to work on a paper. 

Your school’s academic resource center is also there to support you and point you in the right direction if you need additional help. Getting—and staying—organized is a collaborative effort and no one can do it on their own. 

8. Be Realistic and Flexible 

Sometimes unforeseen circumstances will come up or you simply may not be able to get to everything you set out to do in a given day. Be patient with yourself when things don’t go exactly to plan. When building your calendar, schedule, and priorities list, be realistic about what you can accomplish and include buffer time if you’re unsure. This can help to reduce obstacles and potential friction.

Time management isn’t just about sticking to a rigid schedule—it’s also about giving yourself space for change.

Learn more about our summer programs.

About the Author

Lian Parsons is a Boston-based writer and journalist. She is currently a digital content producer at Harvard’s Division of Continuing Education. Her bylines can be found at the Harvard Gazette, Boston Art Review, Radcliffe Magazine, Experience Magazine, and iPondr.

Managing Stress in High School

Our reasons may vary, but everyone experiences stress. Here are some of the common reasons high school students feel stressed, and what they can do about it.

Harvard Division of Continuing Education

The Division of Continuing Education (DCE) at Harvard University is dedicated to bringing rigorous academics and innovative teaching capabilities to those seeking to improve their lives through education. We make Harvard education accessible to lifelong learners from high school to retirement.

Harvard Division of Continuing Education Logo

loading

how does homework create time management skills

MSU Extension

Homework: help your child develop key homework skills.

Holly B. Tiret, Michigan State University Extension - September 20, 2012

share this on facebook

Explore suggestions to encourage the development of critical homework skills including organization, time management and basic study strategies

Homework: Help your child develop key homework skills

One key skill your child needs to develop is organization. It is easier to get started on homework when the basics are there, such as having a homework site, creating a filing system or using other visual organizers like a planner. Another key skill is developing time management. Children need a consistent time to study to help reduce or eliminate distractions. They need proper sleep, adequate breaks and an ability to predict the length of bigger projects or assignments. In addition, children need to have good study strategy skills. It helps if they know a variety of strategies such as rewriting, drawing, memorizing aloud and using flash cards.

Help your child develop a daily homework checklist:

  • Copy homework assignments with teacher’s instructions
  • Bring home any necessary materials
  • Start homework at the set time
  • Make an effort to do the homework well
  • Place homework by the door ready to take back to school

Other ways to help your children improve their homework skills include spending time together. While your child is studying you can sit with them and read, study something new or catch up on local news, that way you can be available to help your child if needed. It may helpful to meet with your child at the beginning of the semesters to help them break down large assignments into manageable tasks. Be sure to monitor their progress. Work together with your child to manage interruptions, phone calls or friends who might stop by.

Talk with your child to get input on how to handle homework habits. Ask them what time of day is easiest for them to study. Find out what homework they find the most interesting and what is the most challenging for them. Discuss your family values about school, homework and education.

Helping your child develop the key homework skills of organization, time management and basic study strategies will translate into school success and life-long learning skills. By being open and getting your child’s input you are setting up a more cooperative family atmosphere.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension . For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu . To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters . To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts , or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

Did you find this article useful?

Ready to grow with 4-H? Sign up today!

Find your spark with image of 4-H clover.

new - method size: 3 - Random key: 0, method: tagSpecific - key: 0

You Might Also Be Interested In

how does homework create time management skills

Is Farming Stressing you out?!?

Published on November 26, 2019

Consumer opinion matters: markets and the pandemic

Published on October 29, 2020

Regenerative Principles

Published on March 10, 2023

how does homework create time management skills

Stocking Your Pantry with Sandra Westover

Published on September 18, 2020

how does homework create time management skills

MSU Dairy Virtual Coffee Break: Opportunities for dairy promotion

Published on April 6, 2021

Myth-busting Phosphorus in Your Fields

Published on September 30, 2020

  • academic success
  • approaches to learning
  • child & family development
  • early childhood development
  • life skills
  • msu extension
  • academic success,
  • approaches to learning,
  • caregiving,
  • child & family development,
  • early childhood development,
  • life skills,
  • PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
  • EDIT Edit this Article
  • EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Happiness Hub Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
  • Browse Articles
  • Learn Something New
  • Quizzes Hot
  • Happiness Hub
  • This Or That Game
  • Train Your Brain
  • Explore More
  • Support wikiHow
  • About wikiHow
  • Log in / Sign up
  • Education and Communications
  • Time Management

How to Improve Time Management Skills

Last Updated: February 22, 2024 Approved

This article was co-authored by Sydney Axelrod and by wikiHow staff writer, Madeleine Criglow . Sydney Axelrod is a certified life coach and the owner of Sydney Axelrod LLC, a life coaching business focused on professional and personal development. Through one-on-one coaching, digital courses, and group workshops, Sydney works with clients to discover their purpose, navigate life transitions, and set and accomplish goals. Sydney has over 1,000 hours of relevant coaching certifications and holds a BBA in Marketing and Finance from Emory University. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 93% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 109,449 times.

Getting work done, meeting deadlines, and being productive 100% of the time is difficult for everyone. It’s even harder if you struggle with time management. Luckily, there are several ways you can improve your time management skills. These range from simple changes in your day-to-day to complete overhauls in how you schedule your life! This article explores the many time management techniques you can use to get things done more efficiently, including making a daily schedule, getting rid of distractions, and organizing the perfect workspace.

Set clear and measurable weekly goals.

Write down everything you would like to accomplish.

  • Challenge yourself to complete more than you think you can, but don’t go overboard. If you have a massive research paper due on Friday, it’s probably not the time to add organizing your entire home and writing a novel to your list.
  • Instead, try setting the goals of finishing your research paper, organizing your closet, and writing ten pages of your novel.

Create a daily schedule to organize tasks.

Use a calendar or a piece of paper for scheduling.

  • You may not follow your schedule exactly, as life can sometimes surprise you with how long a task will take. Regardless, a schedule is a great guideline for keeping you on track to reach your weekly goals.
  • Reader Poll: We asked 618 wikiHow readers and 65% agreed that their preferred way to manage their time is by making paper timetables . [Take Poll]
  • Try using a paper planner or writing out a weekly schedule to keep yourself on track.

Prioritize daily tasks by importance.

Pick the hardest or most pressing task of the day to do first.

  • For example, if you have a massive math assignment due tomorrow and some quick vocabulary worksheets due at the end of the week, start with the math homework.

Concentrate on one task at a time.

It’s hard to get things done when you’re doing too many things at once.

  • For example, instead of answering emails and returning phone calls at the same time, answer all of your emails before you make your phone calls.
  • Switching back and forth between tasks is more work for your brain and slows down the process.

Minimize distractions and interruptions.

Give each task your full attention.

  • For example, if you plan to write for 45 minutes, don’t answer your phone or respond to any emails during this time. Once the 45 minutes are up, you can check your email.
  • Social media is a big distraction. Schedule social media time throughout the day and stay away from it unless it is during a scheduled time block.

Take short breaks so you don't burn out.

You can't work or be productive 24 hours a day.

  • Calling a friend
  • Taking a walk
  • Meditating or doing some stretching

Delegate tasks that others can handle for you.

You don't have to do everything yourself!

  • Remember that delegating is a sign of strength and intelligence, not weakness. Everyone has to ask for help sometimes!

Track your time with a journal or app.

Carry a notebook and write down everything you do and for how long.

  • It’s best to track your time for a few days in a row to get an honest look at your schedule. Some days you may attend a birthday dinner or a doctor’s appointment, which aren’t everyday tasks and could throw off your schedule.

Review your task list at the end of each day.

Take note of what you completed as well as what still needs to get done.

  • It’s completely okay to find that you didn’t get all of your tasks done! Remember that tomorrow is a new day. Keep pushing yourself to meet your goals!

Motivate yourself with rewards.

At the start of a task, promise yourself a reward at the end of it.

  • Make sure your reward is something that you really enjoy.
  • Your reward should never cause a setback or get you off track. For example, going to the movies or taking the rest of the day off after completing a 30-minute task may not be a good idea.

Say no to extra projects if your plate is full.

It’s easy to take on more than you can handle.

  • Learn to say “no." If you cannot say no, be honest about your time constraints. For example, if someone asks you to get something done by the end of the day, you may say, “I'm a little overloaded right now, but I can have it to you by the end of tomorrow.”
  • Over-scheduling can also lead to stress. When you are stressed, you become less productive.

Take advantage of your downtime.

Make a quick list when you’ve got extra time.

  • Don't devote all of your downtime to planning and organizing. This could become stressful and do more harm than good. You still need some time to relax!
  • If you have 10 minutes of downtime, start by devoting 2 or 3 minutes to getting organized.

Organize your workspace to improve productivity.

Declutter your desk or find a quiet, calm space in your home.

  • You don’t have to eliminate all your personal touches, though! Add a few pictures to look at when you’re looking for a jolt of happiness, or consider a cute pen holder or desk plant to give your space some pizzazz.

Why Is Time Management Important?

Overcome Laziness and Procrastination with this Expert Series

1 - How to Stop Being Lazy and Unmotivated So You Can Achieve Your Goals

Expert Q&A

Klare Heston, LCSW

  • Try to wake up early so you have a head start. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 0
  • Always keep deadlines in mind. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0
  • Give yourself some time off to relax and collect yourself. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0

how does homework create time management skills

You Might Also Like

Overcome Laziness

  • ↑ https://ideas.ted.com/feel-overwhelmed-and-stressed-its-time-for-you-to-track-your-time/
  • ↑ https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/299336
  • ↑ http://psychcentral.com/lib/6-tips-to-improve-your-time-management-skills/
  • ↑ Sydney Axelrod. Certified Life Coach. Expert Interview. 30 June 2020.
  • ↑ https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/269991
  • ↑ https://academicresourcecenter.harvard.edu/productivity

About This Article

Sydney Axelrod

To improve your time management skills, make a to-do list at the beginning of every day and week, which will help you allocate your time better. Try to prioritize your most important tasks first so you're not using up valuable time on tasks that could wait until another day. Also, work on one thing at a time until it's finished since multitasking can actually slow you down and make you less productive. If you're working on a long-term project, write down important milestones on a calendar and set reminders on your phone so you don't lose track of time. To learn how to stay motivated when you're juggling a lot of tasks, scroll down! Did this summary help you? Yes No

  • Send fan mail to authors

Reader Success Stories

Ashima Bajaj

Ashima Bajaj

Oct 6, 2019

Did this article help you?

Ashima Bajaj

Ali Hussain

Sep 27, 2020

Do I Have a Dirty Mind Quiz

Featured Articles

Enjoy Your Preteen Years

Trending Articles

Superhero Name Generator

Watch Articles

Wear a Headband

  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Info
  • Not Selling Info

wikiHow Tech Help Pro:

Develop the tech skills you need for work and life

How to Improve Your Time Management Skills (7 Easy Ways)

Background Image

Anyone would benefit from improving their time management skills - it definitely beats working under pressure anytime. After all, if you don't master your time, then opportunities, efficiency, and work-life balance might slip through your fingers!

Nonetheless, time management is easier said than done. As with most soft skills, it takes a lot of practice to get good at.

That said, there are ways to improve your time management skills, and in this article, we’ll teach you just what they are!

Let’s get started.

7 Best Tips to Improve Your Time Management Skills

#1. determine your priorities .

In your day-to-day activities, some tasks are more important than others. For example, a task might have a closer deadline than the rest, or the case might be that you need to finish task A before you can effectively complete task B.

The same can be said about achieving your long-term goals, whether it is a promotion or investing more time in a hobby.

Determining what your priorities are is the first step towards effective time management. Whether you're an employee or in high-level management, you should have a clear picture of your top priorities. After all, how can you set out to accomplish your goals until you identify them clearly?

One effective method to prioritize your daily tasks is the Eisenhower Matrix , which allows you to categorize and separate your most critical tasks from those that you can delegate or eliminate entirely.

The method is named after Dwight D. Eisenhower , the 34th president of the United States, who was widely recognized for his efficiency and discipline.

Here is what your methodical planning using the Eisenhower Matrix could look like:

Eisenhower-Matrix

#2. Avoid Multitasking

While many people praise their ability to multitask, there are just as many reasons to believe it can actually get in the way of improving your time management skills.

A 2011 research study from the University of California, for instance, found that multitasking can negatively affect your working memory and ability to focus on important tasks. This, of course, isn’t great for time management.

What’s more important, multitasking may just be overrated. What makes it true is the fact that, in reality, you never truly multitask. The various tasks you grapple with can be accomplished to some extent, but none will be to the best of your abilities.

It is essential to learn how to devote your whole attention to the task at hand if you want to improve your time management skills. Your productivity can only improve if you master sustained focus and effort.

#3. Avoid Distractions 

Our daily lives are definitely fast-paced and full of distractions and, more often than not, that gets in the way of improving time management skills. If you’re working from home, for instance, it might be hard to concentrate on work due to having more distractions than in the office and, before you know it, you’ll have lost hours of your time.

Great ways to avoid distractions include putting your phone aside or turning off the notifications, having an office space even if you’re working from home, and asking family members or colleagues not to disturb you with non-work-related matters. 

#4. Learn to Say No

Many people will take on as many responsibilities either to make a good impression and showcase their dedication to work or because they just can’t say no. Yet, an overwhelming amount of tasks can set a toll on your work efficiency and mindset.

Setting a limit on how much workload you're willing to accept can help you manage your time and concentrate on the most important tasks. In turn, you’ll be able to focus and be more productive in the most pressing tasks.

Start by determining how much work is ideal for you and then be sure and confident to decline any offered workload that goes beyond it. If you feel bad about not being able to help, just explain to whoever asked that you don’t have the time to do the quality work they expect or that you have other, more important deadlines to meet.

#5. Use Time Management Apps

It’s all too easy to get overwhelmed with never-ending daily reminders of scheduled tasks and meetings, and constantly trying to catch up can take a toll on your workflow.

Fortunately, technology has come a long way to help us in that regard. 

By using time management apps, you can easily organize everything in one space and track your time for different tasks.

Time management apps like Rescuetime can significantly boost your efficiency. The app allows you to use a Focus Session mode whenever you truly need to focus, preventing main distractions and tracking how effectively you work.

Similarly, time tracking apps like Everhour or Toggl Track can show you how much time you actually spend on any given task.

 #6. Organize Your Day 

A goal is nothing more than a wish without a solid plan to support it in place. And, without proper day-to-day organization, improving your time management skills can turn into a daunting task.

However, if you organize your day, prioritize your tasks, and measure your progress, you will know precisely where you stand as you work toward your bigger goals.

Now, there are several effective ways to organize your day and get immediate results. For example, work-wise, you can start writing daily to-do lists, taking into account any interruptions that may come up, or dedicating less time to repeating tasks. 

#7. Take Breaks

Although you might feel tempted to complete large amounts of work before taking a break, this strategy could seriously harm your mental health.

For starters, skipping frequent, short breaks might result in fast burnout and overwhelming stress. One study found that employees even tend to compromise their lunch breaks , choosing to work instead. This, in turn, has been shown to have badly impacted their mental health.

Stepping away from your work for a few minutes every couple of hours can help you achieve more with greater comfort and enjoyment, boosting your overall efficiency.

job search masterclass novoresume

3 Benefits of Improving Your Time Management Skills

Taking steps to improve your time management skills has numerous advantages. More than being efficient at work, effective time management can help you significantly reduce stress and improve your work-life balance. 

Here are the top 3 benefits that come with improving time management skills:

#1. Reduced Anxiety 

A recent study found that poor time management not only hurts productivity but also your well-being.

Come to think of it, time is your most valuable asset. We all understand this, which is why it is critical to manage your time effectively and leave enough space for leisure activities, hobbies, and private life. Otherwise, you risk harming your mental health and putting yourself through more stress than you can handle.

Because we all need enough time for leisure activities, reconsider all elements of your daily life and design a strategy that will provide you with maximum benefits in the shortest possible amount of time.

By improving your time management skills, more and more spare time will appear for you to spend as you please.

#2. Enhanced Work-Life Balance

Too much work and too much leisure can both hurt your overall well-being. That’s why striking a balance that can help you get the most out of each without overdoing it is one of the biggest benefits of improving your time management skills.

According to the organizational psychologist Dr. Deirdre Anderson, an important aspect of taking care of your well-being is devoting time to all different aspects of your life .

Good time management is one of the most effective ways for you to find the perfect harmony between your personal life and work life.

#3. Achieving Your Goals

If you're used to procrastinating, you probably struggle with organizing your day and you constantly postpone your deadlines and goals. This not only consumes all of your time but may also keep you from achieving your dreams. 

According to researcher Piers Steel , 95% of people procrastinate at least to some degree. While knowing you're not alone can be comforting, it's also sad to discover how much procrastination can hold you back.

Start by following these simple strategies to overcome your procrastination habits:

  • Practice self-forgiveness: For starters, don’t beat yourself up too hard. Self-forgiveness can help you feel better about yourself. In fact, it lowers the likelihood of future procrastination .
  • Reward yourself: If you manage to complete your tasks on time, treat yourself to a nice meal at a restaurant or something similar.
  • Turn off your phone: This one may sound redundant, yet if you delve deeper and look at the University of Chicago's study on cellphones, which shows that even the mere presence of a wireless device badly impacts our cognitive capacity , you might want to reconsider.

So, it’s only natural that improving your time management skills can help you stop procrastinating and take you a step closer to your goals.

Looking to improve more than just your time management skills? Communication is just as important, so check out this guide to find out about how to make your communication skills stand out. 

2 Types of Time-Management Skills

Developing solid time management skills is essential for controlling your time during a day and ensuring that it is used as efficiently as possible.

To practice effective time management, there are primary and secondary skills you should work on:

  • Day-to-day organizing, task prioritizing, and planning ahead are primary time management skills essential for using your time wisely. You should be able to assign levels of importance to different tasks, devise solid plans for their accomplishment, and stick to the strict schedules you set for yourself.
  • Seemingly unrelated parts of your life, such as regular exercise, eating healthy and getting enough sleep, directly impact your overall efficiency and hence your ability to manage your time. These can be called secondary time management skills .

So, before you delve deep into your next task with maximum concentration and your phone away, take 20 minutes to cycle around that lovely neighborhood of yours! 

Key Takeaways

Now that we've covered all the tips and tricks to effectively managing your time, let's do a quick recap:

  • Effective time management helps you organize your daily activities around your priorities. So, before you start working on improving your time management skills, take some time to identify your key and secondary priorities.
  • When you're clear on what is most important to you, you can start discovering your preferred method for organizing your time. One effective method you could use is the Eisenhower Matrix.
  • A variety of time management software exists to help you out in organizing tasks and tracking your overall productivity. Two very helpful tools are Rescuetime and Toggle Track.
  • To make the best use of your time, you should focus on both core and secondary skills that we've discussed (including your overall health and stress levels).
  • When you master effective time management, you shall enjoy more time for yourself, reduced stress, enhanced work-life balance, and more stamina to start achieving your dreams!
  • 7 Tips to Improve Your Active Listening Skills [With Examples]
  • Top Soft Skills for 2024 [90+ Examples for Your Resume]
  • 28+ Top Interpersonal Skills in 2024

cookies image

To provide a safer experience, the best content and great communication, we use cookies. Learn how we use them for non-authenticated users.

Chat with your 24/7 AI Assistant and generate images instantly!

Sharing this link won’t include any private chats. Only the topical content will be shared.

How does homework help with time management?

Hotbot

Introduction to Time Management and Homework

Homework is often seen as a cornerstone of academic life, serving not only to reinforce learning but also to cultivate essential life skills. Among these, time management stands out as a critical competency that students develop through consistent engagement with homework assignments. Understanding how homework aids in time management involves examining several key aspects of student life and behavior.

Building Organizational Skills

Homework requires students to organize their tasks, which is a fundamental aspect of time management. By breaking down assignments into manageable parts and prioritizing them, students learn to allocate their time effectively. This process involves:

  • Task Prioritization: Deciding which assignments are most important or have the closest deadlines.
  • Scheduling: Allocating specific times during the day or week to focus on each task.
  • Resource Management: Gathering necessary materials and information before starting an assignment.

These organizational skills not only help in completing homework but also translate to other areas of life, such as work and personal projects.

Developing Discipline and Routine

Homework instills a sense of discipline by requiring students to adhere to deadlines and create consistent study routines. This habit formation is crucial because:

  • Consistency: Regular homework schedules help students become accustomed to setting aside time for important tasks.
  • Accountability: Knowing that assignments must be completed by a certain time instills a sense of responsibility.
  • Self-Regulation: Students learn to regulate their activities, balancing leisure and work to meet their academic goals.

The routine established through homework can lead to improved self-discipline, which is beneficial in both academic and professional settings.

Enhancing Focus and Efficiency

When students tackle homework, they often need to focus for extended periods, which enhances their ability to concentrate and work efficiently. Benefits include:

  • Enhanced Focus: The need to complete assignments helps students develop the ability to concentrate on tasks without getting distracted.
  • Efficient Work Habits: Regular homework fosters the ability to work quickly and effectively, maximizing productivity.
  • Time Awareness: Keeping track of how long tasks take helps students better estimate time requirements for future assignments.

These skills are invaluable as students progress in their academic careers and eventually enter the workforce.

Learning to Handle Multiple Tasks

Homework often involves juggling multiple subjects and assignments, teaching students how to handle several responsibilities simultaneously. Key aspects include:

  • Multitasking: Managing multiple assignments helps students practice multitasking, a critical skill in many professional environments.
  • Prioritization: Deciding which tasks to complete first based on deadlines and importance hones prioritization skills.
  • Adaptability: Adjusting plans when unexpected changes occur, such as additional assignments or altered deadlines.

Handling multiple tasks efficiently is a cornerstone of effective time management, preparing students for the complexities of adult life.

Understanding the Importance of Deadlines

Homework teaches students the importance of meeting deadlines, a crucial aspect of time management. This understanding is fostered through:

  • Deadline Adherence: Regular assignments with specific due dates teach students to respect deadlines and complete tasks on time.
  • Time Allocation: Students learn to allocate sufficient time to complete assignments without last-minute rushes.
  • Planning Ahead: Anticipating future deadlines and planning accordingly helps students manage their workload more effectively.

Meeting deadlines is a vital skill in both academic and professional contexts, ensuring timely completion of projects and tasks.

Improving Problem-Solving Skills

Homework often requires students to solve problems independently, which enhances their problem-solving skills and time management abilities. This involves:

  • Critical Thinking: Tackling challenging assignments encourages students to think critically and develop problem-solving strategies.
  • Resourcefulness: Finding solutions using available resources, such as textbooks, online materials, and peer assistance.
  • Time-Efficient Solutions: Learning to solve problems within a set timeframe, balancing accuracy and efficiency.

Improved problem-solving skills contribute to better time management by allowing students to handle challenges more effectively and efficiently.

Developing Long-Term Planning Abilities

Homework assignments, especially long-term projects, help students develop planning skills essential for effective time management. This includes:

  • Goal Setting: Breaking down long-term projects into smaller, manageable goals.
  • Progress Tracking: Monitoring progress and making adjustments as needed to stay on track.
  • Future Planning: Anticipating future assignments and preparing in advance to avoid last-minute stress.

Long-term planning abilities are crucial for managing larger projects and responsibilities in both academic and professional settings.

By engaging in regular homework assignments, students develop a plethora of skills that contribute to effective time management. From organizational abilities to long-term planning, each aspect of homework fosters a critical component of managing time efficiently. With these skills in hand, students are better prepared to tackle the demands of both academic and professional life, carrying forward the lessons learned into their future endeavors.

Related Questions

Homework has been a cornerstone of the educational system for centuries, serving as a bridge between classroom learning and independent study. It offers numerous benefits that can significantly contribute to a student's academic success and personal growth. Understanding the multifaceted advantages of homework can help educators, parents, and students appreciate its value and implement it effectively.

Ask Hotbot: How can homework help students?

Homework, a staple in educational systems worldwide, serves multiple purposes beyond just filling students' evenings. Its role is multifaceted, aiming to reinforce classroom learning, foster independent study habits, and promote a deeper understanding of subjects. While opinions on homework's efficacy vary, its potential benefits are numerous and substantial when well-implemented.

Ask Hotbot: What does homework help with?

Homework has long been a staple in the education system, often sparking debates about its effectiveness. However, a closer examination reveals that homework can significantly contribute to student learning when assigned thoughtfully and purposefully. This detailed exploration will delve into various aspects of how homework aids in the learning process.

Ask Hotbot: Why does homework help students learn?

Homework has long been a cornerstone of educational systems worldwide. Primarily, it serves as a tool to reinforce what students learn in the classroom. However, its benefits extend far beyond simple reinforcement. One of the most significant advantages of homework is its ability to help students develop independent work habits. This article delves into the multifaceted ways through which homework fosters independent learning, providing an in-depth look at both common and rarely discussed aspects.

Ask Hotbot: How does homework help students work independently?

IMAGES

  1. TIME MANAGEMENT SKILLS -4 Steps To Effectively Plan Your Time

    how does homework create time management skills

  2. 9 Ways to Build Time Management Skills in Your Homeschool

    how does homework create time management skills

  3. 10 effective tips to improve your time management skills when you work

    how does homework create time management skills

  4. Time management skills that improve student learning

    how does homework create time management skills

  5. Effective Time Management Skills that You Must Learn with Examples

    how does homework create time management skills

  6. 36 Examples of Time Management Skills At Work

    how does homework create time management skills

VIDEO

  1. 3 Time Management Strategies Will Boost Your Work

  2. Mange your time like a PRO!

  3. how to complete homework#time management

  4. Time management tips

  5. Mastering Time Management and Organization Skills: Proven Strategies for Success

  6. How to Manage Your Time More Effectively

COMMENTS

  1. Time Management Importance for Students: That's How Homework Helps

    Homework is typically given with due dates, encouraging students to plan and schedule their time accordingly. Homework helps students develop a sense of responsibility for their learning and progress. It encourages students to take ownership of their time and use it effectively. Homework allows students to practice time management skills such ...

  2. How Does Homework Help with Time Management

    How Does Homework Help with Time Management. Many experts who provide professional homework help claim that dealing with home assignments regularly helps a student manage their time better. Solving your tasks, you'll not only increase your knowledge on the needed subjects but also improve your skills with managing time.

  3. Analysis: Can Homework Be An Education In Time Management?

    Besides those, homework develops one's researching capabilities since often it extends beyond what is just being taught at school; it is a furtherance of the student's knowledge and for that the student often has to spend a quite an amount of time looking up the internet or the library for some kind of aid. Time Management.

  4. Homework Help: Everything You Need to Know

    This helps to create a deeper understanding of the topic. Time Management Skills: With many assignments and deadlines to meet, homework teaches students how to manage their time and prioritize tasks. Independent Work: Homework creates independence and self-reliance. Students are responsible for completing their assignments without relying on ...

  5. How does homework help students with time management?

    Creating Schedules. Homework encourages students to create schedules and timelines. By allocating specific time slots for different subjects and assignments, students learn to break down their workload into manageable chunks. This practice not only makes large tasks seem less daunting but also helps students avoid the pitfalls of procrastination.

  6. 6 self-regulation skills homework helps students develop

    A key to this is to develop their mindset, to believe that with effort, curiosity and a good outlook on setbacks, they can achieve the task at hand. 6. Reflecting on what they have learned. Finally, homework can help students develop self-reflection, which is a metacognitive skill as well as a self-regulation skill.

  7. Helping K-12 Students Manage their Time

    Then provide students with a range of times. If you believe an assignment should take 15-25 minutes, let them know. The benefit of this is that it allows students to plan better. They can situate homework in the context of their entire day. A student may get home from school at 3:30 and has soccer practice at 5pm.

  8. 20 Effective Time Management Strategies and Tools for Students

    The Pomodoro Technique is a simple time management method: You work for 25 minutes at a time, then take a 5-minute break to rest and recharge. Simply set a timer for 25 minutes, and focus on one single task until it goes off. Then, you can spend 5 minutes stretching, resting your eyes, or checking your social media feeds.

  9. What Is Time Management? 6 Strategies to Better Manage Your Time

    1. Conduct a time audit. Start by assessing where you actually spend your time. Create a visual map of the approximate hours you spend on work, school, housework and chores, commuting, social media, and leisure activities. Then, you can drill in on school or work, dividing your previous week into days, then hours.

  10. Do Homework Faster and Better

    By far, perfecting time management skills is the best way to do homework efficiently and quickly. Not only does it give you the opportunity to do work faster, it also gives you the opportunity to schedule more activities in a single day, whether it's extra-curricular activities, hanging out with friends, bonding with family, or simply to ...

  11. How My Homework Helped Me With Time Management

    2. Try to set aside a specific time each day for homework. This will ensure you have enough time to focus on and complete the task correctly. 3. If possible, break up your homework into smaller tasks that can be completed over time. This can make the overall job seem less daunting and make it easier to stay on track. 4.

  12. How to Focus on Homework to Get It Done on Time

    Tip #2: Divide a Homework Assignment into Manageable Tasks. Break your school assignment down into smaller tasks. Make a list of what needs to be done for that particular assignment, set priorities to focus on, and start at the top of your list. Many times, a written project will require some library research.

  13. The Pros and Cons of Homework

    Pro 1: Homework Helps to Improve Student Achievement. Homework teaches students various beneficial skills that they will carry with them throughout their academic and professional life, from time management and organization to self-motivation and autonomous learning. Homework helps students of all ages build critical study abilities that help ...

  14. Tips and Tools to Improve Time Management

    Here's how: Fill in the day's activities, including school. Fill in chore times. Fill in homework times (estimate 10 minutes per subject per grade) Fill in play time or free time. TIP: Schedule in TV and computer time—these are notorious time suckers. Putting them on the schedule helps to moderate viewing and regulate tech time!

  15. 10 Time Management Skills and Techniques for Students

    2. Stick to a Daily Schedule. While making a to-do list is a common theme in time and productivity management advice for students, mastering your daily schedule is even more crucial. Time blocking is the strategy of choice for many of the most successful people in the world, including Bill Gates and Elon Musk.

  16. Pros and Cons of Homework: What You Should Know

    Homework develops time management skills. Many students believe that homework is a waste of time because they think it only helps teachers track their progress and keeps them from having fun. In reality, homework is one of the most important tools teachers have to help students develop time management skills. ... Homework can create stress and ...

  17. 8 Time Management Tips for Students

    3. Build a Personalized Schedule. Each person's day-to-day is different and unique to them, so make sure your schedule works for you. Once you've accounted for consistent commitments such as classes or your shifts at work, add in study sessions, extracurriculars, chores and errands, and social engagements.

  18. 9 Key Time Management Skills and How To Improve Them

    Here are a few ways you can improve your time management skills: 1. Set short and long-term goals. Practicing regular goal-setting can help you clearly understand exactly what you need to accomplish to achieve certain results. To hit larger, long-term goals, identify smaller milestone goals along the way.

  19. Time management examples and tips

    And in Self-Discipline we explore the core skills you'll need to embed long-lasting time-management techniques. Quick Tips for Time Management. The resources mentioned above cover a wide range of tried and true time management strategies. But if you need a few quick pointers, here's a list of 10 practical time management tips:

  20. Homework: Help your child develop key homework skills

    Helping your child develop the key homework skills of organization, time management and basic study strategies will translate into school success and life-long learning skills. By being open and getting your child's input you are setting up a more cooperative family atmosphere. This article was published by Michigan State University Extension.

  21. 14 Ways to Improve Time Management Skills

    Use a calendar or a piece of paper for scheduling. Map out exactly how you want to use your time each day, leaving nothing out of your schedule. Include how much time you would like to spend on each task. For example, start your schedule with something like, "7:30 AM - 8:00 AM: Wake up and eat breakfast.".

  22. How to Improve Your Time Management Skills (7 Easy Ways)

    3 Benefits of Improving Your Time Management Skills. Taking steps to improve your time management skills has numerous advantages. More than being efficient at work, effective time management can help you significantly reduce stress and improve your work-life balance. Here are the top 3 benefits that come with improving time management skills: #1.

  23. How does homework help with time management?

    Improved problem-solving skills contribute to better time management by allowing students to handle challenges more effectively and efficiently. Developing Long-Term Planning Abilities. Homework assignments, especially long-term projects, help students develop planning skills essential for effective time management. This includes: