Hi Dear Readers!

As a student myself, I know the struggle of needing finding time for all my commitments. Engaging socially, getting to know the studies, juggling part time work, and the list goes on. I have studied at university for over a year now, different studies at that, so I have tried my hand at a few things. consequently, I have made this comprehensible list on how to sustainably structure you time as a student.

Being a student, it is really important to know how to structure your time properly. Creating a healthy balance between studies and free time, work, etc., will allow you to reach your goals without burning out.

Note that depending on the kind of studies you are doing (University, college, high school, etc.) and the kind of person you are, a particular approach would be more beneficial to others.

Remember, only take what resonates with you from this post and leave the rest. You are on your own journey, and only you know what the best for yourself is.

1. Determine the type of person you are!♥

This may sound like a weird and unnecessarily big step, but it’s actually quite simple. What I mean by this, is that you need to figure out if you are an A or B person – meaning do you like to go to bed early and wake up early or go to bed late and wake up late. Depending on if you are an A or B person, you should structure, if possible, your day differently.

As you have chosen to study at university (College, etc.), and that is the path you wish to take, you should try and structure you day, week, month around your studies. So, depending on if you are more active/productive in the morning or evening hours, you should try to schedule your study tasks in your more productive hours.

Create an overview of your commitments!♥

To make sure that you aren’t forgetting any of your commitments, a really great way to keep track of them all is to simply make a list of them. It could literally be anything: School, part time job, guitar practice, walking the dog, Friday bar, breakfast, budgeting, etc.. It’s all up to you and how detailed you want this overview to be.

Prioritize your tasks!♥

Additionally, It can be a good idea to prioritize your commitments by importance and urgency. This does not mean that finishing a certain project is more important than for instance spending time with family or friends. If it is important for you to take some time off to see the ones dearest to you or you need a break to refresh your mind and body, then you should treat it as the priority that it is.

Where people often go wrong is that they end up neglecting their own needs, which then in return can cause stress and anxiety, because more ‘official’ commitments seem more important. That is a very old school way of thinking – we need to start thinking in the big picture, and our own wellbeing is a more essential part than we realize. We can’t be there for people when our own batteries are empty.

Add breaks!♥

No matter how many commitments you have, it is extremely important to include designated breaks into your schedule. It is really unsustainable if you are constantly on the go, and don’t give your body and mind the time to recover in the long run. Do you notice you tend to over book yourself? Be sure to add some breaks here and there to do nothing or whichever to relax, to keep a healthy balance. These breaks could be anything; 10 minutes after doing x amount of work, dedicating an entire day to recover, etc. Figure out what will fit the best into your lifestyle and needs.

Be realistic!♥

Once we get down to structure our time, we tend to want more done in less time. That is not necessarily a faulty approach, but it’s a sure way to overburden ourselves in the long run so we experience burnout. Setting time aside for the most essential things are a good idea but be sure to not structure your time so you would have to multitask all the time. Dedicate x amount of time to one thing, so you can concentrate on that and make sure it gets done. Work smarter not harder.

If you currently are experiencing burnout, or know somebody who is, read my post on Student Burnout – How to get your motivation back!

Find appropriate platform!♥

Now that you have figured out the content you wish to include in your time structure, you need to find an appropriate platform to store all this information in, so you always can get back to it. If the overview you just created is enough for you then great! Feel free to just skip this step. But if it’s important for you to have your schedule with you on the go, keep reading! There are various options and combinations, so look through them and try out what works for you.

Calendars

• • • • Pros: Calendars are great if you like to have a general overview over your day, week, month, and/or year. You can get them in various sizes depending on how much room you want for writing down your commitments. You can get a calendar both in a physical edition, such as a standard calendar you can buy at your local store, or a digital edition, such as google calendar.
      • Cons: Calendars can lack in the detail department. If you like to include everything you plan to do in a day, for instance grocery shopping list, food plan, to-do list, etc., then the calendar may not be for you.

Planners

• • • • Pros: Planners are awesome if you love the attention to detail and deep organization they can offer. There are many various kinds of planners, that can include different elements depending on what is important for you. Websites such as Etsy offer all kinds of planners; from day-planner to year-planner, both physical and digital editions for affordable prices.
      • Cons: Depending on the type of planner, some don’t offer the big overview which a calendar can. Particularly day-planners may be really good for getting a nice overview of each individual day, but not a comprehensive general overview.

Your own creativity

• • • • If you feel like none of these ideas fit you, you always have the option to let your own creativity loose. It is perfect if you know exactly how you want your structure to look like, then it is just about making it a reality. You can also search the internet for inspiration and include the points that fits exactly your needs. The sky is the limit! This could potentially take more time than just buying a premade planner/calendar yourself, but it can then in return be a fun little project.

Trial week!♥

Now that you have done all of the prep work, you need to put your newfound structure to the test. Is it the correct time-management you have chosen? Would a different platform work better for you? Have certain commitments proved more or less important? Keep an open mind and know that there is nothing wrong with trying out different things. Trial and error are apart of life. Please share in the comments what has worked for you!♥

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