Time management and organisation

It's not just about making it to lectures on time.

Learning at Lincoln - Small white clock, notepad, pen and smartphone positioned in line on white desk.

Whether its balancing deadlines, making it to lectures on time or just keeping all your notes in one place, being able to effectively manage your time and stay organised is a big part of independent learning and a skill that will certainly make university much easier.

Remote learning

...the days seem to be merging into one, and it’s easy to lose track of deadlines and assignments. Therefore, it is important that we understand how to manage our time effectively.
— Becki Morgan Phillips,

Time management

Study modules

Time management - Skills4StudyCampus

All University of Lincoln students have access to the learning resource hub Skills4Study Campus, provided by the Library.

Follow this link to a Time management module and complete topics on:

Planning and prioritising
Time management techniques

You will need to login using your University of Lincoln credentials to access this learning resource.

Procrastination

Tips for managing your workload

It is often best to get the tasks you don’t enjoy out of the way first – this way we can push on and start the activities that really excite us. Also it means you won’t procrastinate and delay starting your work.
Try and break your activities down into smaller tasks – If you’re faced with a big assignment, break it down into small manageable chunks and assign one task to do each day. You could talk this trough with a friend or our tutor so you know you are on the right track. This will really help you to put things back into perspective, especially when you’re feeling overwhelmed.
Sometimes finding a ‘study buddy’ can help you maintain motivation and focus. Knowing that a like-minded friend is also committed to spending some quality time studying ca be a great motivator. By supporting each other and setting each other small study challenges you’ll be surprised how much you can achieve in a short space of time.
Set yourself SMART objectives for each task. What Specifically are you trying to accomplish? And how will you Measure your success? Are you setting yourself up to fail because your expectations are unavailable? Set Achievable targets that are Realistic. Finally set yourself a Timeframe – and chart your progress as you begin to work through your task.
And finally treat yourself – Reward yourself or have something to look forward to, whether it’s with a TV, a night out, a takeaway or simply a piece of chocolate. Having something to look forward to when you’ve finished will help to keep you motivated.

Attendance

You are expected to attend all of your timetabled lectures, but if you cannot make it, it is very important that you contact your tutor ahead of a seminar or lecture and explain and provide a reason for non-attendance.

This can be done easily by sending them an email. If you do not attend without notification you will be marked on the register as absent.

Continuous absence will require further investigation and students will be asked to explain their non-attendance to their tutor.

Adapted from My Academic Student Survival Guide, written by Dr Hanya Pielichaty – Senior Lecturer/Programme Leader, Department of Marketing and Tourism Lincoln International Business School

Student advice

What does it mean to be organised though? Everyone works so differently that there’s no one method that works for us all.
— Olivia Applewhite, 1st year Law student

I make a list of all my deadlines and put them in order of due date. That way I know which deadlines I should prioritise first.
— Paige,

It may seem silly scheduling in time to relax, but those who get the most out of University generally have the most organised calendars."
— Alex Keene, 1st year Journalism

At uni, your attendance is now your responsibility and missing lectures can easily backfire and leave you without a clue of what’s going on, so it’s best to try and overcome the temptation of another hour in bed.”
— Alex Keene, 1st year Journalism

Learning at Lincoln