7 time management tips for adult students

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

If you’re a working adult pursuing a degree online, you know the feeling of being pressed for time. Understanding how to balance your work, school, family and general life responsibilities is important.

While your degree program may have support services or a learning format that offers a flexible pace, it’s helpful to build good time management skills that you can apply as you pursue your degree.

Here are some time management strategies that may help you maximize your productivity.

Time management for adults

    1. Establish priorities

You can’t do everything in one day. Prioritize your to-do list by putting urgent tasks first. Consider which projects are due, what reading needs to be done, which class discussions are coming up, etc. Make a list of your tasks and then order them based on what needs to be done now and what can wait until later. You can do this daily or weekly – whatever you need to stay on track.

    2. Know when to say no

While it’s important to make time for things you enjoy, a big part of time management is recognizing which activities you can take a pass on. Nice-to-do but nonessential activities may have to take the back seat for now.

    3. Know your best self

Are you a morning person? A night owl? Do you need complete peace and quiet to do your coursework, or are you more comfortable in the buzz of a busy coffee shop? Knowing how and when you do your best work is essential for getting it done.

    4. Turn wait times into work times

You never know when you’ll have a few minutes of time to spare. Always have your schoolwork with you in case you find yourself waiting an extra-long time for the bus or if you arrive early to an appointment. Use these stolen moments for some reading or to prioritize your to-do list. The FlexPath learning format from Capella allows you to access your coursework from anywhere at any time.

    5. Sleep and stay healthy

When you’re trying to get a lot done, it can be tempting to put healthy habits on the back burner. Getting enough rest, eating well and staying active will help you be more productive each day. They’re also great ways to help reduce stress.

    6. Make time for family and self-care

Taking care of yourself and those around you is like getting enough sleep and adopting healthy habits; give yourself time to reconnect with family or take some time to recharge. Both release stress and help you be more productive afterward. Plus, a nice massage or family fun day are great ways to reward yourself after completing a project or course.

    7. Use time management apps

Need more time? There’s an app for that. Actually, several. Whether you need help prioritizing to-do lists, staying focused, or increasing your productivity, there are digital solutions out there that you can research to see if they fit your study habits – such as:

• Toggl Track: This app has support in both mobile apps and browser extensions, making it easy to incorporate into your process. It even has a Pomodoro Technique setting, which can help you get into a working groove.
• Todoist: This popular app allows you to create subtasks for your different tasks, sync with your calendar and across different devices, filter by hashtags and set specific priorities.
• Habitica: This task manager helps people build good habits by gamifying the experience. Earn rewards for every item you check off your list, and invest those rewards into your in-app avatar or on treating yourself for a job well done.

(Capella University is not affiliated with Toggl Track, Todoist or Habitica.)

Ultimately, there’s no magic wand when it comes to time management for adult students. It’s a cumulative process. Put all these tips together, and you can make better use of your time and feel more productive each day.

Explore degree programs that help put you in control of your education. Our FlexPath learning format lets you set your own deadlines to help you fit a degree into your busy life.