Many people have great demands on their time, so it is a good idea to develop strategies for managing time effectively. It can be especially important for students to improve their time management skills early in their academic careers. They may consider using the following strategies.

It is important to establish a daily schedule. Staying the course may require guidelines detailing how one will spend his or her time. A large portion of the day may be taken up by classes and assignments, but students should also plan the other parts of the day. Specific times should be blocked off for exercise, meals, school, study, and any other responsibilities. Students may consider using time blocking, a technique in which one organizes his or her activities by the hour or another set amount of time.

Another strategy is to figure out where time is being lost. People need to know how they are currently spending their time before they can improve their time management skills. Making a time log over the course of a few days may help to determine if a person is working efficiently.

Time for breaks should be included in order to avoid burnout. Breaks allow students to socialize, rest or engage in other activities unrelated to school. According to sleep researcher Nathaniel Kleitman, people's minds naturally crave breaks after 90 minutes of intense work. Each individual may need breaks at different intervals. People should learn to read their body's cues.

Many students avoid projects that seem like huge tasks. Breaking down a larger job into smaller ones can help students stay focused and measure their progress. For example, if a student needs to write a 50-page research paper, he or she might first find and read source material, then select facts and quotes to incorporate into the paper, and then resolve to write a set number of pages per day.

Scheduling classes wisely is another strategy. Some people are night owls while others thrive in the morning, so students should try to schedule their classes at a time when are usually very productive. This strategy may not be possible for high school students, but college students may have more flexibility in scheduling.

Time management is an important skill for students to develop. It can help in the classroom and later when entering the workforce.