As students, we’re constantly balancing a lot at once — classes, assignments, work, relationships, and everything else life throws at us outside of school. It can feel overwhelming trying to keep up with all of these responsibilities without something slipping through the cracks. I quickly learned that one of the most important ways to make it all feel more manageable is through time management and task prioritization — tools that can turn chaos into something that feels, at least somewhat, under control. 

At the beginning of my iSchool journey, I had been out of college for two years, had started a career in archives, and had become ready to take my education to the next level. Despite it being relatively recent, it’s safe to say I’ve learned that there’s one productivity essential that’s been non-negotiable in keeping it all together—time management. I knew it would be challenging, but I found it much more complex than I expected. Planning time to study lectures and take notes, read course material, plan and attend group project meetings, and, of course, complete weekly assignments proved not as straightforward as I anticipated. 

Many people choose the iSchool because it offers flexibility—something most in-person grad programs aren’t designed for. As a result, I’ve met peers who are parents, caretakers and full-time employees—and often many of these at once. With overlapping commitments and limited time in a day, how do we get it all done? That wasn’t rhetorical, I’m asking you! Just kidding, but it’s safe to say that time management strategies look different for everyone. How other students make this work may not work well for you. As you pile on additional commitments, it can really be a process of consistently learning and adapting. 

As the semester ramps up before closing out for winter, my time-management skills are being put to the test. Below are some strategies that have helped me juggle a menagerie of responsibilities throughout the week and allow some time for fun.

A Digital Calendar

In a prior post on Productivity Tips for iSchool Students, I wrote about the usefulness of Google Calendar. Despite being a resource I’ve had throughout my college years, I didn’t really start relying on it until I started grad school. With work, school and my personal life placing different demands on my time, being able to subscribe to all three Outlook calendars (work, school and personal) and stack them up in one view has been incredibly helpful in not only seeing everything at once, but in intentionally blocking off time for specific tasks and needs. I use it to schedule everything — from class time and work shifts to study blocks, assignment deadlines, and scheduling some much-needed personal time — which helps me be realistic about what I can actually fit into a day. As a visual learner, I appreciate the bright colors and the ability to customize the calendar’s look, which makes it feel fun and personal and encourages me to use it more. Creating ‘tasks’ for due dates and watching the app strike-through completed tasks is incredibly satisfying and makes me feel accomplished at the end of the week. 

While I am an organized person, I like to plan out a week in advance rather than a full month or semester. I’ll just simply forget what’s upcoming if I noted it over a week ago, and sitting down on Sundays to organize, schedule and structure my GCal for the week makes me feel fresh and informed on exactly what I need to be spending time on. Some small habits that have made a big difference for me are setting reminder notifications for important deadlines, adding buffer time between commitments so I’m not rushing from one thing to the next, and time-blocking tasks based on how much focus they actually require. Seeing everything laid out ahead of time helps me prioritize what truly needs my attention and keeps me from feeling blindsided during the week.

A Physical Planner

After planning my week on GCal, I carry a physical planner with me so I can manually write about my day ahead in the morning, and reference it as needed throughout the day. I know, maybe overkill! I have always loved having something to write things down throughout the day, either to record thoughts or reference a timetable, to keep me on track. Sitting down in the morning with some coffee to write in my planner offers a similar ritual as the weekly calendar organization on Sundays, but it is much quicker and helps me identify what to expect throughout the day. 

Additionally, I love stationery, so having a planner I think is cute and functional makes me want to use it more (along with colorful gel pens). I’ve personally used a Hobonichi Techno planner for years now because I find it both useful and aesthetically pleasing. Features like graph paper sheets that automatically make everything look neater (even if you have subpar handwriting like me!), monthly calendars, and look-ahead pages before each month are things I’ve found especially helpful in staying on track. Choosing a planner that’s right for you is the first step, whether that means a broader monthly calendar or daily pages that allow you to get as detailed as possible. The variety of planners on the market caters to different needs, so if you’re more focused on design and aesthetics, you can start there, or opt for more practical, efficiency-focused products.

Mindset Towards Busy Schedules 

Beyond managing your time and tasks through calendars and planners, there’s still a lot more to effectively tackling many responsibilities. Sometimes, I can look at my calendar and daily schedule, and rather than feeling motivated, I feel exhausted. Burnout is real, and while I believe it can be avoided through proper time management, losing steam after months of long days is inevitable. Sometimes you’re sick. Sometimes there’s something or someone in your personal life you need to devote more time to. Sometimes, you don’t feel it, plain and simple! When this happens, learn to embrace it. I don’t mean to abandon everything and never re-enter society again; I mean to pause and listen to yourself. Clearly, you haven’t had enough time or resources to pour back into yourself, which must be done to avoid long-term issues like chronic stress. So, take a step back and assess the actual workload you have in front of you, compare it to your internal work threshold, and see where it differs. 

While I set my schedule every week, if I’m feeling off on a day, I try to find at least one task that could be moved or possibly removed. Things don’t need to be set in stone, and moving something to another day doesn’t mean you aren’t still killing it. Listening to your body and mind without judgment is essential to leading a successful and fulfilling life, especially when juggling multiple responsibilities. 

Closing Thoughts

In closing, time management is a healthy blend of schedule planning, task prioritizing and flexibility. By managing your time with calendars and planners, you can also create space for self-care. Graduate school is a marathon, not a sprint, so pace yourself accordingly. Do you have any strategies or tips that have helped you throughout the semester?