This document provides 10 tips for effective time management for students. The tips include keeping an organized school area with separate shelves or files for each class, creating a daily to-do list and crossing items off as they are completed, having someone hold you accountable to your schedule, limiting distractions, taking short breaks, using a timer to stay on schedule, and celebrating when goals are reached. The tips are meant to help students stay organized and on track with their coursework.

1. Top 10 Tips for Time
Management
Provided to you by current
Keystone Students. This is how THEY
stay on track!

2. Keep your “school area” organized
Bookshelves or other
organizational tools can help you
know where everything is!
Use one shelf per class – one for
English, one for Math, one for
Science and so on.
Keep your books there, your
notebooks, pens, paper and any other
supplies for that course.
Make sure to put everything away
on the right shelf every day.
If a bookshelf isn’t available – get
creative. Boxes, milk crates or even
different sections of the floor work as
long as you keep it organized!

3. Keep your files all in the right places
Digital organization is also important. Here are
two suggestions for keeping your files in the
right places:
Create a different file for each course on your desktop. Save all of your work
for that class there.
Invest in a flash drive for each course and save all of the material there. Make
sure to label them so you know where to find your assignments.

4. Create a plan for each day
You need a roadmap in order to get where you
want to be. Every night before you finish up or
first thing in the morning, create a list of items
that you plan on completing.
Today’s To Do List:
Algebra 2 – complete section 2 quiz
American History – Read final section about the
Civil War and do discussion board post
English 2 – finish reading novel
Biology – Set up and complete Lab 1

5. Write down your plan
Writing your tasks down helps you remember what
you need to do and helps you see the progress as
you cross items off! A white board is the perfect
tool.
• Write down what you have to work on for each
subject for one week (or even one day).
• Use different color markers to signify different
courses or use the different markers to mark an
assignment as complete, in progress or not
started.
• If you don’t have a white board, any piece of
paper will do!

6. Cross things off as you complete them
At the end of the day, your list should look
similar to this. If it doesn’t, then you may need
to spend some time in the evening or weekend
to catch up!
Today’s To Do List:
Algebra 2 – complete section 2 quiz
American History – Read final section about the
Civil War and do discussion board post
English 2 – finish reading novel
Biology – Set up and complete Lab 1

7. Have someone hold you accountable
• Mom, dad, sister, brother, aunt, uncle,
neighbor, friend – it can be anyone!
• Have them check in with you at regular times
(daily, weekly, it is up to you) and ask you
these questions:
– Are you on track with your schedule?
– Show me or tell me about what you are
working on.
– Let’s look at your grade book together.

8. Limit as many distractions as you can
Distractions can be external (other people, phones ringing,
television) or that of our own making (surfing the web, taking a
nap, turning ON the television).
• Set up your school area away from other people, phones and
TVs (as well as other distractions).
• Let your family know when you are working so you don’t get
interrupted.
• Allow yourself time to do the things you want – during your
break time or after you are done for the day.

9. Take short breaks as needed
Breaks are necessary to being productive, but
the key is to keep them short. Here’s an example
of how breaks should be worked into your day:
Classwork – 9-10:55
Break – 10:55-11:05
Classwork 11:05-12:00
Break for lunch – 12:00-12:45
Classwork – 12:45 – 2:00
Break – 2:00 -2:10
Classwork – 2:10-4:00

10. Use a timer if you find yourself getting
distracted
Classrooms have bells, but
maybe your classroom at
home doesn’t. If you
need a reminder about
how much time to spend
on your class or how
much time you have for a
break – use a timer!

11. Celebrate when you reach your goal!
We need to
recognize the small
and the large tasks
that we complete.
When it is a
smaller task, take a
few minutes to
jump up and cheer.
When it is a larger
task, find a way to
celebrate in way
that works for you.
See some ideas on
the other side of
the page!
Here are some
suggestions:
• Get up and
stretch. While
you are at it, go
for a short walk!
• Take 10 minutes
and go to a
website you really
enjoy.
• If you are all
caught up, take a
day off of school.
• Do something that
says “celebrate” to
you!