Online classes are challenging. Things get overwhelming when you need to manage online education, job assignments, and personal commitments. While success in online learning depends on multiple pillars, one of the most essential pillars is time management. If you can manage your time effectively, you can ace your classes, meet all professional deadlines, and also have enough time to fulfil your personal commitments. Therefore, today we will share 8 time management tips for online class with you.
However, that’s not all; we have also added a case study that shows how time management techniques helped a US student achieve success in an online business management class. Let’s begin!
Why Is Time Management Essential for Online College Students?
Here’s why most talk about the importance of time management for academic success:
Academic Success and Productivity
If you’re pursuing an online degree, you already know the struggles of meeting deadlines, staying focused in classes, and dedicating study sessions. Effective time management helps you prioritize assignments, meet deadlines without pulling all-nighters, and avoid last-minute cramming. Evidently, your path to successful online coursework completion becomes smoother.
Stress Reduction and Well-Being
No online learner ever said managing online programs was easy on their health. The constant pressure of looming deadlines induces stress, which directly affects both physical and mental health. These 8 tips for time management for online students help reduce stress and anxiety, thereby improving both physical and mental well-being. Furthermore, it improves focus in online classes.
Balancing Responsibilities
If you are pursuing a college degree while balancing part-time or full-time job responsibilities, then you must develop good time management techniques. This helps you stay organized, stay on top of your responsibilities, and stay on track to achieve online learning success. In conclusion, time management is essential to allocate proper time for studying, completing assignments, and attending meetings to maintain a productive mindset.
8 Time Management Tips for Online Class
Let’s check out the best time management tips for online students:
Create a Schedule and To-do List
Now, there’s no alternative to creating a proper study schedule and to-do list to ensure you stay on task and finish everything without feeling burdened. When balancing work and studies, you must set aside a proper time to study and to do your work.
Therefore, create a study schedule that includes all classes, assignments, and upcoming tests. This schedule will also include your office work, and your everyday to-do list should include key responsibilities. This will help you strike tasks off your list once they are done. When creating your schedule, remember your SMART goals, which help you become more productive.
What Does the Acronym SMART Stand for?
SMART stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.
This means:
- Specific: The Objective clearly states what will be done and who will do it.
- Measurable: To track progress and know when the goal has been achieved.
- Achievable: The goal must be realistic and feasible within the available resources and constraints.
- Relevance: Goals should align with broader objectives and values in the broader context.
- Time-bound: Every goal should be limited to a specific timeframe for completion.
Establish a Routine and a Dedicated Study Space
Now, when you study at home, you usually ditch the idea of a proper study area or workspace. The bed, couch, or sofa becomes the ideal place to study. However, researchers have found that one of the most best online education success tips is to have a dedicated study space and a properly established routine.
To elaborate, your routine is necessary so you do not procrastinate, because procrastination is your biggest enemy. So, you must have a routine that includes exercise time, study time, and movie time; you do not slack off. Furthermore, you should have a study space with adequate sunlight, a clean desk with the necessary study and work essentials, and no unnecessary gadgets.
Prioritize Your Tasks
Next comes the most essential part. Why so? Most students fail to prioritize tasks based on urgency and importance. Now, even if you have good time management skills, you might not achieve as much as you have the potential to because you end up investing more time than required on unimportant tasks. For this, you use the Eisenhower Matrix.
Eisenhower Matrix: An Advanced Prioritization Technique
Remember the to-do list you made, take that out. Now see what’s most important and urgent for you. Then do the following:
- Select your top three most important items to accomplish and get started.
- Sort your urgent tasks into 3 tiers of importance: high, medium, or low.
- Rank every item on your task list on a scale of 1 to 10, and then order them accordingly.
Then, finally, use the matrix to know which you need to prioritize, which is undoubtedly one of the best study schedule tips for online learners:
The Four Quadrants:
- Do (urgent & important)
- Schedule (important but not urgent)
- Delegate (urgent but not essential)
- Eliminate (not urgent & not important)
Break Down Large Projects
For succeeding in your online class, you must study diligently. However, no one will disagree that studying challenging subjects can make us want to quit. Although it is a fair challenge, we also have a solution for it. One of the best hacks here is to break the challenging assignments into manageable chunks.
A big research paper or final project can feel overwhelming. Break it down into smaller, more manageable steps with their own mini-deadlines. For example, a paper could be broken down into the following stages: research, outline, first draft, revision, and final proofreading. This makes the task less daunting and helps you track your progress. Also, allocate chunks of time to step for effective study habits.
Eliminate Distractions with Time Management Resources
If you ever want to know how to manage time in online classes or online courses, then you need to set time for particular assignments. In order to do that, you need to pay full attention and eliminate distractions. One of the most time-wasting activities includes surfing the internet or scrolling through reels.
To reduce distractions, the best time management tools for students are:
All-in-One Workspace:
- Notion: This time management resource is a versatile tool that combines note-taking, task management, and project organization into a single workspace, allowing for high customization.
Task & Project Management:
- Todoist: A popular app for creating to-do lists, setting deadlines, and prioritizing tasks across academic and personal life.
- Microsoft To Do: A simple task manager that integrates well with the Microsoft suite, making it a good choice for Microsoft users.
- Trello: A visual project management tool that uses boards, cards, and lists to organize tasks, which is particularly useful for group projects and research.
Scheduling & Calendar:
- Google Calendar: An essential tool for time management for students, Google Calendar is widely used for scheduling classes, events, and appointments, offering seamless integration with other Google products.
Focus & Distraction Blocking:
- Forest: A focus app that uses gamification to help students stay off their phones and maintain concentration.
- Pomofocus: A simple tool that implements the Pomodoro Technique, working in focused 25-minute intervals with short breaks to boost efficiency.
- RescueTime: Excellent for students struggling with digital distractions, this tool helps monitor and gain control over how online time is spent.
What Is the Pomodoro Technique, and How Is It Structured?
The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method that uses a timer to break down work into focused intervals, typically 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks.
How it works:
- Work for 25 minutes on a single task with no distractions.
- Take a 5-minute break when the timer goes off.
- Repeat this cycle four times.
- After the fourth cycle, take a longer break of 15-30 minutes.
The method is designed to improve focus, prevent mental fatigue, and increase productivity by structuring work sessions with built-in rest periods.
Note-Taking & Organization:
Evernote: A powerful tool for taking and organizing notes in various formats (text, audio, images), syncing them across devices.
Take Regular Breaks
In traditional classrooms or traditional college classes, you had to study for hours. However, with online learning, you have the flexibility to study at your convenience. Self-paced learning provides you with the flexibility to schedule your time as needed to complete the material.
Therefore, use it properly and don’t try to power through for hours on end. Incorporate short, regular breaks into your study sessions to prevent burnout and maintain focus. Schedule time to study and also make time for socializing with friends. Furthermore, you can plan quick naps in between, as it helps you study better. Here’s how you can do it:
Don’t Multitask
Practical time management empowers you to focus on one task at a time. Multitasking might sound appealing, but it’s best to avoid it. Reason? It’s a myth that multitasking improves productivity. In fact, switching between tasks can decrease your efficiency.
Therefore, learn how to set a specific time as an online learner for a task and complete it before moving on to another, for increased productivity.
Stay Engaged and Communicate
Online students must communicate with friends and instructors not only to stay connected with the world but also to reduce the feeling of loneliness. Make time every day to connect with your peers. You can also form a study group and spend your time finishing homework quickly. Furthermore, networking can significantly enhance your career.
Work Ahead Whenever Possible
Many online learners complete tasks before the submission deadline. For instance, you planned to invest 1 hour in your ALEKS week 1 homework, but you finished in just 45 minutes. Instead of leaving the study space, you can invest the time to complete another task, such as a discussion post, scheduled for next week. Using time wisely gives you the freedom to be on track and helps you avoid late submission due to sudden challenges.
Prioritize Self-Care
An integral part of time management isn’t just about scheduling study sessions; it’s also about making time for yourself. Ensure you’re getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet, and exercising regularly. Schedule time for hobbies and social activities. A well-rested and balanced mind is more productive and resilient. The last and most powerful time management strategy for students is to seek extra support when needed to maintain their health.
Case Study: Time Management in Online Learning with Online Class Help
A student from Florida (name withheld for privacy) connected with us last month because he was struggling to manage his classes, meet deadlines, and balance his digital marketing job.
Though he could have completed all of it had he been careful and used effective time management strategies. But he procrastinated, and in the last moment, he was behind schedule. Now he had to choose either his work or his studies. However, he later discovered BoostMyGrade, the ultimate solution to all his online class struggles.
So, he thought of outsourcing his business management classes. BoostMyGrade provides the best online class help for students struggling with online classes in over 80 subjects. Here’s how it went!
Time Management Technique Used
When he reached out to us to complete his classes, he had two assignment deadlines to meet. He had to complete a project within the next 3 days and a quiz with a 24-hour deadline. Meanwhile, he had an overseas meeting to attend. He could not manage his time to complete all tasks and be present in the meeting simultaneously. So, he chose the best time management technique: Hiring an expert to take his online classes.
Success in Online Education
We quickly assigned an expert who holds a PhD degree in business management. Our expert connected with him one-on-one and completed the quiz within just 2 hours of assigning the task. Then our expert moved to the project. Our expert not only wrote the assignment from scratch but also added insights from their experience, helping them stand out from the crowd!
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Endnote: Time Management Strategies for Online Students
We have listed all these tips to help you succeed in your online classes effectively. However, if needed, taking help is not a bad idea. With effective strategies, you will have ample time to invest in your passion and other things. Furthermore, practical time management helps in juggling multiple responsibilities effortlessly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are Effective Tools for Tracking Study Time?
TimeCamp, DeskTrack, Clockify, and MyStudyTracker are highly regarded apps for tracking study time.
How Do I Create an Ideal Study Environment at Home?
To create a proper study environment at home, dedicate a quiet, well-lit space away from distractions, such as the TV or high-traffic areas. Ideally, place it near a window for natural light. Additionally, consider investing in an ergonomic chair for enhanced comfort and improved health.
How Do I Prioritize Tasks Effectively for Online Classes?
You can use the Eisenhower Matrix to break down assignments by deadline, urgency, and importance using to-do lists. This makes you more productive as well.
How Can I Avoid Procrastination during Online Classes?
- Set clear, specific goals and break tasks into smaller, manageable steps.
- Minimize distractions by organizing your study area and utilizing accountability partners or study groups to boost motivation.
- Use timers or the Pomodoro technique, set personal deadlines, block digital distractions, and reward yourself for completed tasks.
