Time management support

Time management looks different for everyone, but there are some aspects of time management that are critical in order to be efficient and effective when trying to juggle a complex lifestyle such as being a medical student.

Key performance indicators that you may need to strengthen your ability to manage time includes:

  • Academic difficulty
  • Little to no free time
  • High-levels of stress and anxiety
  • Lack of motivation or drive to get things done
  • Easily Distracted

Everyone needs a plan, but everyone doesn't need the same type of plan. Here are some examples of tools to help you plan ahead:

  • Check List can be useful when you don't work well with specific timed tasks
  • Monthly Calendar supports the learner who needs to see the big picture
  • Weekly Calendar effective when you have a ritual that is typical on a weekly basis
  • Daily Log effective for learners who like to plan each day in advance with specific details that usually accounts for 24 hours worth of activities

Important topics to consider when making your plan:

  • School/Course related responsibilities for example CEC, P4, or Service Learning
  • Study Time and Study Tasks
  • Self-Assessments instructor authored weekly assessments or self-created
  • Personal Appointments and Responsibilities
  • Health, Wellness, and Self-Care

Tips for success:

  • Use Friday formatives to practice taking timed assessments and identify topics to re-learn.
  • Utilize Integrated Illness Scripts and Mechanism of Disease Map strategies for cases beyond CBL.
  • Complete asynchronous Synergize sessions with peers or a learning coach.
  • Use the exam breakdown to focus your studying with a learning coach.  Consider concepts that were intentionally repeated in various learning structures (lectures, Synergize, CBLs, quizzes, etc.) to identify required learning.
  • Plan when, what, and how long you plan to study. It's not enough to plan the time, you need to have real study goals in mind in order to support your own efficiency.
  • Regularly review your plan to assure that you are meeting your expectations and staying on task. You may need to make some adjustments, and that's ok too!
  • When you fall off schedule, don't fret, pick-up where you left off and add tasks you were not able to accomplish, to the next day or dispersed throughout the week.
  • If your feeling overwhelmed and do not know what to do, seek help! OLT, Counseling, Course Director, and Peers are all here to support you. Start seeking help where you feel comfortable, but you don't have to do it alone.

For additional support, please contact the Office of Learning and Teaching at olt@med.wayne.edu.