Time Management: Downloadable Resources
This page provides access to resources - planners and schedulers than you can download. Some of them you can print, but others are better used on a device. You don't have to use any of these, but if you find managing your time a bit of a struggle, they might be of help.
Weekly Schedule Template
How to use this schedule
- Add your classes into the schedule.
- Add your other commitments - items that are already scheduled for the week, including appointments, work, family time etc.
- Add activities that need to be done that week but don’t have a set time (for example shopping). Try to spread these activities across the week so that they are not all concentrated on already busy days.
- Add your relaxation activities. e.g., spending time with friends or going to the gym. You need these to some balance to your life.
- You can now add dedicated study/homework time for working on your course such as doing readings, catching up on class notes, working on assignments, or studying for exams. Spread these study blocks across the week instead of on busy days. Make sure to schedule these hours for when you are at your best!
Weekly Schedule Template
Daily Planner
Note your tasks and goals for the day
Daily Planner (Word)
Weekly Planner
Note your tasks and goals for the week
Weekly Planner (Word)
Time Management Matrix
This matrix, which has a couple of other names (e.g., the Eisenhower Matrix) is a good way of prioritising what's on your to-do list and deciding which tasks you should focus on completing.
You classify tasks as being either important or not important and urgent or not urgent, so you end up with four varieties of task
- Important and urgent
- Important but not urgent
- Not important but urgent
- Not important and not urgent
How to use this matrix:
- Prepare a list of your tasks
- Think about their priority and urgency
- Move them to the appropriate quadrant
- Tick them off when done
Time Management Matrix (Excel)
Action Priority Matrix
The action priority matrix is like the time management matrix, but instead of looking at the importance and urgency of tasks, it looks at the effort (how much work you need to put in) involved and the impact (the positive return) of completing tasks. You classify tasks as being high/low impact and high/low effort, so you end up with four classes of task
- High impact and low effort - "Quick Wins"
- High impact and high effort - "Major Projects"
- Low impact and high effort - "Hard Slogs"
- Low impact and low effort - "Fill-Ins
How to use this matrix:
- Prepare a list of your tasks
- Think about the impact of each task and the effort required for each task
- Move them to the appropriate quadrant
- Tick them off when done
Activity Priority Matrix (Excel)
To-Do List
The Time Management Matrix and Action Priority Matrix are maybe better being used when you're starting a to-do list for the first time and need to sort out all your tasks by priority and impact. Once that's done you could think about using an 'ordinary' to-do list where you list your ongoing tasks and tick them off when completed.
Excel Template
How to use this template
- Type in your tasks
- Select a priory
- Enter the deadline for completion
- Tick the box in the Completed column when you finish a task
To-Do List (Excel)
Word Template
A Word to-do list that's more suitable for printing
To-Do List (Word)
SMART Goals Template
Use this template below to create SMART goals for yourself
Smart Goals Template
These ETBI Digital Library resources can be freely repurposed and reused under a CC-BY-NC-SA licence
