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Time Management

Our top tips for getting organised, beating procrastination and effectively managing your time at university.

Why set goals?

  • Having clear goals allows you to focus your time, energy, and resources on activities that align with your objectives, both short and long term, enabling you to navigate through various opportunities and challenges in a purposeful manner. 

  • Goals serve as powerful motivators. When you have a specific target in mind, it can increase your motivation to take action and work towards that goal. 

  • Goals are often measurable, which allows you to track your progress. Measuring progress provides a sense of achievement and helps you stay on course. Observable progress can act as positive reinforcement, encouraging you to continue working towards your goals. 

  • Well-structured goals often stimulate creativity and problem-solving, as individuals seek innovative ways to achieve their priorities. 

  • Achieving goals is often associated with a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction, contributing to overall well-being and positive mental health.

Top tip: Tracking your goals

Write your goals down at the start of each week and use a daily ‘to do list’ tracker that breaks these down into smaller, manageable steps.

At the end of each day, review what you have achieved and find a visual way to record your progress. 

SMART goals

SMART goals are a proven method for setting clear, achievable objectives by ensuring they are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This approach helps you to stay focused, track progress, and adjust your plan if things start to go off-track.


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Collegiate Library


Sheffield Hallam University
City Campus, Howard Street
Sheffield S1 1WB


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